A HIRA is a Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment. For a construction job, it records what could cause harm, how the risk is assessed and what controls need to be in place. A useful format connects those decisions to the actual work, rather than presenting a long list of generic hazards.
If an Indian client asks you for a HIRA, start by asking whether they have a required form or risk matrix. Matching their format can save a second round of paperwork. The content still needs to describe your own project, people, equipment and site conditions.
Start with the job details
Put the project name, site location, activity, document number and revision at the top. Name the person preparing the assessment and leave a clear place for the review and approval record. State the boundaries of the work: where it takes place, who is involved and what is excluded.
A description such as 'solar installation' leaves important questions unanswered. 'Installing rooftop solar panels on an occupied four-storey commercial building in Pune' gives the reviewer a much clearer starting point. Add the planned access, lifting arrangements and any other work happening nearby; do not guess missing facts.
Use a risk register you can actually review
The National Safety Council of India describes HIRA as evaluating workplace hazards using likelihood, consequences, existing controls and relevant legal requirements. Your register should make those decisions visible. The headings below are a practical starting point, rather than a mandatory national form.
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Activity and hazard | The task and the specific source of possible harm. |
| People and consequences | Who could be affected and the foreseeable harm. |
| Initial risk | Likelihood, severity and the rating under the agreed matrix. |
| Controls | The measures required for this site, including existing arrangements. |
| Residual risk | The reassessed risk after the stated controls are applied. |
| Owner and verification | Who implements each control and how readiness is checked. |
Explain the scoring system
Include or reference the risk matrix and the meaning of its likelihood and severity levels. Use the matrix your organisation or client has agreed, consistently across the document. Avoid copying a number from another job simply because the activity sounds similar.
A reduced residual score is a conclusion to justify, not an automatic result of filling in a controls column. The reviewer needs to check whether the proposed measures are appropriate, available and implemented. Unresolved risks need a clear action and decision before the work proceeds.
Keep it consistent with the rest of the pack
Check the HIRA against the JSA, method statement, permits and briefing. They should use the same project name, work scope and revision details, and describe compatible controls. A permit or method statement cannot make up for a missing assessment of the real job.
NTPC Green Energy's published HIRA guidance includes documenting, monitoring and reviewing the assessment. Treat the HIRA as a current record: revisit it when the scope, access, equipment, people or surrounding conditions change.
Before you issue it
You can inspect HazardDocs' marked sample PDF before creating your own document. Its guided questions help organise the job information into a draft; the responsible competent person still needs to verify the assessment against the actual site and applicable requirements.
- Confirm the site details and work sequence with the person responsible for the job.
- Check that responsibilities, missing information and review decisions are explicit.
- Verify that the controls in the document match the arrangements on site.
- Record the current revision and competent person's review before issue.
Sources and further reading
These sources inform the guide; they do not endorse HazardDocs.