POWRA: Point of Work Risk Assessment — Complete UK Guide

A Point of Work Risk Assessment (POWRA) is a quick safety check carried out at the job site immediately before work begins. It's the final line of defence between your written RAMS and the reality on the ground.

If you've ever arrived on site to find conditions different from what was planned — unexpected overhead cables, a wet surface, other trades working in your zone — a POWRA is how you catch those risks before anyone gets hurt.

This guide covers what POWRA is, when UK law requires it, how to complete one properly, and how it fits alongside RAMS in your safety documentation.

What Is a POWRA?

POWRA stands for Point of Work Risk Assessment. It's a short, structured assessment completed by the people doing the work, at the location where the work will happen, immediately before the task starts.

Unlike a RAMS document — which is written in advance, often in an office — a POWRA captures real-time, site-specific conditions. It bridges the gap between planned safety measures and what's actually happening on the ground.

A typical POWRA takes 5–10 minutes and covers:

• Has the area been checked for hazards not covered in the RAMS?
• Are all required control measures in place (barriers, signage, PPE)?
• Have conditions changed since the RAMS was written (weather, other trades, public access)?
• Does everyone in the work party understand the risks and their roles?
• Is there anything that means work should not proceed?

The critical outcome of a POWRA is a go/no-go decision. If conditions are unsafe and cannot be controlled, work does not start. This authority to stop is what makes POWRA effective.

POWRA vs RAMS: What's the Difference?

POWRA and RAMS are not interchangeable — they serve different purposes at different stages of the safety process.

A RAMS (Risk Assessment and Method Statement) is a comprehensive document written before work begins. It identifies all foreseeable hazards, assigns risk ratings, details control measures, and outlines the safe method of work. RAMS documents typically run to several pages and reference specific UK legislation.

A POWRA is a brief on-site check completed just before starting work. It confirms that the RAMS is still valid given current conditions and flags any new hazards that have appeared.

Think of it this way: the RAMS is the plan. The POWRA is the final confirmation that the plan still works.

Aspect: When — RAMS: Written in advance — POWRA: Completed on site before work starts

Aspect: Length — RAMS: Multi-page document — POWRA: 1-page checklist, 5-10 minutes

Aspect: Detail — RAMS: Comprehensive — all foreseeable risks — POWRA: Brief — real-time conditions only

Aspect: Legislation — RAMS: References specific Acts and Regulations — POWRA: Verifies RAMS controls are in place

Aspect: Who — RAMS: H&S manager, competent person — POWRA: Work party at point of work

Aspect: Purpose — RAMS: Plan the safe system of work — POWRA: Confirm the plan is still valid

Both are required. RAMS without a POWRA misses live hazards. A POWRA without a RAMS has no plan to verify against.

UK Legislation Requiring POWRA

There is no single UK regulation that says "you must do a POWRA" by name. However, the legal requirement for dynamic risk assessment — assessing risks at the point of work — comes from several key pieces of legislation:

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR)

Regulation 3 requires employers to make a "suitable and sufficient assessment" of risks. This doesn't end when the RAMS is written — it's an ongoing duty that includes checking conditions have not changed before work starts. A POWRA is the practical method for meeting this requirement on site.

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA)

Section 2 places a general duty on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of employees. A POWRA demonstrates you've taken reasonable steps to verify conditions on the day of work — not just at the planning stage.

CDM Regulations 2015

Under CDM 2015, principal contractors must ensure that "construction work is carried out so far as is reasonably practicable without risks to health or safety." For construction sites, this means verifying that planned controls are actually in place before each work activity — exactly what a POWRA does.

Work at Height Regulations 2005

Regulation 4 requires that work at height is properly planned, appropriately supervised, and carried out in a way that is safe. A pre-task POWRA for any work at height activity is considered best practice and is expected by HSE inspectors.

The Regulatory Position, as a Regulation 5(1) of MHSWR

Regulation 5(1) of MHSWR requires that risk assessments are reviewed when there is reason to suspect they are "no longer valid" or when there has been "a significant change in the matters to which it relates." Arriving on site to changed conditions triggers this duty — and a POWRA is how you discharge it.

When Do You Need a POWRA?

A POWRA should be completed:

• At the start of every shift or work activity — even if the same task was done yesterday, conditions may have changed
• When conditions change significantly — weather deterioration, other trades starting nearby, public access changes
• When moving to a new work area — different location means different hazards
• When the scope of work changes — if the task is different from what the RAMS covers, reassess
• After any incident, near-miss, or safety concern — something has changed, understand what
• When new personnel join the work party — they need to understand the current risks

In practice, most UK construction sites require a POWRA before every task. Many principal contractors and tier-1 clients mandate it as a condition of working on their sites. It's also standard practice in security, facilities management, and industrial maintenance.

How to Complete a POWRA: Step-by-Step

A POWRA should be quick, practical, and completed by the people doing the work. Here's the standard process:

Step 1: Stop and Look

Before starting any work, physically walk the area. Look for hazards that weren't anticipated in the RAMS — overhead services, uneven ground, nearby excavations, other trades working above or below you, public access routes, standing water, poor lighting, or new obstructions.

Step 2: Check the RAMS

Review the RAMS for this task. Are the identified hazards still relevant? Are there new ones? Are all the planned control measures actually in place — barriers erected, permits issued, PPE available, emergency equipment accessible?

