PART C

Introduction to
Risk Assessment
Templates
What is risk assessment?

Risk assessment is something that we do in all aspects of our lives. In the workplace, risk assessment is at the heart of
managing safety, health and welfare successfully.

It is a 3-step process:

Step 1 Identify the hazard

Step 2 Assess the risk in proportion to the hazard

Step 3 Identify and implement the appropriate control measures to eliminate the hazard or reduce the risk

How the risk assessment template works

Under safety, health and welfare legislation, employers must complete (in writing) a risk assessment of their workplace.
Risk assessment is a key component of the Safety Statement and is carried out using the three steps identified above. A
further step ‘to review and update’ is also necessary - this is an ongoing activity and forms part of the overall review of the
safety statement which should take place annually or whenever changes occur, such as the purchase of new machinery
or equipment for use in the school.

Part C contains a series of risk assessment templates for many of the routine and non-routine activities in schools.
The templates list some of the most common hazards identified in the school environment and their associated risks. It
also lists a range of control measures that could be put in place to eliminate hazards or reduce their risks.

• These templates can be used directly by any person carrying out a risk assessment in any part of the school.
• The templates are interactive and can be downloaded from www.hsa.ie/education
• Staff can select the risk assessment templates for the activities they are involved in. Two or more staff members
may work together to complete risk assessment templates where they share the use of a classroom or share a
similar job.
• The Board of Management/ETB will designate appropriate timescales for the completion of the risk assessments.

Note: the following risk assessment templates contain a non-exhaustive list of all the hazards and risks present in your
school. It may therefore be necessary to use the blank template (No. 74) provided at the back of Part C for those hazards
not specifically dealt with. These templates should form a good foundation for identifying hazards, assessing risks, and
implementing control measures. However, you must also pay close attention to your own school environment and identify
and write down other hazards that may be present, and control measures that you have in place or are required to be
implemented. It is recommended that every year each teacher carries out a risk assessment of their own classroom taking
into account the age and other relevant characteristics of the students using that room during that year.

56
 Getting started

The person carrying out the risk assessment identifies the templates relevant to their particular activities. The ‘Index
to Online Risk Assessment Templates’ is used for this task - see page no. 62. For example, a teacher may decide to
use the following templates to carry out a risk assessment for a general classroom. Other templates may be required
depending on the hazards identified. All of the templates can be downloaded from www.hsa.ie/edcuation, and can
be completed manually or electronically.

• Template No. 12 Slips, Trips and Falls

• Template No. 13 Manual Handling
• Template No. 19 Fire (General Classrooms and Offices)
• Template No. 21 First-Aid
• Template No. 48 Student Considerations

Step 1

A walk-through of the area to be risk assessed should be completed, for example, the classroom, office, staff room,
school grounds, etc. The purpose of this walk-through is to identify any hazards that may be present. The relevant risk
assessment templates should be used to assist with the identification of hazards.

Where a risk assessment template does not address a specific hazard Template No. 74 can be used to enter this new
information. This blank template can also be reproduced for any additional hazards. Remember the risk assessment
templates contain a non-exhaustive list of hazards. On pages 60-61 you will see a sample risk assessment template
completed for manual handling activities in a school.

Step 2

Complete the risk assessment by working through the relevant template, from left to right, taking note of each column
heading. Include all relevant information.

• The risk assessment template should be signed and dated by the person who completed the assessment. It should
also include all outstanding actions that require attention.
• The risk assessments should then be passed to the principal/designated person/safety committee to be collated
so that a school wide plan can be developed for all hazards that are not controlled.

See Diagram 1 on next page for column headings and how to interpret them.

57
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Hazards Is the What is Risk rating Control measures Is this If no, what actions Person Date action
hazard the risk? H = High control are required to responsible completed
present? in place? implement the
M = Medium
L = Low control?
Y/N Y/N

© All Rights Reserved

If there is one or more High Risk (H) actions needed, then the risk of injury could be high and immediate action should be taken.
Medium Risk (M) actions should be dealt with as soon as possible. Low Risk (L) actions should be dealt with as soon as practicable.

Risk Assessment carried out by: Date: / /

1 Hazards: A common hazard is listed for this environment

2 Is the hazard present? Indicate Yes or No on the form

3 What is the risk? This tells you what could happen as a result of the hazard

4 Risk rating - High, Medium, Low: This is a suggested rating system for the hazard. It gives a general indication
of the severity of the risk (from the hazard) if the control is not in place, and assists you in establishing priorities
in applying control measures.

