Workplace Safety Risk Assessment Documentation

Assessment Date: [DATE]

Assessor: [ASSESSOR NAME]

Department/Area: [DEPARTMENT/AREA]

Review Date: [REVIEW DATE]

1. Assessment Scope

This risk assessment covers general workplace activities associated with hazard identification, risk evaluation, control implementation, safe work procedures, PPE selection and use, incident prevention, emergency response, and ongoing compliance with occupational health and safety requirements. It applies to routine and non-routine tasks performed by employees, supervisors, contractors, and visitors who may be exposed to workplace hazards. The assessment includes task-based hazards, site-wide hazards, and special circumstances that may increase risk, such as changes in equipment, materials, processes, or work conditions. It excludes detailed engineering design reviews, medical fitness-for-duty determinations, and regulatory interpretation beyond the practical safety controls described in this document.

2. Risk Assessment Methodology

This assessment uses a job hazard analysis approach supported by a baseline workplace survey and task-by-task review. Each task is broken into steps, hazards are identified, and the likelihood and severity of harm are rated using a consistent 5x5-style qualitative scale: Likelihood levels are Rare, Unlikely, Possible, Likely, and Almost Certain; severity levels are Negligible, Minor, Moderate, Major, and Catastrophic. Overall risk is rated as Low, Medium, High, or Extreme. Controls are selected using the hierarchy of controls, with priority given to elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and PPE as the last line of defense. The assessment should be informed by SDSs, manufacturer instructions, job safety analyses, incident history, worker input, and workplace inspections.

3. Risk Matrix Reference

The following matrix is used to evaluate risk levels based on likelihood and severity:

		Likelihood
Rare	Unlikely	Possible	Likely	Almost Certain
Severity	Catastrophic	Low	Low	Low	Low	Medium
Major	Low	Low	Low	Medium	Medium
Moderate	Low	Low	Medium	High	High
Minor	Low	Medium	High	High	Extreme
Negligible	Medium	High	High	Extreme	Extreme

4. Hazard Identification and Risk Evaluation

1. Contact with moving machinery parts, rotating tools, or pinch points during setup, operation, cleaning, adjustment, or maintenance.

Potential Consequences: Cuts, lacerations, amputations, crush injuries, entanglement, and permanent disability can occur if body parts enter the danger zone or if guards are bypassed.

Affected Persons: Operators, helpers, maintenance personnel, nearby workers, and contractors.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Possible	Major	High

Control Measures

• Eliminate exposure by performing adjustments, cleaning, and clearing jams only when equipment is fully stopped.
• Substitute safer methods or tools where feasible, such as automated feeding or remote adjustment.
• Install and maintain fixed guards, interlocked guards, and emergency stop devices.
• Use lockout/tagout or equivalent energy isolation before maintenance or servicing.
• Develop and enforce safe work procedures, pre-start checks, and restricted access zones.
• Provide task-specific PPE such as safety glasses, close-fitting clothing, and appropriate hand protection where it does not create entanglement risk.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Unlikely	Major	Medium

2. Flying particles, chips, dust, or debris generated by cutting, grinding, drilling, sanding, or similar operations.

Potential Consequences: Eye injuries, facial cuts, skin irritation, respiratory irritation, and secondary injuries from startled reactions may occur.

Affected Persons: Operators, helpers, maintenance staff, visitors passing nearby, and cleaning personnel.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Likely	Moderate	High

Control Measures

• Eliminate or reduce particle generation by using less hazardous processes or pre-cut materials where feasible.
• Install machine guards, chip shields, local exhaust ventilation, and debris containment.
• Use wet methods or dust extraction where appropriate to reduce airborne material.
• Establish exclusion zones and housekeeping procedures to prevent accumulation and re-entrainment of debris.
• Require suitable eye and face protection selected for the hazard, such as safety glasses with side shields, goggles, or face shields as needed.
• Train workers to inspect guards and to stop work if visibility or containment is compromised.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Possible	Minor	Medium

3. Noise exposure from machinery, tools, compressors, or production processes.

Potential Consequences: Temporary or permanent hearing loss, communication failure, reduced situational awareness, and increased likelihood of incidents may result.

