Risk assessments are a legal requirement. It is a line manager's responsibility to complete them. The law says you should do everything ‘reasonably practicable’ to protect people from harm.
The risk assessment must be ‘suitable and sufficient’. It should show that:
- a proper check was made
- you asked who might be affected
- you dealt with all the obvious significant hazards, considering the number of people who could be involved
- the precautions are reasonable, and the remaining risk is low
- you involved your employees or their representatives in the process
You must be competent to complete a risk assessment. Free training is available on My Learning if you need help learning how to complete a risk assessment.
The risk assessment policy and guidance explains to managers and others how to comply with the law by making sure hazards are identified, risks are assessed, and suitable and sufficient control measures are in place.
Risk Assessment (HSP5.0) (DOCX, 244KB)
Risk assessment template
You can use the risk assessment template to help you keep a simple record of:
- who might be harmed and how
- what you're already doing to control the risks
- what further action you need to take to control the risks
- who needs to carry out the action
- when the action is needed by
Risk assessment template (HSF003) (DOCX, 109KB)
Stress risk assessment
For information about carrying out a stress risk assessment, read our information on managing stress in the workplace.