Is a risk assessment required every time you work at a new location?

In many workplace safety standards, a risk assessment is a critical component of operating safely, especially when using potentially hazardous equipment like boom lifts and scissors lifts. However, it's not strictly required to perform a risk assessment every time you enter a new location.

The philosophy behind this is that while each new environment may pose unique risks, a comprehensive risk assessment may not always be necessary if there are already established protocols and safety measures in place, or if the environment does not change significantly. For example, if standard operating procedures and risk assessments have previously been conducted for similar locations, it may be sufficient to review those assessments rather than conducting a new one each time.

The requirement for risk assessments can depend on various factors, including the specific legislative requirements of a region, the nature of the work being conducted, and prior assessments conducted in that type of environment. This means that while safety remains paramount, a blanket requirement for a new risk assessment at each new site isn't always necessary.