Construction Risk Assessment Template (Free)

A risk assessment is the foundation of safe working on any construction site. It identifies what could go wrong, rates the likelihood and severity, and sets out the controls to manage each risk. This guide provides a practical template and explains how to produce risk assessments that are genuinely useful rather than generic tick-box exercises.

What Is a Risk Assessment?

A risk assessment is a systematic examination of what could cause harm to people on your project. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, every employer must carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of risks to employees and anyone else who may be affected by their work.

In construction, risk assessments are typically paired with method statements to form RAMS (Risk Assessments and Method Statements). The risk assessment identifies the hazards; the method statement describes how the work will be carried out safely.

A good risk assessment is not a 20-page document full of generic hazards. It is a focused, practical document that identifies the real risks on your specific project and sets out proportionate controls.

Legal Requirements

The legal framework is straightforward:

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 - requires employers to assess risks
• CDM 2015 - requires contractors to plan, manage, and monitor work to ensure safety
• If you have five or more employees, the risk assessment must be recorded in writing
• Even with fewer than five employees, written assessments are best practice and expected by principal contractors

The HSE does not expect you to eliminate all risk. They expect you to identify the significant hazards and take reasonable steps to control them. The assessment should be proportionate to the level of risk.

Risk Assessment Template

A standard construction risk assessment should include:

• Header: Company name, project name, task description, assessor name, date, review date, revision number
• Hazard column: What could cause harm
• Who is at risk: Workers, public, visitors, specific groups
• Existing controls: What is already in place
• Risk rating (before): Likelihood x Severity = Risk Score
• Additional controls: What more needs to be done
• Risk rating (after): Revised score with additional controls in place
• Responsible person: Who will implement the controls
• Sign-off: Assessed by, reviewed by, approved by, with dates

How to Complete Each Section

Identifying Hazards

Walk the site. Talk to the people doing the work. Think about what activities will take place and what could go wrong. Consider:

• Physical hazards: working at height, moving plant, excavations, falling objects
• Health hazards: dust, noise, vibration, hazardous substances, manual handling
• Environmental hazards: weather, ground conditions, proximity to water or traffic
• Organisational hazards: lone working, fatigue, inadequate training

Assessing Who Is at Risk

Consider all groups who could be affected: your own workers, other contractors on site, visitors, members of the public near the site, and particularly vulnerable groups like young workers or those with disabilities.

Setting Control Measures

Follow the hierarchy of controls:

1. Eliminate the hazard entirely if possible
2. Substitute with something less hazardous
3. Engineer controls (guards, barriers, ventilation)
4. Administrative controls (procedures, training, signage)
5. PPE as a last resort

PPE should never be your primary control measure. It is the last line of defence, not the first.

Rating Risk: Likelihood x Severity

The standard approach uses a simple matrix:

Likelihood: 1 = Very unlikely, 2 = Unlikely, 3 = Possible, 4 = Likely, 5 = Very likely

Severity: 1 = Minor injury, 2 = Minor injury requiring first aid, 3 = Injury requiring medical treatment, 4 = Major injury, 5 = Fatality

Risk Score = Likelihood x Severity

• 1-4: Low risk - manage by routine procedures
• 5-12: Medium risk - specific controls required
• 13-25: High risk - work should not proceed until controls are in place

The matrix is a tool, not a science. Use it to prioritise your attention on the highest risks, but apply common sense too.

Common Construction Hazards

These hazards should be considered on virtually every construction project:

• Falls from height (leading cause of construction fatalities in the UK)
• Struck by moving vehicles or plant
• Struck by falling objects
• Collapse of excavations
• Contact with underground or overhead services
• Manual handling injuries
• Slips, trips, and falls on level
• Noise-induced hearing loss
• Respiratory disease from dust (particularly silica)
• Hand-arm vibration syndrome
• Contact with hazardous substances
• Fire
• Electrocution

Review and Update

Risk assessments are not one-off documents. Review them when:

• Conditions on site change
• New hazards are introduced
• There is an accident, incident, or near miss
• New information about risks becomes available
• The method of work changes
• At regular intervals regardless (monthly minimum for ongoing work)

Final Thoughts

A risk assessment should help you manage real risks, not generate paperwork. Focus on the significant hazards, set proportionate controls, and make sure the people doing the work understand and follow them. Keep it simple, keep it specific, and keep it up to date.