How to Prepare for and Conduct a Health and Safety Risk Assessment

Step 1: Identify hazards

Start by systematically looking for anything that could potentially cause harm. Hazards generally fall into several categories you can see in the image below.

Use multiple methods to ensure thorough identification:

• Workplace inspections let you observe conditions and practices directly. 
• Employee interviews provide insights from those who do the job daily. 
• Reviewing incident reports to spot recurring issues caused by weak procedures, faulty equipment, and careless or insufficiently trained employees. 
• Checking industry guidelines to see common hazards you should watch for in your specific sector.

Mobile forms software like Forms On Fire can dramatically improve this process. Instead of juggling paper forms, you can use customized digital checklists that guide inspectors through each area, capture hazard photos, record employee input, and ensure consistent data collection. This way, nothing gets missed, and it’s easier to compare the findings across departments or periods.

Step 2: Assess risks

Once you've identified your hazards, evaluate each one to determine its risk level. Consider two key factors: how likely it is to cause harm and how severe that harm could be.

A classic risk assessment matrix helps standardize this process. For example, you might rate likelihood from 1 (rare) to 4 (almost certain) and severity from 1 (minor injury) to 4 (fatality). Multiplying these values gives you a risk score that helps prioritize your response. 

Let’s go over the example from a manufacturing plant:

Color key:

• 🟩 Acceptable (1-3): These risks are generally manageable with existing controls. Regular monitoring is sufficient, and work can continue normally.
• 🟨 Tolerable (4-6): These risks require attention but aren't urgent emergencies. You should implement additional controls within a reasonable timeframe and monitor the situation more closely.
• 🟧 Considerable (8-9): These risks demand prompt action. They should be high on your priority list, requiring specific control measures to be implemented without delay. You may need to modify work procedures or add engineering controls.
• 🟥 Intolerable (12-16): These risks require immediate intervention. Work activities may need to stop until adequate controls are implemented. These represent critical safety issues that could result in serious injuries, fatalities, or catastrophic outcomes.

These risk assessments shouldn’t be guesswork. Use incident data, employee experience, manufacturer information, and industry statistics to make informed judgments about likelihood and severity.

Step 3: Implement control measures

Once you've identified and assessed risks, it's time to control them using the hierarchy of hazard controls — a systematic approach that starts with the most effective methods and works down:

1. Elimination: Completely remove the hazard from the workplace. For example, redesigning a production process to eliminate the need for a hazardous chemical.
2. Substitution: Replace the hazard with something less dangerous. This might mean switching from a toxic cleaning solvent to a safer alternative with similar effectiveness.
3. Engineering controls: Add physical safeguards that separate workers from hazards. Installing machine guards, ventilation systems, or noise barriers are common ways to reduce risk without relying on worker behavior.
4. Administrative controls: Change how people work through procedures, training, and work schedules. For instance, implement job rotation to limit exposure time to vibration or noise, or create standard procedures for handling chemicals.
5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Providing protective gear is your last line of defense. This includes hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, and respirators when other methods can't adequately control hazards.

Develop a practical action plan that outlines specific control measures, who's responsible for implementation, and clear deadlines.

For example, your health and safety assessment identified unguarded machinery as a high risk. In that case, your action plan might assign your maintenance supervisor to install appropriate guards within one week, the safety officer to develop updated operating procedures within two weeks, and the training manager to conduct operator training by month's end.

Step 4: Record and document findings

Documenting your risk assessment creates accountability, establishes a baseline for future comparisons, and provides evidence of due diligence. A thorough risk assessment report should include:

• Identified hazards
• Risk evaluations
• Recommended control measures
• Implementation timelines and responsible parties
• Verification methods

Your documentation should cover the assessment process itself, decisions made, actions taken, and ongoing monitoring plans. Use clear language and include supporting evidence like photographs, test results, or employee quotes that influenced your conclusions.

Many jurisdictions have specific legal requirements for risk assessment documentation. While requirements vary, maintaining detailed records is essential for demonstrating compliance. In the US, OSHA requires employers to verify in writing that workplace hazard assessments have been performed, including the date and the person certifying the assessment.

Some industries face stricter requirements — for instance, facilities handling chemicals under EPA regulations need extensive documentation of hazard identification and exposure assessment.

To be sure, check your local regulations and keep records for the required period (typically 3-5 years, but sometimes longer for hazards with delayed health effects).

Examples of health and safety risk assessments

To wrap things up, here are some assessment examples that showcase how different workplaces systematically identify and address their unique hazards:

1. The garage manager assessed risks in their repair shop. They identified hazards like toxic fumes, fire risks, electrical shocks, heavy lifting, and moving vehicles. Safety measures, like protective gear and regular inspections, were already in place, but they added more training and emergency drills. 
2. A maintenance manager assessed risks in a factory, checking for hazards in both their small workshop and across the facility. Key risks included unfamiliar contractors, heavy machinery, vehicle traffic, and working at heights. Safety measures like clear site procedures, protective gear, and regular inspections were already in place, but they also introduced contractor training and stricter supervision. 
3. A lab safety plan for Jo Bruin Lab ensures researchers stay safe while working with hazardous materials, nanotechnology, and chemicals. Risks include fire hazards, toxic exposure, and electrical safety. Existing precautions include safety training, proper storage, and regular inspections. Additional steps, like improved protective equipment and emergency response planning, keep risks manageable.

All three examples follow the same effective methodology: identifying hazards, evaluating existing controls, determining risk levels, and implementing additional safeguards where needed.

Improve workplace safety with Forms On Fire

Managing workplace risks effectively requires the right tools, and Forms On Fire simplifies the entire process. This powerful digital platform helps businesses streamline safety inspections, automate risk assessments, and ensure compliance — without the hassle of paperwork.

With mobile-friendly checklists, data collection forms that work online and offline, and seamless reporting, Forms On Fire makes it easier to track hazards, document safety measures, and take immediate corrective action.

Want to learn more?

• See how Forms On Fire simplifies EHS management
• See how Forms On Fire simplifies Risk Management and Compliance

Whether you're in manufacturing, healthcare, construction, or any other industry, we will help you stay proactive about workplace safety.