You need to take account of the situation relevant to your own school, for example, does this hazard pose a
greater risk if it is combined with other hazards you have identified in a particular work area/classroom? If a
particular control measure is not in place in your school you will see the risk rating applied to it. This will help
you assess the risk and create a priority action list.
The risk rating is HIGH, MEDIUM or LOW
A High Risk Rating = High priority action
If there are a number of control measures not in place and they have been given a risk rating of, for example,
‘High’ then the Priority action required is also ‘High’. Once the appropriate control measures are in place the
risk rating may change to Medium or Low. This signifies that the original hazard has been eliminated or the risks
associated with it are significantly reduced.

5 Control Measures: These tell you the types of measures that must be implemented to eliminate or reduce the
risk.

6 Is this control in place? Indicate Yes or No on the form as appropriate.

7 Actions: If you answered Yes to the previous question then no further action is required. If you answered No to
the previous question, then you must write in what actions are required or proposed.

8 Person responsible: Write in the names of the persons responsible for taking the actions. If you have already
indicated that control measures are in place that are ongoing throughout the school year, you may still wish
to write the name of the person responsible here. For example, a principal may be the person responsible for
bringing a specific health and safety policy/procedure to the attention of teachers and students at the start of
each school year.

9 Date action completed: Completion dates must be inserted by the person carrying out the risk assessment
58
once the action is taken and the control measure is in place.
 Step 3

Step 3 is about the control measures. What can be done to improve safety? Can the hazard be eliminated? If not, can
the risk be significantly reduced? These are the types of questions that must be asked at this stage of the process. The
following points will also help with Step 3.

• Where it is found that a control is not in place, the “what actions are required to implement the control?” column
must be completed indicating the necessary actions which are required to control the hazard. In the “Person
responsible” column a person is assigned responsibility for ensuring the control is in place.

• When actions are completed and controls put in place, the “Date Action Completed” column should be filled in by
the person carrying out the risk assessment or a designated other.

• Where an action cannot be completed (control cannot be implemented) by the person carrying out the risk
assessment, it must be brought to the attention of the appropriate person/s, for example, the principal, caretaker,
Board of Management etc.

• Some actions may be ongoing. This information can also be included in the “Date Action Completed” column.

• If the Board of Management/ETB has designated somebody to manage safety, health and welfare on their behalf,
for example the principal, that person manages the risk assessment process. The Board of Management/ETB still
has overall responsibility for managing safety and health in schools, and must sign off on the safety
statement including the risk assessments. It is also good practice that any action plan arising out of the risk
assessment process be presented to the Board of Management/ETB for their information, approval and action,
where required.

59
60

Sample Risk Assessment Template for Manual Handling (General)

Hazards Is the What is Risk rating Control measures Is this If no, what actions are required Person Date action
hazard the risk? H = High control to implement the control? responsible completed
present? M = Medium in
L = Low place?
Y/N
Y/N
Transporting Y Back or H When purchasing stock such as clay, ingredients, Y No action required Catherine Jones
heavy loads, upper wood for woodwork, the guidelines weights are (Principal)
e.g. caretaker limb injury taken into account and small weight items are
transporting purchased where possible, e.g. 5 kg bag of clay
a heavy load Over instead of 12.5 kg bag
to stores frequent Y No action required All relevant
or over An appropriate trolley is used to transfer heavy staff
Ask: prolonged loads and a team lift is used to transfer load to
Is the load physical trolley Y No action required Catherine Jones
secure? effort (Principal)
Is the weight involving Appropriate instruction is provided to staff on how
too heavy? in to lift loads safely on to and off the trolley
Is the load particular
too big? the spine
Is the shape
unwieldy or
difficult to
grasp?

Lifting a N Back or H Storage of regularly accessed utensils is arranged Y No action required All relevant
heavy load upper so that heavier items are stored on middle shelves staff
above limb injury not on the floor or above shoulder height
shoulder
height, No lifting of loads which are too heavy is ensured
e.g. lifting (Refer to Guideline weights for this - See Template
cooking No. 13
utensils from
shelves in
canteen
or Home-
Economics
room
Injury N Back or H Risk assessment of tasks prior to manual handling Y No action required Catherine Jones
sustained upper is carried out. Staff receive training from a (Principal)
due to lack of limb injury competent instructor where necessary
knowledge,
instruction Appropriate measures are in place to reduce risk
or training factors that contribute to the risk of back injury.
to complete These risk factors include excessive force or load
manual weight, awkward posture and poor housekeeping
handling or a work environment with limited space or
tasks access
appropriately
 Sample Risk Assessment Template for Manual Handling (General)
Hazards Is the What is Risk rating Control measures Is this If no, what actions are required Person Date action
hazard the risk? H = High control to implement the control? responsible completed
present? M = Medium in
L = Low place?
Y/N
Y/N
Poor Y Awkward H The vacuum hose is extended to the appropriate Y No action required All relevant
housekeeping, and length to eliminate the need for unnecessary staff
e.g. cleaner repetitive awkward bending posture
using floor bending
cleaning posture Cleaning equipment is appropriate for the job it is Y No action required Catherine Jones
equipment leading to intended for (Principal)
injury

