Stairs Risk Assessment Template for England and Wales

A Stairs Risk Assessment is a fundamental safety document that helps you identify, evaluate, and control hazards associated with stairs in your building or workplace. This systematic assessment process ensures you meet your legal obligations while protecting employees, visitors, and the public from potential accidents and injuries.

When do you need this document?

You must conduct a stairs risk assessment whenever installing new stairs, modifying existing staircases, or as part of regular safety reviews. Property managers need this assessment when taking over new buildings, while facilities teams require it after any structural changes or following reported incidents. Health and safety managers use these assessments during annual safety audits and when preparing for regulatory inspections. The assessment is also essential when planning building renovations that affect stair access or when implementing new workplace layouts that change traffic patterns around staircases.

Key legal considerations

Your stairs risk assessment must thoroughly evaluate physical hazards including slip risks from worn or inappropriate surfaces, trip hazards from damaged steps or poor lighting, and structural issues such as unstable handrails or inadequate load-bearing capacity. You need to assess environmental factors like lighting levels, weather exposure for external stairs, and emergency egress capacity during peak usage. The assessment should identify vulnerable user groups including elderly individuals, people with mobility impairments, and those carrying equipment or materials. Document existing control measures such as anti-slip treatments, handrails, warning signs, and maintenance schedules, while identifying additional safety improvements needed to reduce risks to acceptable levels.

Legal requirements in England and Wales

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, you have a duty to ensure the safety of all persons using your premises, which includes maintaining safe stair access. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require you to conduct suitable and sufficient risk assessments, including stair-related hazards, and review them regularly or when circumstances change. Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 mandate that traffic routes, including stairs, must be suitable for persons and vehicles using them, with adequate lighting and clear of obstructions. Building Regulations 2010 and Approved Document K set specific design standards for stair construction, including step dimensions, handrail heights, and headroom clearances that must be considered in your risk assessment. You must keep written records of your assessments and make them available to employees and regulatory authorities upon request.