Step 3: Assess New Hazards

If you've identified hazards not covered in the RAMS, assess them on the spot. Can they be controlled with the resources available? If yes, document the additional controls. If not, stop work and escalate to your supervisor or site manager. Do not improvise safety measures for risks you weren't prepared for.

Step 4: Brief the Team

Discuss the findings with everyone in the work party. Make sure everyone understands:

• The key risks for today's task
• The controls in place (and any additional ones)
• What to do if conditions change during the work
• The emergency procedure

This is your toolbox talk moment. It doesn't need to be long — but it must be clear.

Step 5: Record and Proceed (or Stop)

Record the POWRA — either on a paper form or digitally. If conditions are acceptable, sign off and proceed with work. If any hazard cannot be adequately controlled, do not start work.

This is the most important outcome: a POWRA gives workers the authority and the duty to stop. That authority must be genuinely supported by management. A POWRA is worthless if the no-go option is never used.

What Should a POWRA Include?

A POWRA form or checklist should capture:

• Date, time, and location of the assessment
• Names of all persons in the work party
• Task description and associated RAMS reference number
• Environmental conditions (weather, lighting, ground conditions)
• Confirmation that planned controls are in place
• Any additional hazards identified on site
• Additional controls implemented for new hazards
• Go/no-go decision
• Signatures of all team members (physical or digital)

Keep the form to one page maximum. If it takes more than 10 minutes to complete, it's too long and people will rush through it.

5 Common POWRA Mistakes

Even when POWRA is completed, these mistakes reduce its effectiveness:

1. The Tick-Box Exercise

Completing the form without actually inspecting the area. Workers fill it in from the van or the site cabin. A POWRA with no thought behind it protects nobody — and won't defend you in court.

2. Not Involving the Whole Team

The supervisor fills it in alone while the work party waits. Everyone doing the work should contribute — they know the hands-on risks best. The bricklayer notices different things to the scaffolder.

3. Ignoring Changed Conditions

Starting with a POWRA at 7am and not reassessing when rain starts at 11am, or when another trade starts cutting above you. POWRA isn't a one-and-done — it's a dynamic process throughout the shift.

4. No Stop-Work Culture

Workers identify a hazard but feel pressured to continue because of programme deadlines. A POWRA is worthless if the no-go option is never genuinely available. Management must actively support stop-work decisions without consequence.

5. Not Linking to the RAMS

A POWRA that doesn't reference the original RAMS is just a generic checklist. It should verify the specific controls from the planned assessment — not ask generic questions about whether the work area is tidy.

POWRA on Different Types of Sites

Construction Sites

POWRA is most established in construction, where CDM 2015 and the dynamic nature of building sites make pre-task checks essential. Common triggers: scaffold changes, excavation progress, weather, crane movements, deliveries, concurrent activities.

Security Operations

For door supervision, event security, and close protection, a POWRA equivalent is completed before each shift. Security operatives assess crowd conditions, venue layout changes, weather, and staffing levels before deploying.

Facilities Management

FM teams working across multiple sites need POWRA at each location. A maintenance task in a school at 7am has different risks to the same task at 7pm when the building is empty. Site-specific conditions change between visits.

How swiftRMS Helps with POWRA

swiftRMS generates the comprehensive RAMS that your POWRA verifies against. When your RAMS is thorough — with 15+ hazards identified, specific control measures for each, and correct UK legislation cited — your POWRA becomes faster and more effective because you have a solid plan to check against.

With swiftRMS, every RAMS includes a Toolbox Talk summary that's perfect for the team briefing step of your POWRA. The hazards and controls are already laid out clearly, so your on-site check becomes a focused verification rather than starting from scratch.

Every document also includes colour-coded risk matrices that make it easy to identify which hazards need the most attention during your POWRA. High-risk items stand out immediately, so your pre-task check focuses where it matters most.

Generate your first RAMS free and see how a better plan makes for a better POWRA.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a POWRA a legal requirement in the UK?

There is no regulation that uses the term "POWRA" specifically. However, the legal duty to dynamically assess risks at the point of work comes from MHSWR 1999 (Regulation 3), HASAWA 1974 (Section 2), and CDM 2015. In practice, a POWRA is the standard method for meeting this duty on UK sites.

How long should a POWRA take?

5–10 minutes for a straightforward task. More complex or high-risk activities may take longer. The key is quality over speed — a 2-minute tick-box exercise adds no value and won't protect you legally.

Can a POWRA replace a RAMS?

No. A POWRA supplements a RAMS but cannot replace it. RAMS provides the detailed, pre-planned risk assessment and method statement. POWRA confirms those plans are still valid at the point of work. You need both.

Who should complete a POWRA?

The people doing the work, at the location where the work will happen. Supervisors can lead the process, but input from everyone in the work party is essential — they have the hands-on knowledge of what can go wrong.

Do I need a new POWRA for every task?

Yes, for every distinct task or activity. You also need to reassess if conditions change significantly during the work — weather deterioration, other trades starting nearby, or scope changes.

What happens if a POWRA identifies an uncontrollable risk?

Work stops. Escalate to your supervisor or site manager. Additional controls must be put in place, the RAMS may need updating, or the task may need rescheduling. The no-go outcome is the most important function of a POWRA.

Is a POWRA the same as a dynamic risk assessment?

They're closely related. Dynamic risk assessment is the broader concept — continuously assessing risks as conditions change. POWRA is a structured, documented form of dynamic risk assessment carried out specifically before work starts. Both are part of the same safety principle.