General Risk Assessment by Business Gateway
The Business Gateway General Risk Assessment is used to identify potential hazards, evaluate associated risks, and record the control measures in place to ensure a safe working environment. It is a vital tool for promoting health and safety compliance, helping employers systematically assess and manage workplace risks to prevent accidents and protect all personnel.
GENERAL RISK ASSESSMENT
Special care to be taken when training young persons on this risk assessment as this may be the first real life work/site experience and they will lack safety awareness and also consider their physical and psychological immaturity and inexperience before delegating tasks covered by this risk assessment. Also ensure training on safe use of all tools and equipment before commencement.
Section 1 – TASK/S
Ref No: [reference number]
Service: [employee service] |
Employee/s Job Title: [employee job title] |
Section 2 – HAZARDS IDENTIFIED: (if the hazard is present in the task/activity tick the relevant topic)
1 | Aggression | 16 | Lone Working | 31 | Temperature | |||
2 | Animal Attack | 17 | Machinery | 32 | Vehicles/Traffic | |||
3 | Asbestos | 18 | Manual Handling/Lifting | 33 | Vibration | |||
4 | Fabric of Building | 19 | Shift Work | 34 | Violence/Assault | |||
5 | Contact with Body Fluids | 20 | Noise | 35 | Ventilation | |||
6 | Contamination/Disease | 21 | Falling Objects | 36 | Water Systems | |||
7 | Display Screen Equipment | 22 | Plant Rooms | 37 | Weather | |||
8 | Dust/Fumes | 23 | Pressure Systems | 38 | Welding Flash | |||
9 | Electricity | 24 | Radiation | 39 | Work Equip/Tools | |||
10 | Fire/Explosion | 25 | Repetitive Strain Injury | 40 | Working at Height | |||
11 | Flammable Material | 26 | Scaffolding/Ladders | 41 | Workplace Lighting | |||
12 | Furniture | 27 | Sharps | 42 | Working Practices | |||
13 | Gas | 28 | Slip/Trip/Fall | 43 | Other | |||
14 | Hazardous Substance | 29 | Stress | |||||
15 | Infestation | 30 | Substance Misuse |
Section 3- PERSONS AT RISK (Enter relevant numbers affected)
Employee | Non-Employee | Person/Child | Expectant/New Mother | Shift Worker | |||||
Home Worker | Disabled/ | Contractor | Lone Worker |
Section 4 – CONTROLS
Indicate below the reference no. of the hazard identified in section 2, the present control method(s) and if it is considered these are adequate.
Hazard No. | Method of Controls | Adequate? |
Note: add more sections if required.
Section 5 – COMMENTS
Identify hazards that have no means of control, or are not adequately controlled. List any recommendations that you feel may resolve the hazards.
Hazard No. | Recommendations |
Note: add more sections if required.
Section 6 – OVERALL RISK RATING OF THE TASK/S TO BE UNDERTAKEN (Probable Frequency X Severity)
Frequency, Scale: Low 1 - High 5 | 1 Improbable, 2 Possible but unlikely, 3 Happens infrequently, 4 Happens quite frequently, 5 Happens very frequently | |
Severity, Scale: Low 1 - High 5 | 1 Trivial injury, 2 Minor injury, 3 Hospital Stay/Industrial illness, 4 Major injury, 5 Fatality | |
Reasons: | ||
Section 7 – IDENTIFY OTHER RISK ASSESSMENTS REQUIRED/RELEVANT (circle)
COSHH/ Manual Handling/ Personal Protective Equipment/ Noise/ Vibration/ Asbestos/ Lead/ Display Screen Equipment/ Fire/ Other (*please state)
Assessor’s Name: [assessor name] Signature: ............................................... Date: [assessor date]
Section 8 – ACTION PLAN (where appropriate)
Hazard No. | Action Required | Person Nominated | Date Assigned | Date Completed |
Manager’s Name: [manager name] Signature: ............................................... Date: [manager date] |
Date of Next Assessment Review: [next review date] (NB at least annually) |
This is a preview. The full template is free on GitLaw.
5.0 out of 5 on Google
Read reviewsAs seen in
Scotland note
This version is drafted for Scotland. Scots law differs from England & Wales on execution and on some employment procedure. Tell GitLaw where the parties are and it adjusts the draft.
Frequently asked questions
A template isn't binding on its own - like any contract, it becomes binding once it's properly completed and signed. Templates in our curated library are professionally drafted for US or UK law; review any template before you sign it.
Yes. Chat with GitLaw to edit any section, or make changes directly in the editor.
Yes, read about team plans here.
Describe what you need in the chat and GitLaw will draft it for you.
Templates in our curated library are professionally drafted for US or UK law. The wider library comes from the GitLaw community and public sources - a solid starting point, but check any template fits your situation before you rely on it.
Mostly US and UK law. Some templates use general commercial terms that work across jurisdictions, and many note which law they're written for.
It depends on the situation. Templates work well for routine business agreements. For anything involving significant money, complex IP, employment, or areas you're unsure about, it's worth getting professional advice before you sign. GitLaw provides templates and tools, not legal advice.
Open any template in GitLaw and describe the change you want in the chat — 'make clause 4 mutual' or 'add a 30-day notice period', for example. GitLaw drafts the revised language and shows it as a suggested edit. You accept, reject, or keep editing from there.
Yes. Upload a Word, PDF, or Markdown file and GitLaw will open it in the editor. You can review, edit, or chat with GitLaw about it the same way you would with any template from the library.
Trusted by 5,000+ businesses
From template to signed, in one place
Every template opens in an editor with an AI agent alongside it.
Open
Pick a template and open it. Nothing to download, and no credit card to start.
Free to open
Edit with AI
Describe your situation in chat and the agent adapts the wording, clause by clause.
Tracked changes you can review
Send and sign
Share it for negotiation, then collect signatures without leaving GitLaw.
eSign included
Built for your legal work,
with practicing lawyers
Trained on 5,500+ clauses and specialist areas of law. Built with a standards committee of independent lawyers.
As seen in
Ready to get started?
No sales calls, no credit card. Just chat with GitLaw.
GitLaw provides templates and tools, not legal advice. Templates are a starting point, not a substitute for advice on your situation - for anything significant, speak to a qualified lawyer.