This example covers low loader operations - loading and unloading plant, overturning and crushing risks, load securing, public protection and driver competence.

Effective form templates

This example risk assessment has been prepared using the
F-HS20 General Risk Assessment form template - a purpose-built template designed to focus entirely on what matters: identifying hazards, rating risk and recording controls, without any unnecessary fields getting in the way.

The file is supplied in fully editable MS Word format and can be saved to Google Docs if required, with pre-defined styles throughout to match the risk ratings.
The following document labelling is included in the footer:

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

alphaZ documents - beautifully designed, tried and tested form templates. No junk, jargon or unecessary fields. Simple and usuable form templates developed over 25 years through practical use in the real world.

Further Reading

Further guidance on assessing and managing risk:

• Risk Assessment
• Risk Assessment - Likelihood and Consequence Scoring
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Work

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Risk Assessment - Low Loader Operations

This pre-completed risk assessment covers loading, transporting and unloading plant, machinery and heavy equipment using a low loader trailer, including vehicle movements, ramp deployment, load securing and roadside operations. It considers drivers, banksmen, plant operators, site workers and members of the public near the work.

What Does This Risk Assessment Cover?

The assessment addresses the significant hazards of low loader work, including:

• Trailer overturning - loading and unloading on soft, uneven or sloping ground
• Plant on ramps - machines slipping sideways, losing traction or rolling back during loading
• Crushing - operatives caught between moving plant, the trailer and fixed objects
• Falls from the trailer - accessing the bed to fit chains, straps and wheel chocks
• Load shift and loss - inadequately secured loads moving or falling during transit
• Vehicle movements - reversing collisions, blind spots and runaway vehicle risk
• Equipment and people - ramp, hydraulic and winch failures, manual handling of chains and straps, adverse weather, public protection at the roadside, and driver training and authorisation, along with emergency response

How the Risks Are Rated

Every hazard is scored twice. The inherent rating shows the risk before controls are considered, and the residual rating shows the risk that remains once the listed controls are in place - giving a clear picture of how much each set of controls is actually doing. Ratings are selected from pre-populated drop-down boxes, with document styles that colour-match each rating automatically, and recognised safety pictograms mark hazards, mandatory controls and prohibitions throughout.

Who Is This Risk Assessment For?

This assessment is suitable for any business moving plant and equipment by low loader, including:

• Plant hire and haulage companies
• Groundworks and civil engineering contractors
• Demolition and construction businesses moving their own plant
• Agricultural and forestry operations

Ready to Adapt to Your Fleet

The controls reflect established good practice for plant movement. Review each row against your own vehicles, trailers and typical sites, adjust the ratings where your circumstances differ, and record your site-specific details in the completed-by and location fields.

Health and Safety Compliance

This document provides ready-to-use evidence of risk assessment and supports occupational health and safety management. The assessment is based on the F-HS20 General Risk Assessment template, is fully editable in Microsoft Word, and can be customised with your company details, site-specific information and review dates.