Poor H Cleaning equipment is in good working order and Y

suction repaired or replaced when necessary
in the
vacuum No action required Cleaners/
leading Cleaning staff
to over
frequent
physical
effort
Carrying loads Y Back H Work areas are organised to ensure materials are Y No action required All staff
over distances, strain, stored close to point of use or a handling aid is
e.g. storage slipped sourced
of classroom disc,
supplies such hernia
as Art room
materials
Pushing/ Y Back H An appropriate trolley is provided for moving items Y No action required Catherine Jones
pulling heavy strain,
or awkward slipped H Items are made lighter or less bulky, where No action required (Principal)
items disc, possible All staff
hernia
H Individuals ask for help when moving heavy items No action required All staff
H
All potential obstructions are removed
No action required All staff
No action required All staff
The safest route for moving items is chosen,
particularly where there may be variations in
the level of the floor, requiring the load to be
manipulated on different levels, e.g. use of ramp

If there is one or more High Risk (H) actions needed, then the risk of injury could be high and immediate action should be taken. © All Rights Reserved
Medium Risk (M) actions should be dealt with as soon as possible. Low Risk (L) actions should be dealt with as soon as practicable.

Catherine Jones, Principal

Risk Assessment carried out by: Date: 05/09/18
61
Index to Online
Risk Assessment
Templates www.hsa.ie/education

Art Room
No. 1 Art Room (General)
No. 2 Art (Ceramics)
No. 3 Art (Use of Knives and Cutters)

Canteen
No. 4 Canteen (General)
No. 5 Canteen (Working with Chemical Products)

Cleaning
No. 6 Cleaning (General)
No. 7 Cleaning (Hazardous Chemicals and Biological Agents)
No. 8 Cleaning (Waste Compactor and Baler)
No. 9 Cleaning (Work at Height – Ladders)
No. 10 Cleaning (Welfare Provisions - Rest Rooms, Wash Basins, Showers)

Computers (VDU Workstations)

No. 11 VDU Workstations (General)

General (Whole School)

No. 12 Slips, Trips and Falls
No. 13 Manual Handling
No. 14 General Access/Egress
No. 15 Work at Height (General)
No. 16 Platform Lifts
No. 17 Passenger/Services Lifts
No. 18 Fire (Specialist Rooms)
No. 19 Fire (General Classrooms and Offices)
No. 20 Fire - School Onsite Events (Plays, Musicals, Concerts, Meetings)
No. 21 First-Aid
No. 22 Portable Electrical Appliances
No. 23 Workplace Bullying
No. 24 Workplace Stress
No. 25 Car Park and External Areas
No. 26 Staff Room
No. 27 Pregnant, Post-Natal and Breastfeeding Women
No. 28 Noise
No. 29 Radon
No. 30 Mould
No. 31 Asbestos
No. 32 Legionella
No. 33 Lone Workers (e.g. caretakers)

Home Economics Room

No. 34 Home Economics Room (General)
No. 35 Home Economics (Use of Safety Cutters/Knives)
No. 36 Home Economics (Portable Electrical Appliances)
62
 www.hsa.ie/education

Index to Online Risk

Assessment Templates cont’d.
Maintenance (Caretaking/Facilities Management, Contractors, etc.)
No. 37 Maintenance (General)
No. 38 Construction Contractors
No. 39 Maintenance (Tractors)
No. 40 Boiler House and Fuel Tanks
No. 41 Grass Cutting/Ride-on Mower
No. 42 Pressure Washers
No. 43 Strimmers
No. 44 Waste Compacter and/or Baler
No. 45 Maintenance (Work at Height - Ladders)

P.E.
No. 46 Exercise Equipment/Gym Equipment
No. 47 Goal Posts

Student Considerations
No. 48 Student Considerations

Science Room/Laboratory
No. 49 Science (Bunsen burners)
No. 50 Science (Chemicals)
No. 51 Science (Glassware)