Affected Persons: Operators, maintenance workers, supervisors, and nearby personnel.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Likely	Moderate	High

Control Measures

• Select quieter equipment or processes where feasible.
• Install acoustic enclosures, dampening materials, and isolation mounts.
• Maintain equipment to prevent excessive noise from wear, vibration, or misalignment.
• Conduct noise monitoring to determine exposure levels and hearing protection needs.
• Implement hearing conservation practices, posted hearing protection zones, and communication protocols.
• Provide hearing protection with adequate attenuation and train workers in correct fit and use.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Possible	Minor	Medium

4. Manual handling of heavy, awkward, or unstable materials, tools, or equipment.

Potential Consequences: Sprains, strains, back injuries, crush injuries to hands or feet, dropped loads, and musculoskeletal disorders may occur.

Affected Persons: Workers handling materials, helpers, warehouse staff, and maintenance personnel.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Likely	Moderate	High

Control Measures

• Eliminate unnecessary manual lifting by redesigning the task or changing the workflow.
• Use mechanical aids such as hoists, carts, pallet jacks, lift tables, or conveyors.
• Store materials at waist height where practical and reduce carry distances.
• Use team lifts and weight limits for awkward or bulky items.
• Train workers in safe lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling techniques.
• Require suitable footwear and gloves for grip and foot protection where appropriate.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Possible	Minor	Medium

5. Exposure to hazardous chemicals, including cleaning agents, coolants, lubricants, solvents, adhesives, or process chemicals.

Potential Consequences: Skin irritation, dermatitis, chemical burns, eye injury, respiratory irritation, poisoning, fire, or environmental contamination may occur.

Affected Persons: Operators, cleaners, maintenance staff, and anyone working near chemical use or storage areas.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Possible	Major	High

Control Measures

• Substitute less hazardous or non-irritating products where feasible.
• Use closed transfer systems, local exhaust ventilation, and spill containment.
• Store, label, and segregate chemicals correctly and keep SDSs accessible.
• Develop safe handling, mixing, and disposal procedures, including spill response steps.
• Restrict access to chemical storage and use areas.
• Provide chemical-resistant gloves, eye protection, face protection, aprons, or respiratory protection as required by the hazard assessment.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Unlikely	Moderate	Medium

6. Slips, trips, and falls on the same level due to wet floors, clutter, uneven surfaces, poor housekeeping, or obstructed walkways.

Potential Consequences: Bruises, fractures, sprains, head injuries, and lost-time incidents may result.

Affected Persons: All workers, visitors, contractors, and delivery personnel.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Likely	Moderate	High

Control Measures

• Eliminate trip hazards by removing unnecessary materials, cords, and waste from walkways.
• Improve flooring, drainage, lighting, and surface condition where feasible.
• Use spill control, prompt cleanup, and clearly marked pedestrian routes.
• Implement housekeeping standards and inspection checklists.
• Post warning signs and restrict access to wet or damaged areas.
• Provide slip-resistant footwear where required by the task or area.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Possible	Minor	Medium

7. Work at height, including use of ladders, platforms, mezzanines, or elevated access points.

Potential Consequences: Falls can cause fractures, head trauma, spinal injury, or fatality.

Affected Persons: Maintenance workers, installers, cleaners, inspectors, and any worker accessing elevated areas.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Possible	Catastrophic	Extreme

Control Measures

• Eliminate the need to work at height by completing tasks from the ground where possible.
• Use elevated work platforms or fixed access systems instead of ladders when appropriate.
• Install guardrails, toe boards, and fall prevention systems on permanent access points.
• Develop fall protection plans, permit requirements, and rescue procedures.
• Inspect ladders, platforms, and fall protection equipment before use.
• Provide and enforce appropriate fall protection PPE and training when exposure cannot be eliminated.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Unlikely	Major	High

8. Electrical exposure from damaged cords, exposed conductors, faulty equipment, temporary power, or improper maintenance.

