How to conduct a risk assessment for floristry work

To legally protect yourself and anyone working with you, you must identify potential hazards in your floristry workspace—such as sharp tools, heavy lifting, and plant irritants—and document exactly how you will minimise these risks before you begin trading. Under UK health and safety law, if you have five or more employees, this assessment must be written down, but even as a sole trader, having a documented plan is essential for insurance purposes and your own peace of mind.

Why Risk Assessment Matters in Floristry

While working with flowers seems peaceful, a professional floristry environment involves physical risks. From "florist's itch" (contact dermatitis) to back strain from moving heavy floral displays, identifying these issues early allows you to create a professional, sustainable workspace. It ensures you aren't sidelined by a preventable injury just as your business is taking off.

The Five Steps to Your Assessment

1. Identify the hazards: Walk around your workspace and look at every task. What could cause harm? Think about sharp snips, slippery wet floors, and heavy buckets of water.
2. Decide who might be harmed: Is it just you? Do you have delivery drivers, shop assistants, or customers visiting your studio?
3. Evaluate the risks: How likely is the harm to happen, and how serious would it be? For example, a small nick from a rose thorn is "low risk," while a deep cut from a floral knife is "high risk."
4. Record your findings: Note down the controls you have put in place to manage the risk (see the table below for examples).
5. Review regularly: Your risks might change if you move to a new studio or start offering different services, like large-scale installations.

Common Floristry Hazards and Controls

Use the following table as a starting point for your own assessment:

Hazard	Potential Risk	Control Measure (Action)
Sharp Tools (Knives/Scissors)	Deep cuts or puncture wounds.	Always cut away from the body; keep tools sharp (dull tools slip); store in a dedicated pouch.
Manual Handling (Water Buckets)	Back strain or musculoskeletal injury.	Never overfill buckets; use a trolley for transport; practice "knees-bent" lifting techniques.
Plant Allergies & Irritants	Skin rashes (Dermatitis) or respiratory issues.	Wear nitrile gloves when handling known irritants (e.g., Euphorbia or Lilies); wash hands frequently.
Wet Floors	Slips and falls.	Use non-slip floor mats in conditioning areas; mop up spills immediately; use "Caution: Wet Floor" signs.

"A risk assessment is a living document. Don't just file it away—keep it in your workshop where it can be used to train any future help you might hire."

Best Practices for a Safe Workshop

• First Aid Kit: Keep a well-stocked kit specifically featuring waterproof plasters (blue ones are best for visibility) and antiseptic wipes.
• Hydration and Breaks: Floristry is physically demanding. Schedule regular breaks to avoid fatigue, which is when most accidents with sharp tools occur.
• COSHH: Remember that cleaning chemicals or flower foods also need to be stored safely as part of your wider safety checks.