Risk Assessments in Hospitality
Formal assessments identifying hazards in a hospitality workplace and the measures needed to control risks to staff, customers, and visitors.
Risk assessments are a legal requirement for all businesses with five or more employees under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Even businesses with fewer than five employees must carry out risk assessments, though they are not required to write them down (though doing so is strongly recommended). In hospitality, risk assessments cover a wide range of hazards including food safety, fire, chemicals (COSHH), slips and trips, manual handling, burns and scalds, workplace violence, and equipment safety. A risk assessment involves identifying hazards, deciding who might be harmed and how, evaluating the risks, deciding on control measures, and recording and reviewing your findings.
Key Points
- A legal requirement for all businesses under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
- Hospitality businesses need multiple types: general, fire, COSHH, food safety, equipment
- Follow the 5-step process: identify, decide who is at risk, evaluate, record, review
- Slips and trips are the most common cause of workplace injury in hospitality
- Risk assessments must be reviewed at least annually and after any incident
Types of Risk Assessment in Hospitality
Hospitality businesses typically need several types of risk assessment. A general workplace risk assessment covering slips, trips, falls, manual handling, burns, and cuts. A fire risk assessment (required by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005) covering fire hazards, escape routes, alarms, and fire-fighting equipment. COSHH assessments for all hazardous chemicals used (cleaning products, pest control). Food safety risk assessments as part of your HACCP system. Equipment risk assessments for commercial kitchen equipment like deep fryers, slicers, and ovens. If you have specific risks like a rooftop terrace, a swimming pool, or live entertainment, you will need additional assessments for those activities.
The 5-Step Risk Assessment Process
Step 1: Identify the hazards by walking around your premises and noting anything that could cause harm. Step 2: Decide who might be harmed and how, considering staff, customers, delivery drivers, contractors, and vulnerable groups like children or elderly visitors. Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide on control measures, using the hierarchy of controls (eliminate, substitute, engineering controls, administrative controls, PPE). Step 4: Record your findings and implement the control measures. Step 5: Review and update your assessments regularly, at least annually and whenever there is a significant change to your operation or after an incident.
Common Hospitality Hazards
The most common hazards in hospitality include wet and greasy floors causing slips (the single most common cause of workplace injury in hospitality), burns and scalds from hot surfaces, liquids, and steam, cuts from knives and broken glass, manual handling injuries from lifting heavy items like kegs, boxes, and equipment, exposure to cleaning chemicals, fire risks from cooking equipment, gas, and electrical faults, and food safety hazards including allergens, bacteria, and foreign objects. Each of these must be assessed and controlled proportionately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a fire risk assessment?
Yes. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, every non-domestic premises must have a fire risk assessment. The "responsible person" (usually the business owner or manager) must carry out the assessment, implement findings, and review it regularly. For complex premises, you may want to engage a professional fire risk assessor.
How often should risk assessments be reviewed?
Risk assessments should be reviewed at least annually. They should also be reviewed after any accident or near-miss, when new equipment or processes are introduced, when the premises layout changes, when there are changes in legislation, and when you employ new or vulnerable workers.
Can I do risk assessments myself or do I need a professional?
For most hospitality businesses, the owner or manager can carry out risk assessments themselves using the HSE's guidance and templates. However, specialist assessments like fire risk assessments for complex buildings, or detailed COSHH assessments for unusual chemicals, may benefit from professional input. AI-powered tools like Paddl can help generate risk assessments based on your specific business details.
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