Risk Assessment Example — Office Relocation Project
Example document for Risk Assessment. Use this as a reference when creating your own.
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Document: Risk Assessment
Example Document
Last updated 6/4/2026
Risk Assessment — Office Relocation Project
Activity / project assessed: Relocation of head-office staff and equipment to new premises Location / site: Old office (Maple House) and new office (Riverside Court) Assessed by: Dani Okafor, Facilities & Operations Lead Date of assessment: 5 June 2026 Status: Approved Review date: 26 June 2026 (one week before the move)
1. Scope and context
This assessment covers the one-off relocation of about 90 staff, their workstations, IT equipment, and stored records from Maple House to Riverside Court over a single weekend. It is being done now because the move date is fixed and the work involves heavy lifting, an external moving contractor, and a short period with no live IT systems. Day-to-day office risks at either site, and the building fit-out (handled under its own construction assessment), are out of scope.
- What is being assessed: The packing, transport, and setup activities of the relocation weekend.
- Who could be affected: Staff helping with the move, the moving contractor's crew, IT staff, and building visitors during the working week either side.
- Out of scope: Routine office risks and the new-building fit-out works.
2. Scoring scales
| Score | Likelihood | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rare | Negligible (no real harm or disruption) |
| 2 | Unlikely | Minor (first aid; brief disruption) |
| 3 | Possible | Moderate (medical treatment; a day lost) |
| 4 | Likely | Major (serious injury; several days lost) |
| 5 | Almost certain | Severe (life-changing injury or major data loss) |
Risk rating = likelihood x severity. Bands: 1 to 4 low (green), 5 to 12 medium (amber), 15 to 25 high (red). Any red risk must have further controls and a named owner before the move proceeds.
3. Risk register
| Hazard / risk | Likelihood | Severity | Rating | Controls | Residual rating | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manual handling of heavy boxes and furniture causing back or muscle injury | 4 | 3 | 12 | Use the contracted movers for heavy items; trolleys and lifting aids provided; staff briefed not to lift above safe limits; box weight limit enforced | 4 (2 x 2) | Dani Okafor |
| Trips and falls over boxes, cables, and obstructed walkways during packing | 4 | 2 | 8 | Keep marked clear routes; pack in stages; tape down or remove trailing cables; good lighting maintained | 2 (2 x 1) | Floor marshals |
| Strangers entering during the move (doors propped open) leading to theft or harm | 3 | 3 | 9 | Sign-in desk staffed at both sites; ID checks for the moving crew; equipment logged in and out | 4 (2 x 2) | Reception lead |
| Loss or damage of servers and records in transit, causing data loss or downtime | 3 | 5 | 15 | Full verified backup taken before the move; sensitive records moved in locked crates by IT; equipment insured in transit; move sequenced to keep core systems last | 5 (1 x 5) | IT Manager (R. Patel) |
| Vehicle and pedestrian movement at the loading bays causing a collision | 2 | 4 | 8 | Banksman directs reversing; pedestrian and vehicle routes separated and signed; loading bay kept clear | 4 (2 x 2) | Moving contractor |
| Lone working during late finish on the Sunday setup | 3 | 3 | 9 | No lone working rule; staff work in pairs; check-in calls; security on site until the last person leaves | 4 (2 x 2) | Dani Okafor |
4. Risk matrix
Each hazard above is plotted on the likelihood-by-severity grid, before and after controls:
- Red (high, 15 to 25): Loss or damage of servers and records (inherent 15) sits top-right and is the most serious risk; controls bring its residual rating down to 5 (amber).
- Amber (medium, 5 to 12): Manual handling (12), unauthorised entry (9), lone working (9), trips (8), and loading-bay traffic (8). Each has controls and an owner; residual ratings fall to the low/green band.
- Green (low, 1 to 4): none inherently, but every hazard reaches a green or low-amber residual rating once the controls are in place.
5. Action plan
| Action | Owner | Target date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirm verified server backup and a tested restore before move day | R. Patel (IT) | 24 June 2026 | Open |
| Brief floor marshals and issue the clear-route plan for both sites | Dani Okafor | 25 June 2026 | Open |
| Arrange in-transit insurance cover for IT equipment and records | Dani Okafor | 23 June 2026 | Done |
| Confirm banksman and loading-bay traffic plan with the moving contractor | Moving contractor | 25 June 2026 | Open |
6. Review
- Review date: 26 June 2026, the week before the move, and immediately if the date, premises, or crew change, or if a near-miss occurs during packing.
- Reviewed by: Dani Okafor, Facilities & Operations Lead.
- Shared with: All staff helping with the move, the IT team, reception, and the moving contractor.
Notes
An illustrative worked example for a fictional office-relocation project, showing scored hazards (likelihood times severity), controls drawn from the hierarchy of control, residual ratings, named owners, and a review date; the company, people, and figures are illustrative.
About this Example
Part of the Risk Assessment document collection
Document Type
Risk Assessment
A systematic document identifying, analysing, and evaluating risks, with mitigation strategies and action plans.