Technologies
No. 52 Technologies (Powered Hand Tools)
No. 53 Technologies (Non-Powered Hand Tools)
No. 54 Technologies (Hand Fed Table Band Saw)
No. 55 Technologies (Electric Ovens)
No. 56 Technologies (Metal Working Centre Lathe (manually operated))
No. 57 Technologies (Woodworking Bench Circular Saw)
No. 58 Technologies (Bench/Pedestal Grinder)
No. 59 Technologies (Hazardous Chemicals - Metal Work, Wood work, etc.)
No. 60 Technologies (Milling Machine)
No. 61 Technologies (Morticer)
No. 62 Technologies (Pedestal Drill (Metal Work))
No. 63 Technologies (Surface Planing and Thicknessing Machine)
No. 64 Technologies (Portable Router)
No. 65 Technologies (Hand Held Portable Circular Power Saw)
No. 66 Technologies (Bench Mounted Scroll Saw)
No. 67 Technologies (Vacuum Former)
No. 68 Technologies (Wood Lathe)
No. 69 Technologies (Powered Guillotines)
No. 70 Technologies (Manual Treadle Operated Metal Cutting Guillotines)

School Offsite Activities

No. 71 School Offsite Activity (School Excursions - Day Trips, Matches)
No. 72 School Offsite Activity (Outdoor Adventure Activity)
No. 73 School Offsite Activity (Work Placements)
No. 74 Blank Risk Assessment Template 63
 www.hsa.ie/education

To help you to use these Guidelines, sections 1-12 on the following pages outlines suggested risk assessment
templates that can be completed for each subject area or work activity. For example, Section 1 shows some templates
applicable to an Art room/class. Section 6 shows the suggested templates a person could use when carrying out
maintenance activities in a school, e.g. a caretaker.
It is important to note that the 12 sections listed, along with the suggested templates, are non-exhaustive.
Further sections and/or templates may apply to your school.

• Art room (General) - Template No. 1

• Art (Ceramics) - Template No. 2
• Art (Use of Knives and Cutters) - Template No. 3

1
• School Offsite Activity (School Excursions - Day Trips, Matches) - Template No. 71
1. Art

• Manual Handling - Template No. 13

• Portable Electrical Appliances -Template No. 22
• Slips, Trips and Falls - Template No. 12
• Fire (Specialist Rooms) - Template No. 18
• First-Aid - Template No. 21
• Student Considerations - Template No. 48

• Canteen (General) - Template No. 4

2. Canteen

2
Canteen (Working with Chemical Products) -Template No. 5
• First-Aid - Template No. 21
• Manual Handling - Template No. 13
• Portable Electrical Appliances - Template No. 22
• Slips, Trips and Falls - Template No. 12
• Fire (General Classroom and Offices) - Template No. 19

• Cleaning (General) - Template No. 6

•
3. Cleaning

Cleaning (Hazardous Chemicals and Biological Agents) - Template No. 7

3
• Cleaning (Waste Compactor and Baler) - Template No. 8
• Cleaning (Work at Height - Ladders) - Template No. 9
• Cleaning (Welfare Provisions - Rest Rooms, Wash Basins, Showers) - Template No. 10
• Slips, Trips and Falls - Template No. 12
• First-Aid - Template No. 21
• Portable Electrical Appliances - Template No. 22
4. Computers

4
• Student Considerations - Template No. 48
(Workstations)

• Workstations (General) - Template No. 11

• Portable Electrical Appliances - Template No. 22
• Fire (General Classrooms and Offices) -Template No. 19

64
 www.hsa.ie/education

5. Home Economics

• Home Economics Room (General) –Template No. 34

• Home Economics (Use of Safety Cutters/Knives) - Template No. 35

5
• Home Economics (Portable Electrical Appliances) - Template No. 36
• Fire (Specialist Rooms) - Template No. 18
• Manual Handling - Template No. 13
• Slips, Trips and Falls - Template No. 12
• First-Aid - Template No. 21
• Student Considerations - Template No. 48

• Maintenance (General) -Template No. 37

• Construction Contractors -Template No. 38
(Caretaking/Facilities Management, Contractors, etc.)

