How to Write a Risk Assessment for Your Kitchen
Practical guide to writing kitchen risk assessments for UK hospitality businesses. Covers hazard identification, risk evaluation, control measures, and ongoing review.
Risk assessments are a legal requirement under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 for every UK employer with one or more employees. In hospitality, kitchens are among the highest-risk work environments, with hazards including sharp knives, hot surfaces, slippery floors, heavy lifting, electrical equipment, and hazardous chemicals. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that the accommodation and food service sector has one of the highest rates of workplace injury across all UK industries.
A risk assessment does not need to be a complex scientific document. For most hospitality businesses, it is a practical, written record of the hazards you have identified, who could be harmed, how likely it is, and what you are doing to control it. The HSE's five-step approach provides a clear, structured framework that any manager can follow.
This guide walks you through writing effective risk assessments for your kitchen operation, with specific examples relevant to hospitality. The goal is a living document that genuinely protects your staff, not a tick-box exercise that sits in a filing cabinet.
6 steps to complete
Identify hazards in your kitchen
Walk through your entire kitchen and working areas, systematically identifying everything that could cause harm. Look for physical hazards (sharp equipment, hot surfaces, wet floors, heavy items stored at height, trailing cables), chemical hazards (cleaning products, sanitisers — your COSHH assessment feeds into this), biological hazards (handled via food safety management), and ergonomic hazards (repetitive tasks, manual handling, awkward postures). Talk to your staff — they know where the real risks are from daily experience. Check your accident book for patterns that highlight recurring hazards.
Decide who might be harmed and how
For each hazard, identify who is at risk. This includes kitchen staff, front-of-house staff who enter the kitchen, cleaning staff, delivery drivers who enter your premises, maintenance contractors, and any vulnerable individuals (new starters unfamiliar with the kitchen, young workers under 18, pregnant staff, or anyone with a disability). Consider how the harm might occur: a deep fat fryer is a burn risk to chefs working nearby, but also a slip risk if oil splashes on the floor.
Evaluate the risks and decide on control measures
For each hazard, evaluate the likelihood of harm occurring (taking into account existing controls) and the severity if it did occur. Use a simple risk rating: high, medium, or low. For high and medium risks, determine what additional control measures are needed. Apply the hierarchy of controls: eliminate the hazard if possible, substitute with something less hazardous, isolate people from the hazard, implement administrative controls (procedures, training, signage), and provide personal protective equipment as a last resort.
Record your significant findings
Document your risk assessment in a clear, structured format. For each significant hazard, record: what the hazard is, who is at risk, the current control measures in place, the risk level with current controls, any additional controls needed, who is responsible for implementing them, and the deadline for implementation. You do not need to list every trivial hazard — focus on those that could cause real harm. If you have five or more employees, recording your assessment in writing is a legal requirement (though it is good practice regardless of size).
Implement the control measures you have identified
A risk assessment is only useful if the control measures are actually implemented. Assign clear responsibility for each action, set realistic deadlines, and follow up to confirm completion. Communicate changes to all affected staff — a new anti-slip mat is useless if staff walk around it. Some measures (such as buying cut-resistant gloves) can be implemented immediately; others (such as installing a ventilation upgrade) may need time and budget. Prioritise actions based on risk level.
Review and update regularly
Review your risk assessment at least annually, or whenever there is a significant change: new equipment, changes to your kitchen layout, new cleaning products, a workplace accident or near-miss, new activities or processes, or changes to staff (particularly new young workers). The review should check that existing controls are still effective, that no new hazards have been introduced, and that the assessment still accurately reflects your operation. Record the review date and any changes made.
Tips for success
Common mistakes to avoid
Frequently asked questions
Is a risk assessment a legal requirement?
Yes. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, every employer must carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees and anyone else affected by their work activities. If you have five or more employees, the assessment must be recorded in writing. Even with fewer than five employees, a written assessment is strongly recommended for due diligence.
How many risk assessments do I need for my kitchen?
There is no set number. The HSE recommends assessing all significant hazards, which for a typical kitchen might result in 5–10 separate assessments covering areas such as: manual handling, slips and trips, knife and sharp equipment safety, burns and scalds (including deep fat fryers), electrical safety, work at height (reaching high shelves), COSHH (chemical safety), and fire safety. Group similar hazards together rather than writing a separate assessment for every individual risk.
Do I need special qualifications to write a risk assessment?
No formal qualification is required. The person carrying out the assessment should be competent, meaning they have a practical understanding of the work activities, the hazards involved, and the relevant health and safety measures. For most hospitality businesses, an experienced manager with basic health and safety awareness can write effective risk assessments. For complex or specialist risks, you may want input from a health and safety consultant.
What is the difference between a hazard and a risk?
A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm (such as a deep fat fryer, a wet floor, or a sharp knife). A risk is the likelihood that the hazard will actually cause harm, combined with the severity of that harm. For example, a deep fat fryer is always a hazard, but the risk is lower if it has a thermostat, splash guard, and trained operators than if it is an open pan of oil used by untrained staff. Risk assessment is about evaluating the risk given the controls in place.
Can the HSE or EHO inspect my risk assessments?
Yes. Both the HSE and local authority Environmental Health Officers can ask to see your risk assessments during an inspection. They will check that assessments are in place, that they cover the significant hazards in your workplace, that control measures are being implemented, and that they are reviewed and up to date. Failure to have adequate risk assessments can result in improvement notices, prohibition notices, or prosecution depending on the severity of the failing.
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