How to conduct a health and safety risk assessment for the site

The primary goal of a risk assessment is to identify what could realistically cause harm to people in your facility and to implement sensible measures to prevent that harm from occurring. Under UK law, specifically the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, you are required to assess the risks in your workplace. If you have five or more employees, you must record your significant findings in writing, though it is best practice for any business owner to keep a documented version for insurance and peace of mind.

The five-step assessment process

You do not necessarily need a health and safety consultant to perform your initial assessment; as the business owner, you likely know the site better than anyone. Follow the standard Health and Safety Executive (HSE) five-step approach:

1. Identify the hazards: Walk around your facility and look for things that could reasonably be expected to cause harm. Focus on common storage industry issues like moving vehicles, heavy lifting (manual handling), and uneven flooring.
2. Decide who might be harmed and how: Consider your full-time staff, but also think about customers who may be unaccustomed to warehouse environments, delivery drivers, and contractors.
3. Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions: For every hazard, decide how likely it is to happen and how serious the outcome could be. If the risk is high, you must take action to reduce it to a level that is 'reasonably practicable'.
4. Record your significant findings: Create a document that lists the hazards, who is at risk, and the control measures you have put in place.
5. Review your assessment: A risk assessment is a living document. Review it at least once a year, or sooner if you change the layout of your units or purchase new equipment.

Common hazards in a storage facility

While every site is unique, storage facilities share common risks. The table below outlines typical hazards you should look for during your walk-through.

Control measures and the 'Hierarchy of Control'

When you find a risk, you should try to eliminate it entirely. If you can’t, work your way down the hierarchy of control. For example, if there is a risk of a customer being hit by a car, can you eliminate the risk by banning cars from that zone? If not, can you engineer a solution, like a physical barrier? If that isn't possible, use administrative controls like signage, and finally, provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like high-visibility vests for staff.

Top Tip: Don’t overcomplicate your documentation. The HSE expects your risk assessment to be 'suitable and sufficient', not a massive book. Focus on the real risks that are likely to cause actual injury.

Remember, the purpose of this task is to create a culture of safety. Once you have identified your control measures, ensure all staff are trained on them and that customers are given a brief safety induction or clear signage to follow when they first sign their rental agreement.