BEH/General/TBT-BEH-020
Dynamic Risk Assessment in Practice
Behavioural Safety & Leadership › General › Dynamic Risk Assessment in Practice
Toolbox Talk
Dynamic Risk Assessment in Practice
A dynamic risk assessment is an ongoing mental process of identifying hazards, assessing the risk, and deciding on the safest course of action in real time. It supplements the formal written risk assessment by dealing with changing conditions that could not be predicted in advance. On a construction site, conditions change constantly due to weather, programme changes, plant movements, and the work of other trades. Every worker must be able to carry out a personal dynamic risk assessment before and during every task.
Key Hazards
Unforeseen hazards not covered by the written risk assessment causing injuries
Workers failing to reassess risk when site conditions change during the shift
Complacency from performing routine tasks without actively checking for new hazards
Time pressure causing workers to skip the mental risk assessment and proceed unsafely
Control Measures
- Stop and assess the work area before starting any task, even if you have done it many times before.
- Ask yourself: what could go wrong, what could hurt me, and what can I do about it?
- Check for new hazards that may have appeared since the written risk assessment was completed.
- Consider the effects of weather, ground conditions, other trades, and plant movements on your task.
- If conditions have changed and the original risk assessment no longer applies, stop and speak to your supervisor.
- Reassess continuously throughout the task because hazards can develop while you are working.
- Look up, look down, and look around before starting to identify hazards above, below, and beside you.
- Trust your instincts — if something does not feel safe, stop and investigate before continuing.
- Share your observations with colleagues because you may spot a hazard they have not noticed.
Remember
- A dynamic risk assessment is a continuous mental process, not a one-off check at the start.
- Stop, think, and assess before every task: what are the hazards and how will I control them?
- Conditions on a construction site change constantly and yesterday's assessment may not apply today.
- If something has changed and the task no longer feels safe, stop work and speak to your supervisor.
- Look up, look down, and look all around you before starting to spot hazards in every direction.
- Trusting your instincts and stopping when something feels wrong is a sign of competence, not weakness.
Applicable Legislation: Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 · Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 · CDM Regulations 2015
Delivered By
RAMS Builder
Generate professional Risk Assessment and Method Statements in minutes. 10 document formats, site-specific content, instant Word download.