Statutory and mandatory risk assessments

Use our list of risk assessments that schools must hold to make sure you're compliant. Download and use the checklist to help scrutinise whether your school or trust is meeting requirements.

Last reviewed on 15 August 2024
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 32374
Contents
  1. Your school must assess health and safety risks to employees and others
  2. List of mandatory risk assessments
  3. Requirements for written records

Your school must assess health and safety risks to employees and others

This is set out in regulation 3 of The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Your school doesn't need a standalone health and safety risk assessment to meet this requirement. Instead, staff should know exactly which risk assessments apply to their role, workplace and activities, and should read them in full. 

As governors, you won't be involved in making risk assessments, as that's an operational task. Find out more about your strategic role in monitoring risk assessments.

Download our checklist, so you know what risk assessments your school/trust should hold.

Download: statutory risk assessment checklist DOCX, 275.5 KB
Download

The checklist covers:

  • Workers under 18
  • Asbestos
  • Substances hazardous to health
  • Display screen equipment
  • Fire
  • First aid
  • Manual handling
  • Work at height
  • Children being drawn into terrorism
  • Swimming pools

Please note: there may be other areas where risk assessments are necessary, depending on facilities and activities.

Risk assessment