Risk assessment template for Irish workplaces and employers
Use this risk assessment template for Irish workplaces to record hazards, controls and actions, with a worked example and links to official HSA resources.
An Irish workplace risk assessment template should record hazards, who could be harmed, the risks, existing controls and further actions. Section 19 requires a written, workplace-specific assessment, but does not prescribe one form or numerical matrix.
Copy the layout below and complete it for the work you actually do. A completed form still needs action. Section 19 requires necessary improvements to be implemented, with review after significant change or suspected invalidity.
Copyable risk assessment template
This is a suggested workplace layout, not an official HSA form. Its action-owner, deadline and evidence fields help you track work. Neither section 19 nor section 20 prescribes these exact columns.
- Workplace or department: ____________________
- Task or activity: ____________________
- Assessor: ____________________
- Assessment date and version: ____________________
- Employees consulted: ____________________
- Planned review date: ____________________
- Changes or events that trigger review: ____________________
| Hazard and possible harm | Who could be harmed | Existing controls | Risk evaluation | Further controls needed | Action owner | Due date | Completed/evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Describe the hazard and harm | Include affected groups | Record what actually exists | Explain remaining risk | Specify the action | Name or role | Date | Check implementation |
| ____________________ | ____________________ | ____________________ | ____________________ | ____________________ | ____________________ | ____________________ | ____________________ |
For an official alternative, open BeSMART's Templates and Registers panel. It lists a Risk Assessment Template in RTF format and a fillable Pregnancy Risk Assessment Template PDF. Use that resource page to reach the files.
The HSA confirms that employers do not have to use its assessment format to comply. What matters is whether your assessment addresses your workplace, rather than repeating a generic document unchanged.
How to complete the risk assessment form
A risk assessment means identifying hazards, assessing the risks and deciding what controls are needed. Section 19 also requires action, so keep proposed controls separate from measures already in place.
Start with a defined task or area. “Warehouse packing area” gives you a clearer scope than “the business”. Consult employees about the work and check the controls in practice. The BeSMART workflow uses employee consultation and control questions to help identify gaps.
For each row:
- Describe the hazard and the harm it could cause. “Packaging left in a walkway could cause a trip” is more useful than “housekeeping”.
- Identify exposed people. Section 19 also covers relevant non-employee risks, so consider contractors and visitors.
- Record existing controls honestly. A planned waste point belongs in the further-action column until it exists.
- Explain the remaining risk and decide what further measures are needed. Account for any specialist duties that apply to the work.
- Assign the action, set a deadline and record how completion was checked.
The final fields make the form usable as an action record. An unchecked action list does not show that the necessary improvements have been made.
A sample risk assessment row
This warehouse example is illustrative, not HSA-approved. It shows how to record decisions, not that these controls alone make a workplace safe.
| Hazard and possible harm | Who could be harmed | Existing controls | Risk evaluation | Further controls needed | Action owner | Due date | Completed/evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packaging left in a walkway could cause a trip | Warehouse staff and contractors using the route | Housekeeping arrangements exist | Packaging remains on the route despite current arrangements | Provide a designated waste point and check the walkway | Warehouse supervisor | Record agreed date | Record installation and walkway-check findings |
Replace every detail with findings from your own workplace. If packaging remains after the action, reconsider the control rather than closing the row because a bin was supplied.
Do you need a risk assessment matrix?
The general duties in sections 19 and 20 do not require a 3×3 or 5×5 matrix. They do not prescribe colour bands or a likelihood-times-severity formula. BeSMART's checklist method does not provide quantitative output.
If your business uses a defined matrix, add initial and residual score columns. Explain the scoring method so another assessor can understand the decision. A low score does not override a specific legal control duty. Check specialist requirements before treating this general risk assessment format as sufficient for your work.
When should you review it?
Section 19 requires review after a significant change or another reason to believe the assessment is no longer valid. Amend it as appropriate. A calendar reminder alone will miss changes that happen between scheduled reviews.
The HSA recommends reviewing the safety statement periodically, at least annually, and after significant changes. Changes to equipment, substances, processes or staffing can prompt reconsideration. Incidents, near misses and monitoring findings can also reveal weaknesses. This annual recommendation concerns the safety statement. Section 19's assessment-review triggers still apply between scheduled reviews.
A risk-assessment table is not the whole safety statement. Section 20 also requires matters such as emergency arrangements, responsibilities, resources and consultation arrangements. Nor should you treat the table as a complete method statement.
What to consider in a dynamic risk assessment
A dynamic risk assessment checks conditions as work happens. Consider what has changed, who is exposed and whether existing controls still address the risk. This check supplements the written assessment. It cannot replace it, and significant changes or signs of invalidity trigger section 19 review duties.
Adapting the template for pregnancy
Pregnancy-related hazards should already feature in the general assessment. The HSA describes an individual reappraisal when the employer becomes aware of pregnancy, postnatal status or breastfeeding.
Assess the nature, degree and duration of relevant exposure, rather than simply copying the general row. Check the notification and certificate provisions. The rules also address protective adjustments and communication of results. Use the HSA's linked guidance and pregnancy template for this task.
RegAffairs AI has a public answer on what an Irish workplace risk assessment should include. For an editable assessment and safety-statement workflow, BeSMART also provides action lists and downloadable documents that you must adapt to your workplace.