• Maintenance (Tractors) - Template No. 39

• Boiler House and Fuel Tanks - Template No. 40
• Grass Cutting/Ride-on Mower - Template No. 41
• Pressure Washers - Template No. 42
6. Maintenance

• Strimmers – Template No. 43

6
• Waste Compactor and/or Baler - Template No. 44
• Maintenance (Work at Height - Ladders) -Template No. 45
• Car Park and External Areas - Template No. 25
• Fire - Templates No. 19 and 20
• First-Aid - Template No. 21
• Technologies (Powered Hand Tools) - Template No. 52
• Technologies (Non-powered Hand Tools) - Template No. 53
• Cleaning (Hazardous Chemicals and Biological Agents) – Template No. 7
• Legionella - Template No. 32
• Manual Handling - Template No. 13
• Portable Electrical Appliances - Template No. 22
• Lone Workers (e.g. caretakers) - Template No. 33
• Passenger/Services Lifts - Template No. 17

• Exercise Equipment/Gym Equipment – Template No. 46

• Goal Posts – Template No. 47
7. Physical
Education

7
• First-Aid - Template No. 21
• Slips, Trips and Falls – Template No. 12
• Manual Handling – Template No. 13
• School Offsite Activity (School Excursions – Day Trips, Matches) – Template No. 71
• School Offsite Activity (Outdoor Adventure Activity) – Template No. 72
• Student Considerations - Template No. 48

65
 www.hsa.ie/education

• Science (Bunsen burners) – Template No. 49

• Science (Chemicals) – Template No. 50
• Science (Glassware) – Template No. 51

8
8. Science

• Fire (Specialist Rooms) - Template No. 18

• First-Aid – Template No. 21
• Manual Handling – Template No. 13
• Portable Electrical Appliances – Template No. 22
• Slips, Trips and Falls – Template No. 12
• Pregnant, Post-Natal and Breastfeeding Women – Template No. 27
• Student Considerations – Template No. 48

• Technologies (Powered Hand Tools) – Template No. 52

• Technologies (Non-Powered Hand Tools) – Template No. 53
• Technologies (Hand Fed Table Band Saw) – Template No. 54
• Technologies (Electric Ovens) – Template No. 55
• Technologies (Metal Working Centre Lathe) – Template No. 56
• Technologies (Woodworking Bench Circular Saw) – Template No. 57
• Technologies (Bench/Pedestal Grinder) – Template No. 58
• Technologies (Hazardous Chemicals - Metal Work, Wood work, etc.) –
9. Technologies

Template No. 59
• Technologies (Milling Machine) – Template No. 60

9
• Technologies (Morticer) – Template No. 61
• Technologies (Pedestal Drill (Metal Work)) – Template No. 62
• Technologies (Surface Planing and Thicknessing Machine) - Template No. 63
• Technologies (Portable Router) – Template No. 64
• Technologies (Hand Held Portable Circular Power Saw) – Template No. 65
• Technologies (Bench Mounted Scroll Saw) – Template No. 66
• Technologies (Vacuum Former) - Template No. 67
• Technologies (Wood Lathe) – Template No. 68
• Technologies (Powered Guillotines) – Template No. 69
• Technologies (Manual Treadle Operated Metal Cutting Guillotines) –
Template No. 70
• Fire (Specialist Rooms) - Template No. 18
• Student Considerations – Template No. 48
10. Transition

10
• School Offsite Activity (School Excursions – Day Trips, Matches) – Template No. 71
• School Offsite Activity (Outdoor Adventure Activity) – Template No. 72
Year

• School Offsite Activity (Work Placements) – Template No. 73

• Student Considerations – Template No. 48

66
 www.hsa.ie/education

• Maintenance (General) – Template No. 37

• Construction Contractors - Template No. 38
• Fire (General Classrooms and Offices) – Template No. 19
• Slips, Trips and Falls – Template No. 12
• General Access/Egress – Template No. 14

11
11. Principal

• Manual Handling – Template No. 13

• Workplace Bullying – Template No. 23
• Workplace Stress – Template No. 24
• First-Aid – Template No. 21
• Legionella – Template No. 32
• School Offsite Activity (School Excursions – Day Trips, Matches) – Template No. 71
• Staff Room - Template No. 26
• School Offsite Activity (Work Placements) – Template No. 73
• Student Considerations – Template No. 48
• Lone Workers (e.g. caretakers) - Template No. 33
12. Teachers

• Slips, Trips and Falls – Template No. 12

12
• Manual Handling – Template No. 13
• General Access/Egress – Template No. 14
• Fire (General Classrooms and Offices) – Template No. 19
• Student Considerations – Template No. 48

67
 Online
Risk Assessment
Templates
The contents of the online risk assessment templates are non-exhaustive. The information
provided is for guidance purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for the law.

Please note that:

• only the Courts can interpret statutory legislation with any authority

• the information provided is subject to revision, and

• any advice given is not intended to be a definitive guide to, or substitute for, the relevant law.

Independent legal advice should be sought where appropriate.

To access the online risk assessment templates go to www.hsa.ie/education

68