Corporate Health & Safety
Risk Assessment Guidance
This guidance is the same for all specific risk assessments, for further guidance on completing risk assessments, please see:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf. For help and guidance completing this form, please contact Corporate Health and Safety on 020 8891 7330.
Process for completing a risk assessment
1. List all the things that have the potential to cause harm, that are present in the situation you are considering (the hazards). Remember to not
only think about people directly involved, but also passers by. Also think about people with special needs or a disability and how the hazard
could affect them.
2. For each hazard, please identify the level of risk (this is the level of risk before any control measures are applied). This is achieved by giving a
score from 1 to 3 for severity, and 1 to 3 for the likelihood that it could happen (see table 1). These two numbers are multiplied against each
another to give a risk rating (see table 2), which will help you prioritise your actions. For example, a hazard may be classed as harmful (2), but
unlikely (2) to happen. The risk would then be classed as a moderate risk (2 x 2 = 4).
3. Consider what actions you will need to take to reduce the risk. This could be physical measures, or through safe systems of work. Also consider
any personal protective equipment that may be required, although this is a last resort.
4. Assign who is responsible for implementing any actions as well as a target date for completion.
5. Remember to regularly review the risk assessment, particularly after any significant change.
Table 1. Assessing the risk:
Severity
Extremely harmful
Harmful
Slightly harmful
Likelihood
Likely
Unlikely
Highly Unlikely
Description
Could result in serious injury, for example broken bones or hospital admission.
Short-term injury, possibly requiring first aid or limited medical attention.
Injury not requiring first aid.
Description
Imminent possibility of injury, accident
Could happen at some point
Could happen, although it is unlikely. No near misses or accidents have been reported for this hazard.
Score
3
2
1
Score
3
2
1
Table 2. Rating the risk:
Highly Unlikely (1)
Unlikely (2)
Likely (3)
DOC NO: HSU0083
ISSUE DATE: 17/04/07
Slightly Harmful (1)
Trivial risk
(1)
Tolerable Risk (2)
Moderate Risk (3)
Harmful (2)
Tolerable Risk (2)
Moderate Risk (4)
Substantial Risk (6)
Extremely Harmful (3)
Moderate Risk (3)
Substantial Risk (6)
Intolerable Risk (9)