Potential Consequences: Electric shock, burns, arc flash injuries, fire, equipment damage, and fatality may occur.

Affected Persons: Electricians, maintenance staff, operators, and nearby workers.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Unlikely	Catastrophic	High

Control Measures

• Eliminate exposure by de-energizing equipment before work and verifying isolation.
• Use qualified personnel for electrical work only.
• Inspect cords, plugs, panels, and portable tools before use and remove defective items from service.
• Use ground fault protection, covers, barriers, and proper enclosures.
• Maintain clear labeling and restricted access to electrical rooms and panels.
• Provide arc-rated and electrically appropriate PPE where energized work is unavoidable and authorized.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Rare	Major	Medium

9. Ergonomic strain from repetitive motion, awkward postures, forceful exertion, or prolonged static positions.

Potential Consequences: Musculoskeletal disorders, tendon injuries, fatigue, reduced productivity, and cumulative trauma may occur.

Affected Persons: Production workers, assemblers, inspectors, office staff, and material handlers.

Initial Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Likely	Moderate	High

Control Measures

• Redesign tasks to reduce repetition, force, and awkward posture.
• Use adjustable workstations, mechanical assists, and improved tool design.
• Rotate tasks and schedule micro-breaks where appropriate.
• Train workers to recognize early symptoms and report discomfort promptly.
• Review work methods during changes in staffing, volume, or equipment.
• Provide task-specific gloves or supports only where they do not increase ergonomic risk.

Residual Risk Assessment

Likelihood	Severity	Risk Rating
Possible	Minor	Medium

5. General Control Measures

• Maintain a formal hazard identification process that includes baseline surveys, task observations, worker consultation, and review of SDSs, manuals, incident reports, and prior job safety analyses.

Use employee input and supervisor review to identify hazards in routine and non-routine work, and update the assessment whenever tasks, materials, or equipment change.

• Apply the hierarchy of controls before relying on PPE.

Prioritize elimination, substitution, engineering controls, and administrative controls. Use PPE only when residual risk remains or when higher-level controls cannot fully remove the hazard.

• Implement site-wide housekeeping, access control, and signage standards.

Keep walkways clear, store materials safely, mark restricted areas, and post warnings where hazards are present or where PPE is required.

• Require pre-task briefings and safe work procedure review for non-routine, high-risk, or changed conditions.

Review the task steps, hazards, controls, emergency actions, and communication expectations before work begins and again if conditions change.

• Maintain equipment in safe operating condition through inspection, preventive maintenance, and prompt removal from service of defective tools or PPE.

Document inspections, repair or replace damaged items promptly, and verify that guards, alarms, and safety devices remain functional.

6. Emergency Preparedness

• Establish clear emergency response procedures for serious injury, entrapment, electrical shock, chemical exposure, fire, and fall incidents. Workers must know how to stop work, isolate hazards if safe to do so, summon help, and provide the exact location of the incident. [3]
• Provide spill response supplies and procedures for chemical releases, including immediate area isolation, ventilation if safe, cleanup by trained personnel, and disposal of contaminated materials according to site procedures and SDS guidance. [1] [6]
• Ensure rescue and first aid arrangements are available for falls, crush injuries, and other severe incidents, including access to first aid kits, trained responders, and emergency contact procedures. [3]
• For electrical incidents, isolate power only if it can be done safely, keep unqualified persons away, and treat all shocks or arc-related injuries as medical emergencies requiring immediate escalation. [9]
• After any incident, near miss, or significant change in conditions, suspend affected work if necessary and review controls before resuming operations. [2]

