POWRA (Point of Work Risk Assessment)

A POWRA is a quick risk assessment done by workers at the point and time of the task to catch hazards not covered by the main assessment.

A Point of Work Risk Assessment, or POWRA, is a short, dynamic risk assessment carried out by operatives immediately before starting a task, at the actual location of the work. It is designed to catch hazards that a pre-prepared risk assessment or RAMS may not have anticipated, such as changed site conditions, weather, or nearby activities.

POWRAs support the wider duty to assess and control risk under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and reflect the reality that site conditions change. They encourage workers to stop and think, check that controls are still valid, and take action if something is not right before they begin.

Recording POWRAs, even briefly, provides evidence that hazards were reviewed at the point of work and helps embed a habit of ongoing risk awareness across the workforce.