General Risk Assessment Form
Guidance for Completion / Reference Document
The Risk Assessment Form must be completed by a trained risk assessor.
The person approving the risk assessment must have the authority to action the further control measures identified.
Risk Assessment Cover SheetSection / Description / Guidance
Header / All parts of the header must be completed / Include:
Service and section to which the assessment covers, name and position of the risk assessor, date assessment carried out, an accurate description of the activity that is being risk assessed, name and position of person approving the assessment along with the date is was approved, the date assessment to be reviewed on.
Description of Activity / Description of activity / An accurate description of the activity needs to be completed. This should include:
- An overview of the activity including the location e.g. Group visit to local farm etc
- The date/s, times, frequencies of activity e.g. every Monday 8:45 – 17:00
- Detail the typical activities which will be undertaken and how they will be undertaken
- Ensure you include any equipment to be used
- Give details of the number and age range of those involved
- Detail if this assessment is to be read in conjunction with any other risk assessment or procedures you already have in place.
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General Risk Assessment Form
Guidance for Completion / Reference Document
Risk Assessment FormColumn Number / Description / Guidance
1 / Reference Number / This is a reference number to allow for ease of identification of the hazards – e.g. RA1, RA2 – the system used is up to you and your Service/Section.
It is acceptable when listing control measures to refer back, using the reference number, where controls for one hazard help to control another e.g. “Controls as in RA1” followed by the list of controls for the further hazard.
2 / Hazard / Harm / In the top boxes list the hazards– lifting box, slips trips and falls, traffic movements, violence and aggression etc
In the bottom boxes list the harm associated with the hazard identified in the above box – injury to back from lifting box, cuts and bruising after a slips trips or fall, death or major injury as a result of contact with vehicle, anxiety and stress as a result of aggression or violent incident
3 / Persons at Risk / This identifies who may be at risk and is generally: -
Employees, Contractors, Visitors, Member of the Public, Clients and People at Special Risk – the young, elderly, people with disabilities. There can be more than one group at risk.
Normally shortened in the assessment as Emp, Con, MOP, Vis, Clnt & PSR.
4 / Likelihood / This column is your informed judgement of how likely and frequent that the harm will occur. Again it is not an exact science but based on your knowledge, incidents and accidents and information from similar skill sectors.
It is scored as: -
- Not likely to happen = 1
- Could happen but most unlikely = 2
- I can see that happening at some given time = 3
- I knew that would happen, and not just once = 4
- This is definitely going to happen every time = 5
5 / Severity / This column is an informed judgement of how harmful the hazard could be. It is not an exact science and is dependant on the people at risk, the environment and many other factors. It is the maximum probable loss – i.e. what do you think is the worst that is likely to happen should the harm occur e.g. a teenager tripping and falling may only suffer bruising however the same trip and fall may have far more severe consequences for an elderly person, such as a broken hip.
It is scored as: -
- Damage to equipment, clothing, no injury = 1
- Minor injury, cut bruise, minor first aid = 2
- Over three days off work, hospital = 3
- Results in a major injury e.g. broken bone = 4
- Fatality = 5
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General Risk Assessment Form
Guidance for Completion / Reference Document
Risk Assessment Form continuedColumn Number / Description / Guidance
6 / Risk Score – no controls in place / This column gives the risk score without any controls in place.
You take the number from column 5 and multiply it by the number in column 6. This will give you the risk score. The higher the score the more urgent the need is to control the risk.
16 - 25Unacceptable
Stop activity and make immediate improvements
10 – 15Tolerable
Look to improve within specified timescale – refer to Section 10 – Further Controls
5 - 9Adequate
Look to improve at next review
1 - 4Acceptable
No further action, but ensure controls are maintained
7 / Existing Controls / This column is where you list the controls that are in place– or are going to be put in place for a new process - to eliminate or reduce the hazard and/or harm e.g. implementation of a safe system of work, provide training, put barriers in place, warning signs etc and health surveillance. Some may be simple whilst others may be more complex. The main thing is anyone reading the assessment knows and understands immediately what has to be done.
8 / Residual Risk Score / This column is where the residual risk score is noted once you have the controls in place.
It may be that you reduce the chance of the harm occurring by placing guarding around a piece of machinery. If someone sticks their finger in the machine they are still going to get it cut off but the chances of it happening have been reduced – from “I knew it would happen” = 4 to “could see it happening but most unlikely” = 2
It is sometimes possible to reduce the harm e.g. wearing a hard hat and getting a severe blow on the head. No hard hat would be a “Fatality” = 5 but with hard hat “Over three days off work/hospital = 3.
The main aim, however, is to eliminate or reduce the possibility of it happening! In some cases it is possible to reduce both.
Note your workings in the column e.g. 2x3=6
9 / Further Controls / This column is where you would list further controls that need to be put in place to reduce the risk score further. Whilst it may be possible to carry on with the task,realistic timescales require to be set to for the implementation of the further controls
There may not be a requirement for further controls however: -
If the residual risk score in column 9 is greater than 15 then you must look at other methods of controlling the hazard.
Once the further controls have been implemented the assessment should be amended with the further controls being added to the existing control column and risk scores adjusted accordingly.
Risk Assessment Form continued
Column Number / Description / Guidance
10 / Final Risk Score / This column is where you would put the final risk score. It can be the same as the figure in Column 9 if you have no further controls to put in place. If you have put further controls in place it should be less than the figure in Column 9 – the exception being the introduction of managerial monitoring.
If you have not managed to reduce the risk to less than 15 by this time you should seek advice from the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team.
Note your workings in the column e.g. 2x3=6
11 / Person to Action Control / This column is where the person who is responsible for making sure that the further controls are put in place is named. You also list the person who is responsible for the existing controls and ensuring that they are being used i.e. the person with responsibility for carrying out managerial monitoring.
12 / Date Action to Complete / This column is where yourecord the date when further actions are expected to be implemented by. The time scales should be realistic.
Where the risk scores in either columns 9 or 11 exceeds 15 the task should be suspended or postponed until further controls can be put in place or you have consulted with Health Safety and Wellbeing.
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