Decking Installation Risk Assessment Template

Typical hazards & measures

• Wood dust exposure — Fit on-tool extraction and M-class vacs with auto-start; vacuum rather than dry brush. Cut and sand outdoors upwind where possible; wear FFP3 when dust cannot be controlled. Wet-wipe surfaces; store off-cuts to prevent re-aerosolising. Provide skin and eye protection and washing.
• Cutting operations with saws — Use guarded saws with sound riving knife and brake; clamp stock and use stands for long boards. Keep blades sharp and disconnect before changes. Extract dust at source or use M-class vacs. Wear eye and face protection. Control off-cuts and never cut free-hand or mid-air.
• Lighting and low light work — Provide task lighting to remove shadows at cut points and fixings; use 110 V festoons and headlamps where needed. Illuminate access, edges, and delivery points. Check glare on glazing. Pause high-risk tasks if lux levels fall below safe visibility; re-plan for daylight where practicable.
• Lone working and welfare — Use a lone-work plan with start/finish check-ins, emergency contacts, and reliable phone/radio. Restrict high-risk tasks when alone; stage materials to reduce strain. Provide first-aid kit, drinking water, shelter, and precise address/location references for responders.
• Underground services — Obtain and review utility plans; scan with CAT/Genny and mark corridors. Hand-dig trial holes to verify depth and route. Set exclusion distances and brief the crew. Keep augers and mechanical digs out of marked zones. Stop on warning tape or anomalies and re-survey before resuming.