A point-of-work risk assessment is a final, task-focused conversation and check where the work will happen. Use it to spot differences between the plan and the actual conditions. It complements the task risk assessment, method statement and any permit arrangements; it does not authorise work.
1. Start with the task you have planned
Describe the job, location, people involved and intended sequence. Have the relevant task documents available. If the team cannot explain the planned method, resolve that before starting.
2. Walk the work area together
Look for ways people could be harmed. Consider the equipment, substances, access and surrounding activities, including people outside your team. Ask the workers what concerns them.
3. Compare the controls with reality
Check whether the planned controls are actually in place and suitable. Decide what further action is needed, who will do it and when. Treat an uncertain answer as something to resolve, not a completed check.
4. Resolve concerns before proceeding
Follow your organisation’s stop-work and escalation arrangements if the task cannot be carried out under the agreed controls. A completed form or a green score cannot make a missing control effective.
5. Keep a useful record and revisit it
Record the task, findings, actions and changes. Recheck controls when conditions change or concerns arise, and update the record accordingly.
Questions worth asking
- Are we in the right location with the current task documents?
- What is different from the conditions assumed in the plan?
- Can we explain and verify the controls we depend on?
- Who will resolve a concern, and what would trigger another check?
Where POWRAlogic fits
The protected pilot helps record point-of-work checks, flag missing or unsure controls and share a saved assessment for supervisor review.
Explore the POWRAlogic pilot →
Take the questions to your briefing
Open the printable discussion checklist →
Source and scope
This is a practical workflow suggested by The Logic Suite, informed by HSE’s steps for managing workplace risks. It is not an HSE-prescribed POWRA form. Apply task-specific guidance and your organisation’s procedures.