Hazard Library

The hazard library is a searchable database of common workplace hazards. Use it to quickly add hazards to your risk assessments without writing them from scratch each time.

Browsing the library

1. Go to Hazard Library in the main navigation (or click Add from Library when editing a risk assessment).
2. Hazards are organised into categories.

Hazard categories

Category	Examples
Work at height	Falls from ladders, scaffolding collapse, falling objects
Electrical	Electric shock, arc flash, overhead power lines
Manual handling	Back injury, musculoskeletal disorders, repetitive strain
Slips, trips and falls	Wet surfaces, uneven ground, trailing cables
Noise	Hearing damage from power tools, plant, or machinery
Vibration	Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), whole-body vibration
Fire and explosion	Hot works, flammable materials, gas leaks
Confined spaces	Oxygen depletion, toxic atmosphere, flooding
Vehicles and plant	Struck by vehicle, overturning, crushing
Hazardous substances	Chemical exposure, dust inhalation, asbestos
Excavations	Collapse, underground services, flooding
Demolition	Structural collapse, dust, falling materials
Biological	Leptospirosis, legionella, sharps
Psychological	Stress, lone working, fatigue, violence
Environmental	Weather exposure, UV radiation, contaminated land

Click any category to see the hazards within it.

Searching for hazards

Use the search bar at the top of the library to find hazards by keyword. Search matches against:

• Hazard name
• Description
• Category
• Associated control measures
• Regulation references

For example, searching “asbestos” returns hazards related to asbestos exposure, asbestos removal, and asbestos-containing materials in existing buildings.

[Screenshot: Hazard library search results showing filtered hazards with category badges]

Using library hazards in your documents

To add a hazard from the library to your risk assessment:

1. Open your document and go to the Risk Assessment section.
2. Click Add from Library.
3. Browse or search for the hazard.
4. Click Add on the hazard you want.
5. The hazard is added to your risk assessment with its default description, suggested controls, and regulation references.
6. Edit the hazard to make it specific to your work — adjust the description, scores, and controls to match your actual conditions.

Tip

Library hazards are a starting point. Always customise them for your specific work. “Work at height — falls from ladders” should become “Work at height — falls from 3.6m stepladder while installing cable tray in server room” to be useful in your RAMS.

Creating custom hazards

If the library does not contain a hazard you need:

1. In the Risk Assessment section, click Add Hazard.
2. Fill in the hazard details:
   • Name — a clear, concise description
   • Category — select the most appropriate category
   • Description — how the hazard could cause harm
   • Who is at risk — workers, visitors, public, etc.
3. Add control measures and score the risk (see Risk Matrix and Control Measures).

Saving custom hazards to the library

If you create a hazard that other team members might need:

1. Click Save to Library on the hazard.
2. The hazard is added to your organisation’s hazard library.
3. Other team members can now find and use it from the library.

Custom hazards are marked with your organisation’s name so you can distinguish them from the built-in library.

Managing the library

Admins and Owners can manage the organisation’s hazard library:

• Edit library hazards — update descriptions, controls, or regulation references for your organisation’s custom hazards
• Archive hazards — remove hazards that are no longer relevant (they remain in existing documents but are hidden from the library search)
• Import hazards — bulk import hazards from a spreadsheet if you are migrating from another system

Note

Built-in library hazards cannot be edited or deleted. They are maintained by RAMSdoc and updated when regulations change. You can create custom versions if you need a different description or different default controls.