Learning Hub · Licensing & Compliance

Risk Assessment Register

Hazard identification, likelihood × impact scoring, control measures and periodic review scheduling.

Why risk assessments matter

DEFRA Condition 3 requires a written risk assessment covering all hazards to animal welfare, staff safety and public safety. Inspectors expect a formal register — not a one-page document written years ago. A living risk register that's regularly reviewed, with scored risks and documented controls, demonstrates professional management and typically earns star-rating points.

How the risk register works

Each risk is identified, scored using a likelihood × impact matrix, and then controlled. The register tracks the full lifecycle:

Hazard identification

Walk through your premises and list everything that could go wrong: dog escape, bite injury, fire, flood, disease outbreak, chemical spill, structural failure, electrical fault. The more comprehensive, the better.

Risk categories

Group risks into categories: Animal Welfare, Staff Safety, Fire, Infection Control, Structural, Equipment, Transport, Environmental, Chemical, Other. This helps you spot gaps — if you have zero risks under "Chemical", you probably haven't thought about cleaning products or medicines.

Likelihood scoring

Rate 1-5: Rare (1), Unlikely (2), Possible (3), Likely (4), Almost Certain (5). Be honest — an escape is "Possible" for most kennels, not "Rare". Optimistic scoring undermines the whole exercise.

Impact scoring

Rate 1-5: Negligible (1), Minor (2), Moderate (3), Major (4), Catastrophic (5). A dog escape is Major (4) — if the dog is hit by a car, it's Catastrophic (5). Score for the worst plausible outcome.

Risk level

Likelihood × Impact gives a score: 1-4 = Low (green), 5-9 = Medium (amber), 10-15 = High (red), 16-25 = Critical (dark red). High and Critical risks need priority controls.

Control measures

What you've done to reduce the risk: fencing improvements, staff training, new equipment, procedural changes. Each control should be specific and verifiable.

Residual risk

After controls are applied, re-score the risk. The new level is your "residual risk" — what remains after you've done everything reasonable. Inspectors compare initial vs residual to see your controls are effective.

Watch: A risk register being built

Building a risk register — identifying hazards, scoring and applying controls...

Dog bite during group play

High

→

Medium

Controls: Temperament test, max 4 dogs, trained staff

Kennel flooding

Low

→

Low

Controls: Raised beds, drainage audit, sand bags

Fire in food store

High

→

Medium

Controls: Fire door, extinguisher, no electrics

Dog escape from yard

Medium

→

Low

Controls: 6ft fencing, double gate, daily checks

✓ Risk register complete — review date set for 6 months

Review and maintenance

A risk register is only valuable if it's kept current. DEFRA expects regular reviews:

Scheduled reviews

Each risk has a review date — typically every 6 months for High risks, annually for Medium and Low. When you review, re-score the risk based on current conditions and any incidents since last review.

Trigger-based reviews

Review the relevant risks immediately after: an incident, a near-miss, a premises change (new kennel block, new equipment), a new activity (adding grooming or daycare), or a change in legislation.

Status tracking

Each risk has a status: Active (current risk), Under Review (being reassessed), Mitigated (controls in place, residual risk acceptable), Archived (risk no longer applies — e.g., you've stopped offering transport).

What happens when the risk register is maintained

Click each scenario to see the result and email preview

All risks scored and controlled

The register shows a colour-coded risk matrix with dots indicating where each hazard falls. Controls are documented for every risk. Inspectors can see your thinking process at a glance.

Review completed on schedule

The review date updates and the risk is re-scored. If an incident has occurred since last review, the likelihood score may increase — the register reflects reality, not wishful thinking.

Controls reduce risk level

When initial risk "High" drops to residual "Medium" or "Low", the matrix shows the improvement. This demonstrates that your controls actually work — evidence inspectors actively look for.

DEFRA inspection

A comprehensive, regularly-reviewed risk register is one of the strongest indicators of "higher standards" management. It's the difference between a 3-star and a 5-star rating.

Pro tips for risk assessment

Start with your incident log. Every incident you've ever had should have a corresponding risk entry. If you had a dog escape but "Dog Escape" isn't in your register, that's a red flag for inspectors.

Include "seasonal" risks: summer heatstroke, winter ice on paths, bonfire night firework noise stress, school holiday overcrowding. Risks change throughout the year.

Get staff input. Your kennel assistants see hazards daily that you might miss from the office. Hold a 15-minute risk brainstorming session quarterly.

Don't rate everything as "Low". A register full of green means either you're in denial or your business has zero challenges — neither is credible. Honest scoring builds trust.

Document "controls already in place" separately from "proposed improvements". This shows inspectors what you've done AND what you plan to do — demonstrating continuous improvement.

The 5×5 risk matrix is your friend. Print it and stick it on the office wall. When something goes wrong, immediately score it on the matrix and ask "is this risk already in our register?"

Archive old risks rather than deleting. An inspector may ask "did you ever assess this risk?" — an archived entry proves you did and explains why it's no longer active.

Review triggers are as important as scheduled reviews. After every incident, fire drill failure, or building work, ask "which risks does this affect?" and review those entries.

Learning Hub • Risk Assessment Register

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