RA-HS154 Biological Hazards
| File Reference : | Risk Assessment Biological Hazards |
This example covers workplace exposure to biological hazards - bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites - across cleaning, waste, care, laboratory and animal-handling tasks.
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.
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- Version
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Risk Assessment - Biological Hazards
This pre-completed general risk assessment covers tasks with potential exposure to biological hazards, including cleaning of bodily fluids, clinical and general waste handling, healthcare and personal care, laboratory work, pest control and contact with animals. It considers cleaners, care and healthcare staff, laboratory technicians, waste handlers, food and animal handlers, first aiders, contractors and vulnerable individuals such as immunocompromised persons.
What Does This Risk Assessment Cover?
The assessment addresses the significant hazards of work involving biological agents, including:
- Bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites - exposure routes and the illnesses each agent group can cause
- Sharps and needlestick injuries - contaminated needles, scalpels and broken glass
- Splash and aerosol exposure - contact with mucous membranes during cleaning of body fluids and contaminated water
- Contaminated and clinical waste - safe segregation, handling and disposal
- Hand hygiene and PPE - selection, correct use and safe removal to avoid self-contamination
- Vaccination and health surveillance - immunisation of at-risk workers and monitoring for occupational illness
- Exposure incident response - immediate first aid and reporting after splashes, sharps injuries, ingestion or bites
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.
Who Is This Risk Assessment For?
This assessment is suitable for any workplace where biological exposure is foreseeable, including:
- Cleaning and facilities contractors
- Healthcare, care and support services
- Laboratories and testing facilities
- Waste handling, pest control and animal-related work
Ready to Adapt to Your Tasks
The controls reflect established good practice for work with biological agents. Review each row against your own tasks and settings, adjust the ratings where your circumstances differ, and record your site-specific details in the completed-by and location fields.
Where a specific agent or task warrants it - for example blood-borne viruses, legionella or zoonotic infection - a dedicated assessment should be used alongside this general one to capture the additional controls.
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.