This policy procedure sets out each stage of a risk assessment, from finding hazards to reviewing findings, and points to the register and forms that record the assessments.

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This policy template is supplied in fully editable MS Word format and can be easily customised and edited. The document uses pre-defined style formatting throughout, with all text in Calibri font for improved readability.
The following document labelling is included in the footer:

• Policy number and title
• Information-classification
• Version
• Page number / total pages

alphaZ documents - beautifully designed, tried and tested policy templates. No junk, jargon or unnecessary content. Simple and usable policy templates developed over 25 years through practical use in the real world.

Further Reading

Further guidance on risk assessment:

• Risk Assessment
• Risk Assessment - Likelihood and Consequence
• ISO 45001 Clause 6.1.2 - Hazard Identification and Assessment of Risks
• Health and Safety knowledge base

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This file is included in the alphaZ subscription. This policy is also included in the Risk Assessment Toolkit, so the toolkit route gives you this file plus everything else you need in one download.

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Completing a Risk Assessment Policy Procedure Template

The Completing a Risk Assessment Policy Procedure is a Word template that sets out how a business identifies hazards and assesses risk across its operations. It works through the risk assessment process stage by stage, from identifying hazards and who might be harmed to rating risks, recording findings and review, then covers competence, sources of hazard information, the forms used and acting on findings.

Title, File Location, Issue No, Issue Date, Controlled By and Approved By fields and an Amendment Record support document control. The footer carries a Business Use information classification, and sections marked Guidance are advisory rather than mandatory.

What the Policy Covers

• Amendment record, summary, scope and applicability - the purpose of the policy, its scope across all company activities and locations, who it applies to and how guidance sections are marked
• Hazards and risks overview - the company duty to manage risk in the workplace, and plain definitions of a hazard, including hazards to mental health, and of risk
• Identifying hazards and who might be harmed - walk rounds, hazard prompts, safety data sheets and incident records, and how employees, contractors, visitors and workers with specific requirements could be harmed
• Evaluating risks and deciding controls - rating each risk by likelihood and consequence, inherent and residual risk ratings, and further action where the residual rating is Substantial
• Recording findings and review - what a recorded assessment must demonstrate, dealing with the most serious risks first, and reviewing assessments when the work environment changes significantly
• Completing risk assessments - competence of assessors, the hazard and risk register, guidance on hazard identification, the forms used and consultation with workers
• Findings and safe operating procedures - further action and stopping work where risk remains Substantial or controls are missing, reporting findings for action and preparing method statements where required

Built for Stage by Stage Risk Assessment

• Risks rated on likelihood and consequence, with Tolerable, Moderate and Substantial ratings and the action each needs
• An inherent risk rating without controls and a residual rating with controls in place
• No work to start on site or tasks without suitable risk assessments in place
• Young workers, expectant mothers and night workers considered when deciding who might be harmed
• Assessments carried out only by competent staff with knowledge of the area being assessed

Who Needs a Completing a Risk Assessment Policy Procedure?

Any business that needs to assess and document the risks in its work, premises and operations. It is written for the people who carry out and review risk assessments and for the managers who act on the findings.

Included in the Risk Assessment Toolkit

This policy is part of the Risk Assessment Toolkit.

How the Policy Fits Together

Hazards, risks and completed assessments with their renewal dates are listed on the ER14 Hazard Risk Assessment Register. Assessments are documented on the F-HS3 Risk Assessment Hazard Prompt Form for an initial hazard prompt, the F-HS14 Task Risk Assessment Form for specific work tasks, the F-HS20 General Risk Assessment for summarising hazards and risks and the F-HS21 Site Risk Assessment for ongoing assessment on site.

Using the Policy

Edit the risk rating guidance, the groups of people at risk and the forms named to match how your business assesses risk, and decide who is competent to complete assessments. Name the person in the Controlled By field, give it top level approval and brief the people who carry out assessments.

Related Documents

The GG-7-03 Completing a Risk Assessment Guidance and TT-7-03 Completing a Risk Assessment Training Talk can be used to brief staff on completing a risk assessment.