Decking Installation Risk Assessment Template

Typical hazards & measures

• Slips, trips and uneven ground — Maintain tidy routes; bundle and stack boards flat; route cables and hoses overhead or ramp them. Lay temporary mats on soft or uneven ground and manage mud with boot scrapers. Enforce housekeeping after each phase and clean up oils, water, and off-cut hazards promptly.
• Unprotected edges and falls — Install temporary edge protection on raised frames; use working platforms with mid and top rails plus toe-boards. Define no-go zones below. Close deck boards promptly to remove gaps. Provide temporary stairs or steps to control access until permanent handrails are installed.
• 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.
• Site traffic and deliveries — Agree delivery windows; brief a banksman; segregate pedestrians with barriers. Mark reversing routes and keep sightlines clear. Use stable drop-zones. Lift with tele-handlers or MEWPs only if planned and certified. Keep public away with signage and marshals during movements.
• 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.