First published on Thursday, January 29, 2026
Last updated on Thursday, January 29, 2026
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- What is a construction risk assessment?
- Is a risk assessment a legal requirement in construction?
- Who is responsible for risk assessments on a construction project?
- The 5-step construction risk assessment process
- Common construction hazards to include
- What should a construction risk assessment template include?
- Risk assessments and method statements (RAMS)
- How often should construction risk assessments be reviewed?
- Turn risk assessments into a live safety system
Construction sites are high-risk environments by nature. Conditions change daily, multiple trades operate side-by-side, and hazards are often temporary but severe. A construction risk assessment is how those risks are identified, controlled, and kept under review so work can proceed safely and legally.
In this guide we explain what a construction risk assessment is, what UK law requires, who is responsible, and how to carry one out in practice using a clear, site-ready approach.
What is a construction risk assessment?
A construction risk assessment is a structured process for identifying hazards on a construction site, assessing the level of risk they pose, and deciding what controls are needed to prevent harm.
In simple terms, it answers three questions:
What could cause harm?
Who could be harmed and how?
What needs to be done to reduce the risk?
A good construction risk assessment is specific to the task and site, easy to understand, and actively used by supervisors and workers not a generic document created once and forgotten.
Is a risk assessment a legal requirement in construction?
Yes. Under UK health and safety law, employers and those in control of construction work must carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments.
The legal duty comes primarily from the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which require employers to assess risks to employees and to others who may be affected by their work.
In construction, this duty is reinforced by the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015), which place responsibilities on clients, contractors and designers to plan, manage and monitor health and safety throughout a project.
Failing to carry out adequate risk assessments can lead to enforcement action, project delays, and serious harm.
Who is responsible for risk assessments on a construction project?
Responsibility depends on who controls the work, but in practice:
Employers must assess risks arising from their work activities.
Contractors are responsible for assessing risks within their scope of work.
Principal contractors must coordinate risk management across the site.
Clients must ensure suitable arrangements are in place for managing health and safety.
Risk assessments should be carried out by competent persons, people with the knowledge, experience and authority to identify hazards and implement controls.
The 5-step construction risk assessment process
Most UK construction guidance follows the HSE’s five-step approach. This works well on live sites because it is practical and repeatable.
1. Identify the hazards
Walk the site and review planned activities. Common construction hazards include:
moving vehicles and plant
excavations and buried services
falling objects
hazardous substances and dust
temporary works and structural stability
Hazards should reflect real site conditions, not just standard categories.
2. Decide who might be harmed and how
Go beyond “site workers”. Consider:
specific trades (groundworkers, scaffolders, electricians)
subcontractors and agency staff
delivery drivers and visitors
members of the public near the site
cleaners and maintenance staff
This step is critical, as UK law requires risks to non-employees to be considered.
3. Evaluate the risks and decide on controls
Assess how likely harm is and how serious the consequences could be. Then identify controls using a sensible hierarchy:
eliminate the hazard where possible
reduce the risk through safer methods or design
isolate people from the hazard
use procedures, supervision and training
rely on PPE only as a last line of defence
Controls should be proportionate, practical, and clearly assigned.
4. Record the findings
Construction risk assessments are usually recorded in a table format so they can be briefed easily on site.
A clear record typically includes:
the hazard
who may be harmed and how
additional actions required
who is responsible for each action
review date
Recording findings is a legal requirement for most employers and is essential for demonstrating compliance.
5. Review and update regularly
Construction risk assessments are not static documents. They must be reviewed when:
work phases change
site layouts are altered
new equipment or materials are introduced
after incidents or near misses
weather conditions create new risks
staffing or competence changes
Regular review is what keeps a risk assessment “suitable and sufficient”.
Common construction hazards to include
While every site is different, most construction risk assessments will need to address the following areas:
Work at height
Falls remain one of the leading causes of serious injury in construction. Assess edges, roofs, scaffolding, MEWPs and ladders, and ensure suitable edge protection, access and inspection regimes are in place.
Plant and vehicle movements
Reversing vehicles, lifting operations and pedestrian interfaces require clear traffic management plans, segregation, banksmen and exclusion zones.
Excavations and groundworks
Risks include collapse, flooding, hazardous atmospheres and striking buried services. Controls may involve service detection, shoring, barriers, permits and inspections.
Falling objects
Overhead work creates risks from dropped tools and materials. Toe boards, debris netting, tool restraints and exclusion zones are common controls.
Hazardous substances and dust
Construction often involves cement, silica dust, solvents and fuels. Risk assessments may need to link to COSHH assessments where relevant.
Slips, trips and site housekeeping
Poor housekeeping remains a frequent cause of injury. Temporary walkways, lighting and waste management should be assessed.
What should a construction risk assessment template include?
A practical construction risk assessment template typically includes:
project and site details
description of the task or activity
assessor name and date
hazards identified
who might be harmed and how
control measures
risk rating (if used)
further actions required
responsible person
review date
Templates are useful starting points, but they must always be adapted to the site and task.
Risk assessments and method statements (RAMS)
Risk assessments and method statements are closely linked but serve different purposes.
A risk assessment identifies hazards and specifies the controls required.
A method statement explains how the work will be carried out safely, step by step, using those controls.
In construction, these documents are often combined and referred to as RAMS, particularly for higher-risk activities or where clients require detailed planning evidence.
How often should construction risk assessments be reviewed?
There is no fixed timeframe. Reviews should happen whenever there is a significant change, and at regular intervals on longer projects.
A practical approach is:
dynamic checks during daily site activity
formal reviews at phase changes
immediate review after incidents or near misses
The key principle is that the assessment must remain relevant to the work being carried out.
Turn risk assessments into a live safety system
In construction, the biggest failure point in risk assessment is not identifying hazards, it’s keeping assessments accurate, accessible, and up to date as site conditions change. Paper-based documents and static templates struggle to keep pace with moving phases, changing trades, and evolving risks.
BrightHR’s risk assessment software is designed to support this reality of construction work. It allows businesses to:
create and update task-specific risk assessments quickly
store assessments centrally so supervisors and managers can access the latest version
keep a clear audit trail of reviews and changes
reduce reliance on outdated paperwork when site conditions change
For construction businesses managing multiple sites, contractors, or phases of work, this approach helps ensure risk assessments stay suitable, sufficient, and usable not just compliant on paper.
