Workplace safety guide
For workplaces in Great Britain, begin with the tasks people actually do. A useful assessment names who could be harmed, how risk is controlled and who will act on the gaps.
Watch routine and occasional work, including deliveries, cleaning and maintenance. Include employees, contractors, visitors and people with particular needs, then ask workers where shortcuts or near misses occur.
For each material risk, decide whether the hazard can be removed or the task redesigned before relying on instructions or protective equipment. Watch whether the agreed control works on a busy shift.
Cleaning products, fumes, dust and other substances may need a separate COSHH assessment. A safety data sheet helps identify hazards but does not assess how your staff use the product on this site.
If you employ five or more people, record the significant findings: important hazards, who may be harmed and the controls. Smaller teams still benefit from a short usable record. Tell workers what has changed and invite feedback.
Check that controls still work when staff, equipment, substances or processes change. Revisit the assessment after an accident or near miss and close out actions with the people who do the work.
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