4 ways to automate a coffee machine risk assessment

#1 - Simple assessment

Who it's for: Single-site cafes and venues recording the coffee machine assessment themselves.

What it is: A coffee machine risk assessment records the hazards of the espresso machine and grinder, the people at risk, the controls, and any further action. This version keeps each hazard in one group: the hazard, who's at risk, controls in place, risk level, and further action. You add one group per hazard, steam and hot water, the group head and hot surfaces, the grinder, electrical safety, and descaling chemicals.

Available on: Basic.

In practice: A cafe works through the machine. For "steam wand burns", they note who's at risk (baristas), the controls (training, purging away from people, a cloth to hand), rate it medium, and the further action: add steam-wand technique to barista training. Next hazard, next group.

Why it works: A busy espresso machine is hot, pressurised, electrical, and cleaned with chemicals, more hazards than its size suggests. Keeping each one in a group makes it a real assessment, not an afterthought.

Steps included:

• 1 grouped assessment (one group per hazard): hazard, who's at risk, controls in place, risk level, further action
• Duplicate the group for each coffee-machine hazard

When to upgrade:

1. A manager does the assessment and needs prompting
2. You want photo evidence of the machine and setup
3. You run more than one site and need a signed, dated record

#2 - With guidance

Who it's for: Venues where a manager completes the assessment.

What it is: The simple assessment with a guidance note in the group, covering the three areas: burns and scalds (steam wand, hot water, group head, hot milk), electrical safety (water near electrics, PAT testing, no damaged cables), and descaling chemicals (a COSHH consideration, gloves and rinsing). It prompts barista training as the key control for the burn risks.

Available on: Standard.

What it adds to the previous template:

1. The three hazard areas (burns, electrical, chemicals) are on screen
2. The manager links descaling to COSHH and training to burns
3. The assessment is consistent whoever completes it

Why it works: The guidance sits in the group with the fields, so the assessor covers all three areas, not just the obvious steam burn.

Steps included:

• 1 guidance note in the group (burns, electrical safety, descaling chemicals)
• 1 grouped assessment: hazard, who's at risk, controls, risk level, further action

When to upgrade: When the assessment needs photo evidence (Coffee Machine RA #3) or a signed, dated record (#4).

#3 - With photo evidence

Who it's for: Venues that want a record of the machine and its setup.

What it is: The guided assessment plus a photo in the group, the machine, the cabling and socket, the descaling chemical and its storage.

Available on: Standard.

What it adds to the previous template:

1. A photo of the machine and setup, captured at the time
2. A record of the electrical setup and chemical storage
3. A baseline to compare at the next review

Why it works: A photo of the cabling, or the descaler stored safely, is proof the controls exist and shows the machine's condition at the time.

Steps included:

• 1 guidance note in the group (burns, electrical safety, descaling chemicals)
• 1 grouped assessment: hazard, who's at risk, controls, risk level, further action
• 1 photo in the group (the machine and setup)

When to upgrade: When the assessment needs a named, dated sign-off (Coffee Machine RA #4).

#4 - With photo and signature

Who it's for: Multi-site groups where each site's coffee machine assessment has to be signed, dated, and reviewable from head office.

What it is: The photo assessment plus a signature in the group. The assessor signs to confirm the assessment and set a review date.

Available on: Standard.

What it adds to the previous template:

1. A signature confirming who assessed and when
2. A clear point to set the next review date
3. A complete record (assessment, photo, signature) an auditor treats as best practice

Why it works: The signature makes the assessment owned and dated, and across sites it lets a safety lead confirm every coffee setup has been assessed.

Steps included:

• 1 guidance note in the group (burns, electrical safety, descaling chemicals)
• 1 grouped assessment: hazard, who's at risk, controls, risk level, further action
• 1 photo in the group (the machine and setup)
• 1 signature in the group (assessed by)

When to upgrade: When you want Poppi to remind you when a review or PAT test is due, or pull every site's assessments into one report. Those versions are coming in the next post update.

How to pick the right version

You don't need to know our product to choose. Just answer three questions.

Is it just you assessing, or does a manager do it?

If you do it yourself, a plain assessment is enough. The moment a manager does it, the three hazard areas need to be on screen. If only you assess, #1 is fine. If a manager does, start at #2.

Do you need evidence, or is a written record enough?

A written assessment meets the duty. A photo of the machine and setup makes it stronger. If a written record is enough, stop at #2. If you want evidence, #3 adds photos.

Does it need a signed, dated sign-off?

For a single cafe, the record can stand alone. Across sites, an auditor wants a signature on each. If no sign-off is needed, #3 is enough. If you run more than one site, #4 adds a signature.

Related workflows

• COSHH risk assessment - the descaling chemicals in COSHH terms
• Work equipment risk assessment - the machine as work equipment
• Dishwasher temperature check - another hot, recurring back-bar check

Conclusion

A coffee machine packs burns, electricity, and chemicals into one busy station, and the burns are common. A coffee machine risk assessment is how you show you've controlled them, mostly through training. The versions above move from a simple assessment to a signed, photo-backed record.

Five more versions are coming in the next refresh that bring AI into the assessment. Poppi can remind you when a review or PAT test is due, and pull every site's assessments into one report. Those need more review time and will land separately.

→ Build your own coffee machine risk assessment on Pilla. The Basic plan unlocks the simple assessment today.