How to Properly Assess Professional Risks in a Company? – DUERP

If you’re wondering how to properly assess professional risks in your company and turn that into a clean, usable DUERP, you’re in the right place. Maybe you’ve heard “document unique” tossed around in a meeting, or an auditor asked where yours lives. Either way, the goal is simple: prevent accidents and protect health by spotting risks early and acting on them.

Here’s the short answer: build (or update) your DUERP risk assessment document by

1. Listing work units and tasks
2. Identifying hazards with worker input
3. Evaluating severity and likelihood
4. prioritizing actions using a clear matrix
5. Tracking prevention measures with deadlines and owners.

Share it, consult the CSE and occupational health service, update it at least annually and after changes, and keep proof of what you’ve done.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the legal framework (document unique obligation), a step-by-step method you can apply in any company, practical tools for DUERP consultation, examples of scoring, a table you can reuse, and templates and links you can trust. We’ll finish with a summary, a call to action, and a quick FAQ.

What is the DUERP (and Why It Matters)

The DUERP—unique risk evaluation document—is the written proof that your company systematically identifies, evaluates, and prevents occupational risks. It’s not just paperwork. It’s your roadmap for avoiding injuries, illnesses, and nasty surprises.

1. It’s mandatory for every employer (document unique obligation).
2. It must be kept current (update at least once a year and whenever work changes).
3. It must be accessible to employees, the CSE, the occupational health service, and, if requested, the labor inspectorate.
4. It feeds your annual prevention plan and training.

Info Box: Legal anchors to know: employer’s general duty to protect workers and assess risks (French Labor Code). For plain-language official guidance, see Service-Public.fr and technical sheets at INRS.

The 5-step Method to Build a Robust DUERP

This method keeps things simple and consistent across all sites and teams.

1) Map Your Work Units

Break the company down into work units: a shop, a line, a team, or a role with similar tasks. Keep it practical—enough detail to see real risks, not so much that it’s unmanageable.

1. Example units: Warehouse – Picking, Construction – Roofers, Office – Customer Support, Lab – Sample Prep.

2) Spot Hazards with The People Who Do the Job

Walk the floor. Watch the tasks. Ask workers what goes wrong on a normal day and a bad day. Use incident reports, near misses, maintenance logs, and your occupational health provider’s notes.

Common risk families to explore:

1. Physical: manual handling, falls, noise, vibration, work at height, traffic.
2. Chemical: solvents, dust, fumes, cleaning agents.
3. Biological: bloodborne pathogens, waste handling, animals.
4. Ergonomic/organizational: repetitive work, awkward postures, high pace, night work.
5. Psychosocial (PSR): workload, role conflict, isolation, violence from the public.
6. Electrical, fire/explosion, machinery, confined spaces, screen work (DSE), thermal.

Quick Tip: Use checklists like the sector “OIRA” lists from INRS and EU-OSHA to remember less obvious hazards. Links below.

3) Evaluate Each Risk (Severity × Likelihood)

Assign a score for severity (impact on health) and likelihood (frequency/exposure). Keep a 1–4 scale for both. Multiply to get a priority score. Keep definitions short and clear so that different managers rate the same way.

1. Severity: 1 = minor first aid, 4 = fatal or irreversible illness
2. Likelihood: 1 = rare exposure, 4 = frequent/continuous exposure

Fact Box: A simple matrix beats a complicated one you never use. The point is ranking, so you act on the most important risks first.

4) Pick Prevention Measures Using the Hierarchy

Start with measures that eliminate the hazard. If not possible, substitute, isolate, engineer controls, and organize work to reduce exposure. Use PPE as a last barrier, not the main solution.

1. Replace solvent with a water-based product (substitution).
2. Add guards, extraction, and interlocks (engineering).
3. Rotate tasks, add breaks, adjust staffing (organization).
4. Training and procedures to lock in the practice (administrative).
5. PPE: hearing protection, gloves, fall arrest (last line).

Suggestion Box: When writing the measure, always include: who is responsible, when it’s due, and how you’ll verify it has been completed. That turns intent into action.

5) Document, Share, And Keep It Alive

Include all information in your DUERP risk assessment document, share it with managers, workers, and the CSE, and review it at least annually. Update after an accident, process change, new equipment, or layout move.

1. Record what changed, why, and how you informed teams.
2. Keep previous versions so you can show progress over time.

Warnings Box: Don’t bury the DUERP in a folder nobody opens. It should drive your training plan, purchasing choices, and maintenance schedule.

Example Scoring Table You Can Reuse

The table below shows how to turn findings into priorities and actions.

Danger Box: A “medium” score can still be urgent if the potential harm is serious. Use judgment—don’t let numbers hide common sense.

Documentation That Proves You’re in Control

Your DUERP professional risk evaluation document should be clear enough for a newcomer to understand in five minutes.

Include:

1. Company scope and work units
2. Method used (scales, matrix)
3. Hazard register and scores
4. Action plan with owners and dates
5. How you share and update the document

Info Box: Store the DUERP where everyone can find it (intranet or shared drive) and control versioning. Keep a log of updates and who you notified.

Sector Specifics: Don’t Miss These

Some risks are more prominent by sector. Your DUERP should reflect that.

Construction

1. Work at height, falls on the same level, machinery, electricity, silica dust.
2. Use OPPBTP’s Prem’s tool for a fast start and sector lists.

Services/Office

1. Screen work (DSE), sedentary risks, PSR (workload, customer aggression).
2. Focus on ergonomics, micro-breaks, and incident reporting culture.

Manufacturing/Warehouse

1. Material handling, forklift traffic, noise, lockout/tagout, chemical exposure.
2. Zoning and physical separation are your friends.

Healthcare and Labs

1. Biological agents, sharps, drugs, night work, psychosocial load.
2. Strict protocols, vaccination, and air handling checks.

Warnings Box: Don’t copy another company’s DUERP. Use it for inspiration, sure—but your risks, layouts, substances, and pressures are unique.

Conclusion

Properly assessing professional risks isn’t about making a thick binder. It’s about a living DUERP that helps you prevent harm and focus your efforts where they matter most. Map your work, spot hazards with the people who know the job, score simply, pick strong measures, and keep the plan moving. Do that, and you’ll meet the document unique obligation, run better projects, and sleep better. Call Us Today

Read More:

Quality Approach and Risk Management: How to Create Your DUERP?