Workplace Risk Assessment Template for England and Wales

A workplace risk assessment is a legal requirement for all employers in England and Wales, mandating systematic identification and evaluation of workplace hazards that could harm employees, visitors, or contractors. This critical document demonstrates your compliance with health and safety legislation while protecting your organization from potential liability claims and ensuring employee wellbeing.

When do you need this document?

You must conduct risk assessments before starting any new work activity, when introducing new equipment or processes, following workplace accidents or near-misses, and during regular safety reviews. Manufacturing facilities need assessments for machinery operations and chemical handling, while offices require evaluations of workstation ergonomics and fire safety procedures. Construction sites must assess risks from heavy equipment, working at height, and hazardous materials. Retail environments need assessments covering customer safety, manual handling, and security risks. Educational institutions require evaluations of laboratory safety, playground equipment, and emergency evacuation procedures.

Key legal considerations

Your risk assessment must identify all reasonably foreseeable hazards including physical dangers, chemical exposures, biological risks, ergonomic factors, and psychosocial stressors. The evaluation section should assess both likelihood and severity using a standardized matrix to prioritize risks effectively. Control measures must follow the hierarchy of risk control, starting with elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and finally personal protective equipment. You must clearly assign responsibilities for implementing control measures and establish realistic timescales for completion. The document should demonstrate that risks have been reduced to as low as reasonably practicable, considering industry standards, available technology, and cost-benefit analysis.

Legal requirements in England and Wales

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers have a general duty to ensure employee health, safety, and welfare so far as reasonably practicable. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 specifically require suitable and sufficient risk assessments, with written records mandatory for organizations employing five or more people. Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992 mandate assessments of basic working conditions including ventilation, temperature, lighting, and workspace dimensions. Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 require specific assessments for computer workstations, while Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 mandate evaluations of lifting, carrying, and moving tasks. Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 1992 require assessments to determine appropriate protective equipment selection and use. Failure to conduct adequate risk assessments can result in enforcement action, improvement notices, prohibition notices, and prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive, with unlimited fines for serious breaches.