New article
Recently updated
Understanding the risk assessment form
Who is this article for?
Administrators responsible for risk management.
Administrator role is required.
Risk assessments allow your organisation to identify, document, and control hazards across different jobs, departments, or equipment. As the Administrator, you are responsible for understanding what information each part of the form captures to help train users and troubleshoot issues.
This article outlines each section in detail for easy reference.
1. Assessment Details
This section captures the core information that identifies the risk assessment and sets the context for all other entries.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Assessment Details | Describes the job, project, or activity being evaluated at a high level. These details provide the foundation for reporting and version tracking. |
| Assessment Title | Describes the assessment in a way that makes the scope obvious to anyone reading the record, such as “Chemical Fume Hood Maintenance - Biology Department.” |
| Team Members | Lists people involved in performing or reviewing the assessment. This creates accountability and shows who contributed to the process. |
| Conducted Date | Displays the date the risk assessment was performed. This is used for version control, regulatory tracking, and calculating expiration timelines. |
| Conducted By (Department/Asset/Group/User) | Links the assessment to the person, department, asset, or group responsible for conducting it. Your configuration determines which options are available. |
| Risk Assessment Object | Displays the primary focus of the assessment. This might be a piece of equipment, a location, or a specific work group. |
| Location Details | Lists site-specific information such as room numbers, building names, or GPS coordinates. While not required, it adds valuable context, especially for organisations with multiple facilities. |
| Description | Shows a short summary explaining the purpose and scope of the assessment. Use this field for background details that don’t fit neatly into the other fields. |
2. Job Steps
This section breaks the work into individual tasks and captures the hazards associated with each one.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Job Activity | Describes each step or task within the job. Breaking the work into steps ensures no part of the process is overlooked. |
| Job Step | Names the specific action being performed (for example, “mixing chemicals” or “operating |
| Hazard | Identifies the general danger connected to each job step, such as chemical exposure, electrical shock, or fall risk. |
| Sub Hazard | Provides a more specific description of the hazard, such as the particular chemical involved or the source of the electrical risk. |
| Potential Harm | Describes what could happen if the hazard is not controlled, such as injury, property damage, or environmental impact. |
| Severity | Rates the potential impact of the harm if it occurs (for example, minor injury versus fatality). |
| Probability | Rates how likely it is that the hazard will occur during the job step. |
| Job Activity Notes | Lists additional details, observations, or unusual conditions that don’t fit into the structured fields. |
3. Control Measures
This section records the actions taken to reduce or eliminate the risks identified in the job steps.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Control Measures | Lists the actions used to control or reduce the hazard. These may include engineering controls (like machine guards or ventilation), administrative controls (such as training or signage), or personal protective equipment (PPE). |
| Select Job Step (for Control Measures) | Links each control measure back to the specific job step it protects. This ensures traceability and makes it easier to verify that each hazard is addressed. |
| Adjusted Severity | Records the new severity level after the control measures have been applied, showing how much the risk impact has been reduced. |
| Adjusted Probability | Records the new probability level after controls are in place, reflecting the decreased likelihood of the hazard occurring. |
| Risk Control Notes | Lists additional explanation of why particular controls were chosen and how they are expected to work. |
| Follow Up By | Assigns responsibility for checking that the controls are implemented and effective. This field is optional. |
| Target Completion Date | Sets a deadline for completing follow-up actions or implementing control measures to ensure nothing is left unresolved. This field is optional. |