Department/Faculty Name & Location:
What are the
hazards?
Who might be
harmed and
how?
Date of Risk Assessment:
Risk
H/M/L
What are you already doing?
What further action is necessary?
Who?
When?
Done?
NOTE: This is a generic risk assessment to be used as a draft. The ‘Hazards’, ‘What you are doing’ and ‘Further Action’ are all suggestions
and must be adapted and added to by Line Managers to fit the circumstances of the working environment and hazards faced. Suggestions of
additional Hazards which you may wish to record are also highlighted below.
Slips, trips and
falls
Staff/visitors may
be injured if they
trip over objects
or slip on
spillages
 Office housekeeping maintained.
 Housekeeping discussed regularly.
 Filing drawers etc kept closed.
 Regular area inspections to be carried
out to ensure adequate standards are
maintained.
 No boxes left on floors and walkways.
 Cables from PC’s etc tidy.
 Floors & stairs cleaned regularly basis.

 Stairs/entrances well lit.
 Damaged flooring spillages etc
reported/dealt with.
Manual
handling of
paper
filing/office
equipment
Regular
computer use
(‘DSE’)
Stress
All staff could
suffer from back
pain if they carry
heavy/bulky
objects e.g.
boxes of paper
 Porters asked to deliver or move heavy
items.
 Reminder to staff that heavy equipment
to be moved by Porters only.
 Top shelves used for storage of light
boxes only.
 Regular Review of filing and shelving.
All office staff
may suffer from
posture problems
(backs, necks
hands and arms
etc) from overuse
or poorly
designed/manag
ed workstations.
Headaches or
eye problems can
occur if lighting is
poor or
 All new staff informed of procedure & have
completed the online DSE training and
self-assessment

 Continuing health problems affected by
DSE to be escalated to Manager and
Occ. Health if necessary.
All staff could be
 Managers ensure work plans and work
 Reminder to staff that they can all
 Office/work areas arranged to ensure
ease of movement.
 Reassessment done if major change of
workstation or adverse health affects.
 Managers ensure that PC equipment,
furniture and office environment (space,
heating, lighting etc) is satisfactory.
 Managers ensure staff are aware of
entitlement for eye test via H&S Office or
through the Healthcare scheme.
 All furniture, drawers, cabinets and
filing checked as being safe.
 All storage/filing made safe replaced,
secured or repaired
 Ensure staff know how to adjust
equipment for own comfort.
 Ensure that all DSE Users have an eye
test (frequency to be advised by their
optician).
 Staff reminded to take regular breaks
from PC use
 Actions or equipment required from
assessment are followed up by
managers
Department/Faculty Name & Location:
What are the
hazards?
Who might be
harmed and
how?
affected by
excessive
pressure at work
– lack of job
control, too little
support from
colleagues, etc.
Date of Risk Assessment:
Risk
H/M/L
What are you already doing?
What further action is necessary?
objectives are discussed and agreed with
staff.
 Staff understand roles and responsibilities
speak confidentially to manager or
supervisors if feeling unwell or stressed
at work.
 Managers review and take action on
stress pressures for individuals & team
raised at 1:1’s & team meetings.
 Individual stress action plans (if
required) put into place
 Review of high shelves/storage to be
undertaken
Working at
Height (Filing
on high shelves
or cupboards,
using kick
stools etc)
Falls from any
height can cause
bruising and
fractures
 Staff use low steps or kick stools.
Standing on chairs furniture NOT allowed..
Electrical
All staff could get
electrical shocks
or burns if they
use faulty
electrical
equipment
 Staff trained to report defective plugs or
cables to manager.
 Regular visual inspection of electrical
equipment.
 Defective equipment taken out of action
and replaced.
 Reminder about own items being
brought into the university.
 Staff told not to bring own items in unless
PAT tested.

If trapped in the
office all staff and
visitors could
suffer from
smoke inhalation
or burns
 Fire evacuation procedures displayed at
each fire alarm point.
 Check to make sure that all existing
and new staff have completed online
Fire Safety training
Fire

 Exits and fire exits clearly marked and
kept clear at all times.
 Regular local inspections done to ensure
housekeeping standards are maintained.

Assault/ Verbal
Abuse
Potential
assault/trauma
arising from
physical or verbal
abuse by staff,
students or
visitors
 Managers have considered risk of
violence or verbal assault with their teams.
 Hazards identified and practicable controls
put into place
 All staff reminded to report any
incidents
Who?
When?
Done?
Department/Faculty Name & Location:
What are the
hazards?
Lone working
Who might be
harmed and
how?
Staff could suffer
injury or ill health
when working
alone in the
office.
Date of Risk Assessment:
Risk
H/M/L
What are you already doing?
What further action is necessary?
 Managers have considered lone working
risks with their teams.
 Staff reminded to notify Security if lone
working.
 Staff fully briefed of potential scenarios
and local agreed practices in place to
lessen the risks
 Level of lone working and
hazards/controls to be kept under
review.
 Staff to notify Security if they are lone
working out of hours or at weekends.

Others: Hazard
Examples
could include
Cash Handling,
Working at
Home, Driving
for Work etc etc
Completed by:
Date:
Date for reassessment:


Who?
When?
Done?