Warehouse Risk Assessment: A UK Guide and Template

A practical guide for UK warehouse managers, supervisors and small operators.

A warehouse packs a lot of hazards into one busy space: forklifts and people sharing the floor, racking loaded metres overhead, heavy goods moved by hand, and vehicles reversing onto loading bays. A warehouse risk assessment is how you identify those hazards, decide who could be harmed, and put the right controls in place. This guide explains the main hazards and their controls, the legal duty behind the assessment, a clear step-by-step method, and a template you can copy and use on your own site.

What a warehouse risk assessment is

A warehouse risk assessment is a careful look at what in your warehouse could cause harm to workers, drivers, visitors and contractors, so you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more. It is not a one off tick box exercise. It is a working record of the real hazards on your floor and the controls that keep them under control, kept up to date as the operation changes.

The point is not to remove every conceivable risk, which is impossible, but to reduce risk so far as is reasonably practicable. That means the effort, time and cost of a control has to be balanced against the risk it addresses, with the more serious risks taking priority.

The legal basis

The overarching duty comes from the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which requires employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees and to protect others affected by the work.

The duty to assess risk is set out in regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. This requires a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks, and where five or more people are employed the significant findings must be recorded. Several other regulations shape the controls a warehouse assessment needs to cover.

• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 cover the workplace itself, including safe traffic routes, the segregation of vehicles and pedestrians, floor condition, lighting and welfare.
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, known as MHOR, require you to avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable, assess what cannot be avoided, and reduce the risk of injury.
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, known as PUWER, require work equipment such as forklifts, pallet trucks and conveyors to be suitable, maintained and used by trained people.
• Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply to mezzanine edges, ladders, working platforms and order picker trucks, requiring work at height to be planned, supervised and carried out safely.
• Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, known as LOLER, apply where lifting equipment is used, requiring it to be strong enough, well maintained and thoroughly examined at set intervals.

Regulations covering noise, hazardous substances and fire safety also apply where those hazards are present, alongside the general duty of care.

The main warehouse hazards and their controls

Forklifts and pedestrian segregation

Fork lift trucks, often shortened to FLT, are one of the most serious hazards in any warehouse. The core control is to keep vehicles and people apart. Use marked and physically separated pedestrian routes, one way systems where the layout allows, controlled crossing points, and barriers or bollards to protect walkways and doorways. Manage speed, keep sightlines clear, and use a banksman for reversing or blind manoeuvres. Only trained and authorised operators should drive, and keys should be controlled so trucks cannot be used by anyone else.

Racking collapse and damage

Loaded racking that fails can be catastrophic. Racking must be designed and installed for the loads it carries, and clear load notices should state the maximum permitted weights so nothing is overloaded. Follow the tiered inspection approach set out by the Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association, known as SEMA. Operatives report damage as it happens, a nominated person carries out documented visual checks at regular intervals, and a technically competent person carries out an expert inspection at intervals not exceeding 12 months. Damaged uprights and beams should be offloaded and taken out of use until repaired or replaced.

Manual handling

Lifting, carrying and moving stock by hand is a leading cause of injury. Under MHOR, avoid hazardous handling where you can by using pallet trucks, sack trucks, conveyors and other mechanical aids. Where handling cannot be avoided, assess the task using the load, the individual, the task and the environment, and reduce the risk with training in good technique, team lifts for heavy or awkward loads, sensible storage heights and adequate space to work.

Working at height

Mezzanine floors, racking, ladders and order picker trucks all bring work at height. Mezzanine edges and any open edges need edge protection or guarding, and pallet gates at loading positions. Ladders should be the right kind, in good condition and used only for short duration low risk tasks. Order pickers require trained operators, a properly worn harness where the machine requires it, and safe systems for working at height on the platform.

Slips, trips and housekeeping

Slips and trips are among the most frequent causes of injury in warehouses. Keep gangways and walkways clear, deal with spillages and leaks promptly, tidy trailing cables and strapping, and maintain floor surfaces so they are even and in good repair. Good lighting helps people see hazards, and a housekeeping routine keeps the standard from slipping over a shift.

Loading bays and vehicle reversing

Loading bays mix people, forklifts and large vehicles, often with height changes. Segregate pedestrians from the vehicle area, use dock levellers, wheel chocks or vehicle restraints to stop unplanned movement, and manage reversing with clear procedures and a banksman where visibility is poor. Drivers and yard staff should know the site rules and traffic routes.

Falling objects

Items can fall from racking, from the tops of loads or when picking at height. Store heavier items at low level, do not overhang beams or overload pallets, use netting or backstops on high level racking near walkways, and keep people clear when loads are placed or removed at height. Hard hats may be required in defined areas.

Fire and means of escape

Warehouses hold large quantities of stock and packaging, so fire loading can be high. Keep escape routes and fire exits clear and unobstructed, do not block extinguishers or call points, control ignition sources including battery charging areas, and follow your fire risk assessment and evacuation plan. Racking must not obstruct escape routes or sprinkler coverage.

Noise, temperature and lone working

Where machinery, conveyors or reversing alarms raise noise levels, assess exposure and provide hearing protection where needed. Chilled and cold stores bring temperature risks, so provide suitable clothing, limit exposure time and manage rest breaks. Lone workers, such as someone on a quiet shift, need a way to raise the alarm and to be checked on, with high risk tasks avoided when working alone.

How to complete one, step by step

1. Walk the warehouse and identify the hazards. Go through goods in, storage, picking, packing, dispatch and the yard, and list what could cause harm.
2. Decide who might be harmed and how. Include operatives, forklift drivers, visiting hauliers, contractors, visitors and any new or young workers.
3. Evaluate the risks and set the controls. For each hazard, record what you already do and decide what more is reasonably practicable, working down the hierarchy from removing the hazard to guarding, safe systems and finally personal protective equipment.
4. Record your significant findings. Where you employ five or more people this is a legal requirement. Even below that a written record is good practice.
5. Communicate and train. Brief the workforce, cover the assessment in induction, and make sure forklift, manual handling and work at height training is in place and up to date.
6. Review and update. Revisit the assessment after any change of layout, equipment, process or stock, and after any accident or near miss, and set a routine review so nothing is overlooked.

Warehouse risk assessment template

Use the structure below as a starting point. Copy it into your own form and fill each row for the actual layout, equipment and tasks in your warehouse. The example rows show the level of detail to aim for. Delete them and replace with your own.

Related guides

• Risk assessment for construction: the basics, for the underlying five step method.
• How to write a risk assessment, a plain-English walkthrough.
• The 5x5 risk matrix, for scoring likelihood against severity.
• Young person risk assessment, if you take on apprentices or under-18s.
• RAMS template, to sit your assessment inside a full method statement.

Frequently asked questions

This article is general guidance for UK warehousing and is not legal advice. For requirements specific to your operation, check current HSE guidance and your own obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the regulations named above.