Free Construction Risk Assessment Template [Download + Guide]

A proper risk assessment is the foundation of safe construction work. Without one, you're working blind to the hazards that could injure your team, delay your project, or land you in legal trouble.

This guide provides a free construction risk assessment template along with detailed instructions on how to complete it properly. Whether you're a contractor, site manager, or health and safety professional, you'll find everything you need to create compliant, effective risk assessments.

What is a Construction Risk Assessment?

A construction risk assessment is a systematic process for identifying hazards on site, evaluating the risks they pose, and determining control measures to reduce those risks to an acceptable level.

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must carry out risk assessments for work activities. For construction projects, CDM 2015 adds specific requirements for how these assessments should inform site planning and management.

Legal Requirements for Construction Risk Assessments

Construction risk assessments are legally required under several regulations:

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 - Requires employers to assess risks to employees and others affected by their work
• Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 - Requires contractors to plan, manage and monitor work to control risks
• - Requires specific assessment of fall risks before working at height
• COSHH Regulations 2002

Failure to carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments can result in enforcement notices, fines, or prosecution by the HSE.

What Should a Construction Risk Assessment Include?

A compliant construction risk assessment should contain:

1. Project and task information - Site details, work activities covered, dates
2. Hazard identification - All significant hazards associated with the work
3. Who might be harmed - Workers, visitors, public, vulnerable groups
4. Risk evaluation - Assessment of likelihood and severity (risk rating)
5. Control measures - Actions to eliminate or reduce risks
6. Residual risk rating - Risk level after controls are applied
7. Sign-off - Author, date, review date, approver

Step 1: Identify the Hazards

Walk through the work activities and identify everything that could cause harm. Common construction hazards include:

Physical hazards:

• Falls from height (scaffolding, ladders, roofs, openings)
• Falling objects
• Moving plant and vehicles
• Excavation collapse
• Structural instability
• Manual handling injuries

Health hazards:

• Dust (silica, wood, general construction dust)
• Asbestos
• Noise and vibration
• Hazardous substances (paints, solvents, adhesives)

Other hazards:

• Electrical contact
• Underground services
• Fire
• Weather conditions

Step 2: Determine Who Might Be Harmed

For each hazard, identify who could be affected:

• Your own employees
• Subcontractors and their workers
• Other trades working nearby
• Site visitors
• Members of the public
• Vulnerable groups (young workers, pregnant women, those with disabilities)

Consider how they might be exposed - directly through the work, or indirectly through proximity to the activity.

Step 3: Evaluate the Risks

Risk is calculated by considering:

• Likelihood - How probable is it that harm will occur?
• Severity - How serious would the harm be?

Most risk assessment templates use a 5x5 matrix:

Likelihood scale: 1 (Rare) to 5 (Almost Certain)

Severity scale: 1 (Negligible) to 5 (Catastrophic/Fatal)

Risk Rating = Likelihood × Severity

• 1-4: Low risk (acceptable with monitoring)
• 5-9: Medium risk (additional controls needed)
• 10-16: High risk (significant controls required)
• 17-25: Very high risk (work should not proceed without substantial controls)

Step 4: Determine Control Measures

Apply controls using the hierarchy of control (most effective first):

1. Elimination - Remove the hazard entirely (e.g., prefabricate off-site)
2. Substitution - Replace with something less hazardous (e.g., water-based instead of solvent-based)
3. Engineering controls - Physical measures (e.g., edge protection, LEV, machine guarding)
4. Administrative controls - Procedures and training (e.g., permits, toolbox talks, supervision)
5. PPE - Last resort protection (e.g., hard hats, safety boots, RPE)

Never rely solely on PPE. It should supplement other controls, not replace them.

Step 5: Record Your Findings

If you employ 5 or more people, you must record your risk assessment in writing. Even if you employ fewer, written records are good practice and may be required by clients.

Your record should be:

• Clear and understandable
• Proportionate to the risks
• Site-specific, not generic
• Available to those who need it

Step 6: Review and Update

Risk assessments aren't write-once documents. Review and update them:

• When site conditions change
• When work methods change
• After an incident or near miss
• When new information becomes available
• At regular intervals (at least annually)

Construction Risk Assessment Example

Here's how a risk assessment entry might look for a common construction hazard:

Hazard: Falls from height during roof work

Who might be harmed: Roofers, other trades below, members of public

Initial risk rating: Likelihood 4 × Severity 5 = 20 (Very High)

Control measures:

• Scaffold with full edge protection installed by competent scaffolder
• Scaffold inspection before each use and after adverse weather
• Only CSCS-carded operatives to work at height
• Exclusion zone below working area with signage
• Harness and lanyard as backup where edge protection gaps exist
• Toolbox talk on fall prevention before work starts

Residual risk rating: Likelihood 2 × Severity 5 = 10 (High - acceptable with controls maintained)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using generic templates without adaptation - Your risk assessment must reflect your actual site and work activities.

2. Focusing only on obvious hazards - Don't overlook health hazards like dust, noise, and vibration.

3. Listing controls without checking they're implemented - A control on paper means nothing if it's not in place on site.

4. Treating it as a tick-box exercise - The purpose is to make work safer, not to produce paperwork.

5. Not involving the people doing the work - Your operatives know the practical hazards. Include them in the process.

How swiftRMS Simplifies Risk Assessments

Writing comprehensive, site-specific risk assessments manually takes hours. swiftRMS uses AI to generate professional risk assessments in minutes:

• Enter your project details and work activities
• AI identifies relevant hazards based on your scope
• Appropriate control measures are automatically included
• Risk ratings calculated correctly
• CDM 2015 compliant format
• Download as PDF with your company branding

Stop wrestling with templates. Generate professional risk assessments that actually protect your workers and satisfy your clients.