Workplace Risk Assessment: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide for Employers and Safety Officers
Every employer in Ireland has a legal obligation to carry out risk assessments in the workplace. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, employers must identify hazards, assess risks, implement controls, and maintain written records. Yet despite this legal requirement, many organisations still approach risk assessment informally — leaving them exposed to accidents, injuries, enforcement action, and significant legal liability.
At IACT and through our EazySAFE platform, we provide comprehensive Health & Safety training, including risk assessment, manual handling, fire safety, and compliance training for organisations of all sizes. This article walks you through the five-step risk assessment process and shows you how to do it properly.
What Is a Risk Assessment?
A risk assessment is a systematic examination of your workplace to identify what could cause harm to people, evaluating whether you are taking reasonable precautions, and determining what additional measures are needed. It is not about creating paperwork for its own sake — it’s about understanding and managing real risks that affect real people.
A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm (chemicals, working at height, electrical equipment, manual handling).
A risk is the likelihood that harm will actually occur given the current controls, and the severity of that harm if it does.
The 5-Step Risk Assessment Process
Step 1: Identify the Hazards
Walk around your workplace with fresh eyes — or better yet, involve employees in the process since they know the day-to-day realities best. Look for:
- Physical hazards – Slipping/tripping hazards, working at height, machinery, noise, vibration
- Chemical hazards – Cleaning products, solvents, dust, fumes
- Biological hazards – Legionella, mould, infectious diseases (particularly relevant post-pandemic)
- Ergonomic hazards – Manual handling, repetitive tasks, poor workstation setup
- Psychosocial hazards – Work-related stress, bullying, lone working, excessive workloads
- Electrical hazards – Damaged cables, overloaded sockets, inadequate earthing
Also review accident and near-miss records — these are valuable indicators of existing hazards.
Step 2: Decide Who Might Be Harmed and How
For each hazard identified, think about who could be harmed. Consider:
- Employees (including new starters, young workers, pregnant workers)
- Contractors and visitors
- Vulnerable groups who may be at higher risk
- Members of the public if applicable
Be specific — don’t just write “employees.” Consider how different groups might be affected differently by the same hazard.
Step 3: Evaluate the Risks and Decide on Precautions
For each hazard, assess the likelihood of harm occurring and the potential severity of that harm. A simple risk matrix plots these against each other:
| Minor Injury | Serious Injury | Fatality | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very Unlikely | Low | Medium | High |
| Possible | Medium | High | Very High |
| Very Likely | High | Very High | Very High |
Apply the Hierarchy of Controls when deciding on precautions:
- Eliminate – Remove the hazard entirely (most effective)
- Substitute – Replace with something less hazardous
- Isolate – Separate people from the hazard
- Engineering controls – Guards, ventilation, barriers
- Administrative controls – Safe work procedures, training, signage
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Last resort only (least effective alone)
Step 4: Record Your Findings
In Ireland, every employer must have a written risk assessment under Section 19 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, regardless of how many people they employ. A clear written record also demonstrates due diligence and gives you a baseline for future reviews.
A good risk assessment record includes:
- The hazard identified and who might be affected
- Existing controls already in place
- The risk rating (likelihood × severity) and any further action needed
- Who is responsible for each action, and the date it will be completed
Keep the record where employees can see it and bring it to their attention. A risk assessment is a working document, not a file in a drawer.
Step 5: Review and Update Regularly
A risk assessment is never finished. Review it whenever:
- There is a significant change in the workplace, such as new equipment, processes, premises or staff
- An accident, near miss or case of work-related ill health occurs
- Employees or safety representatives raise a concern
- An HSA inspector directs you to
- Your scheduled review date arrives (at least once a year is good practice)
Involve the people who do the work. They often spot hazards that managers miss, and consulting employees on safety matters is a legal duty in its own right.
Your Risk Assessment and the Safety Statement
In Ireland, the risk assessment feeds directly into your Safety Statement. Section 20 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 requires every employer to have a written Safety Statement, based on the risk assessment, setting out how safety and health will be managed in the workplace. There is no minimum number of employees. Employers with three or fewer employees can meet the Safety Statement duty by following a relevant code of practice where one exists, but they still need a written risk assessment.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using a generic template – A document that does not reflect your actual hazards will not satisfy an HSA inspector
- Ignoring psychosocial hazards – Work-related stress, bullying and violence are workplace hazards and belong in the assessment
- Writing it and filing it – The controls you record must actually be put in place and checked
- Forgetting non-routine work – Maintenance, cleaning, lone working and out-of-hours tasks are where many accidents happen
Health and Safety Training at IACT
IACT’s health and safety courses give managers, supervisors and safety officers the practical skills to carry out risk assessments that stand up to scrutiny — from spotting hazards to choosing the right controls and keeping records up to date.