Dust Risk Assessment Template for England and Wales

A dust risk assessment is a systematic evaluation of workplace hazards related to dust exposure that you must complete to comply with health and safety regulations in England and Wales. This comprehensive document helps you identify potential dust-related risks, evaluate current control measures, and implement additional protections to safeguard your workers' health and wellbeing.

When do you need this document?

You need a dust risk assessment whenever your workplace activities generate, disturb, or involve exposure to any type of dust that could harm health. This includes construction sites where cutting, drilling, or demolition creates silica dust, manufacturing facilities handling powdered materials, woodworking shops producing sawdust, and agricultural operations involving grain or feed handling. Healthcare facilities managing pharmaceutical powders, cleaning operations using dry sweeping methods, and renovation projects disturbing old building materials also require comprehensive dust assessments. You must update your assessment when processes change, new dust sources are introduced, or when monitoring indicates increased exposure levels.

Key legal considerations

Your dust risk assessment must comply with specific legal requirements that protect both your organization and workers. The hazard identification section requires detailed documentation of all dust types present, their physical and chemical properties, and potential health effects including respiratory irritation, lung disease, or carcinogenic risks. You must thoroughly evaluate who might be exposed, including direct workers, maintenance staff, visitors, and nearby personnel who could be affected by airborne particles. Current control measures documentation should cover engineering controls like ventilation systems, administrative procedures including work rotation, and personal protective equipment specifications. The risk rating section must objectively assess both likelihood and severity of exposure, considering factors like dust concentration, exposure duration, and worker vulnerability. Additional control measures should follow the hierarchy of controls, prioritizing elimination and substitution before relying on PPE.

Legal requirements in England and Wales

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), you have specific duties regarding dust risk assessment and management. You must conduct suitable and sufficient assessments before work begins, considering all reasonably foreseeable health risks from dust exposure. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 establishes your fundamental duty to ensure employee safety, while the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require systematic risk assessment approaches. Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992 mandate adequate ventilation and cleanliness standards relevant to dust control. You must review and update assessments regularly, particularly when circumstances change or monitoring indicates control measure inadequacy. Documentation must be retained and made available to employees, their representatives, and enforcement authorities. Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations require proper selection, maintenance, and training when PPE forms part of your dust control strategy.