7. Training Requirements

• Hazard Recognition and Job Hazard Analysis: Workers and supervisors must be trained to identify hazards, break tasks into steps, recognize changing conditions, and participate in job hazard analysis reviews. Training should emphasize reporting new hazards, near misses, and unsafe conditions before work continues. [7]
  • How to identify task steps and hazard sources
  • How to escalate new or changing hazards
  • How to review and follow task-specific controls
• PPE Selection, Use, Care, and Limitations: Employees must be trained on the correct selection, fit, use, inspection, cleaning, storage, and replacement of PPE. Training must explain that PPE is the last line of defense and must match the hazard to be effective. [8] [8]
  • Correct donning and doffing
  • Inspection before use
  • When to replace damaged PPE
  • Limitations of PPE compared with higher-level controls
• Safe Work Procedures and Equipment Operation: Workers must be trained on standard operating procedures, machine guarding, lockout/tagout principles where applicable, and the correct use of tools and equipment. Training should cover pre-use checks, prohibited actions, and stop-work authority when controls are missing or damaged. [1] [9]
  • Pre-start inspection
  • Guarding and interlocks
  • Energy isolation
  • Stop-work expectations
• Emergency Response and Incident Reporting: Employees must know emergency alarms, evacuation routes, spill response steps, first aid reporting, and how to summon emergency services. Training should include scenario-based practice for the most credible severe events identified in the assessment. [3] [10]
  • Emergency contacts and reporting chain
  • Evacuation and muster procedures
  • Spill and exposure response
  • First aid and rescue coordination
• Task-Specific Hazard Controls for High-Risk Work: Where tasks involve machinery, chemicals, noise, lifting, or work at height, workers must receive task-specific instruction on the controls required for that work. Training should be refreshed when equipment, materials, or procedures change. [8] [4]
  • Machine-specific hazards
  • Chemical handling and SDS review
  • Manual handling and ergonomic controls
  • Fall prevention and rescue awareness

8. Monitoring and Review

Review Frequency: Annually and after any incident, near miss, change in equipment, change in process, or significant change in work conditions.

Monitoring Type	Frequency	Responsible Party	Description
Regular Inspection	Daily or before use for equipment and work areas	Supervisors and equipment operators	Inspect tools, machinery, guards, cords, PPE, walkways, and housekeeping conditions before work begins. Remove defective equipment from service immediately and correct unsafe conditions before continuing.
Workplace Hazard Survey	Quarterly and whenever conditions change	Safety representative or designated competent person	Conduct walk-through inspections to identify new hazards, verify control effectiveness, and confirm that changes in equipment, materials, staffing, or processes have not introduced additional risk. [4] [8] [8]
PPE Compliance Check	Weekly or as needed for high-risk tasks	Supervisors	Verify that required PPE is available, correctly selected, properly worn, and maintained in sanitary and reliable condition. Replace damaged or worn PPE promptly and address non-compliance through coaching and enforcement.
Incident and Near-Miss Review	After every incident, near miss, or unsafe condition report	Safety manager and line supervision	Review root causes, determine whether controls failed or were missing, and update procedures, training, and PPE requirements as needed before resuming similar work.
Program Review and Audit	Annually	Management and safety leadership	Review the full risk assessment, control effectiveness, training records, inspection findings, and incident trends to confirm the program remains current and effective.

9. Special Circumstances

• Weather conditions such as rain, ice, heat, wind, or poor visibility can increase slip, trip, fall, transportation, and heat-stress risks. Work plans should be adjusted, and outdoor or exposed tasks should be paused or rescheduled when conditions exceed safe limits. [7]
• Night work or reduced-light conditions increase the likelihood of slips, trips, struck-by incidents, and communication failures. Additional lighting, supervision, and visibility controls should be implemented. [5]
• Lone work increases response time in an emergency and may reduce the ability to summon help quickly. High-risk tasks should not be performed alone unless a specific lone-work procedure, communication check-in system, and rescue plan are in place. [7]
• New workers, temporary workers, and workers unfamiliar with the task or workplace require additional orientation, supervision, and review of procedures before starting work. [1] [1]

Approval and Sign-off

This risk assessment has been reviewed and approved by:

Assessor: _________________________ Date: __________

Manager/Supervisor: _________________________ Date: __________

Safety Representative: _________________________ Date: __________

This risk assessment must be reviewed annually and after any incident, near miss, change in equipment, change in process, or significant change in work conditions. or when significant changes occur.

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