RISK REFERENCE MATRIX
Use this table for reference when profiling the risks associated with the placement. The factors are not exhaustive,
and it may be appropriate to consider others. Once all relevant factors have been considered, the overall risk profile
can be characterised. (For example "The placement has medium work related risks, but high travel, location and
health risks due to the location in Sub Saharan Africa. Overall, the risks are classified as HIGH")
Work Related Factors
Travel and
transportation
factors
Location and/or
regional factors
Health factors
High
Risk
Working directly with:
 dangerous machinery
(machine tools,
agricultural machinery)
 working at height (2m or
more at falling distance)
 construction work
involving significant
risks
 toxic or otherwise
dangerous chemicals,
harmful biological
agents
 dangerous animals
 high risk members of
the public (violence risk
etc.)
 ionising and nonionising radiation
sources
 live electrical
conductors
 high temperature
surfaces
 other comparable
hazards
 Significant travel
requirement to reach
the placement initially
(and on return) (e.g.
trans-Atlantic or other
long distance
international travel)
 Likely to be
significant physical
stress from travel
requirements
 Long daily commute,
likely to impact on
concentration or
tiredness during the
working day
 Otherwise
demanding travel
schedule
 Local transportation
presents significant
risks (e.g. poor local
standards, cars not
normally fitted with
seatbelts etc.)
 Student required to
drive (particularly
using poor roads
and/or vehicles)
 Location presents
significant risk of
civil disorder,
crime or
comparable
danger
 Unavoidable lone
or remote working
in proximity to
significant risks
 Good quality
medical facilities
are not likely to be
available locally
 Student in
difficulty would not
be easily or
quickly detected worsening the
impact of an
accident or
incident
 Placement likely to
present significant
health risks not
normally
encountered in the
community
 Placement will
require specific
medical provisions
(inoculations
and/or medical
examination)
 Regional health
risks require
mandatory health
protection
measures (e.g.
inoculations)
 Personal medical
travel kit is
essential
 Student has
special medical
needs or health
issues which
significantly
increase the risks
Medium
Risk
 Proximity to high risk
work hazards listed
above - but not directly
working with them (e.g.
in the same building as
- but not directly
involved in the
process)
 Work in the construction
environments NOT
involving high risk
processes
 Work in medical
treatment centres
involving potential
violence risk
 Situations where
normally low risks listed
below may temporarily
become elevated (e.g.
shop work or
community activity
where occasionally an
angry member of the
public might present
some short -term
 Travel requirements
present short term
demands
(comparable with
flights or train
journeys to mainland
Europe). Night travel
 Comfortable travel
schedule
 Daily commute
longer than would
normally be the case
(but not thought to
significantly increase
the risks)
 Student required to
drive as part of the
placement, but only
using good condition
vehicles on good
roads)
 Higher than
normal risk of civil
disorder, crime or
comparable
danger - but
experiencing
these is not
inevitable
 Some lone or
remote working
with modest risks
 Some questions
over the quality of
local medical
facilities, but not
thought to be lifethreatening
 Some delay in
detecting a
student in
difficulty, but this
is not likely to be
life-threatening
 Placement may be
made safer by
health assessment
or other optional
medical
precautionary
measures (e.g.
pre-placement
medical)
 Regional health
risks justify some
precautionary
health protection
measures (e.g.
optional
inoculations,
medical travel kit is
a sensible option)
 Student has
special medical
needs or health
issues, but these
are not likely to
increase the risks
elevated risk)
Low
Risk
 Office or shop working
 Schools, colleges,
medical treatment
centres
 Low risk community
 activity
 No significant travel
requirements (e.g.
typical comfortable
daily commute)
 Only normal standard
transportation will be
used
 Student not required
to drive as part of the
placement
 No significant
local risks
 No significant high
risk lone or
remote working
 Good quality
medical facilities
are readily
available locally
 Student in
difficulty would be
easily and quickly
detected
 No significant
health risks over
and above those
normally
encountered in the
community
 No special needs
on the part of the
student
 Student does not
have any special
medical needs or
health issues