4 ways to automate an electrical safety risk assessment

Liam Jones

Liam Jones

Founder, Pilla App

Date Modified

26 May 2026

I'm Liam Jones, founder of Pilla and a qualified management consultant. I've helped hundreds of businesses set up workflows, and in this article I'm going to show you four real examples of how to set up your electrical safety risk assessment. I'll start from the simplest and then add some more powerful options. You can open up each template in our workflow builder playground as a starting point and experiment for yourself. If you have any suggestions or you need some help, you can email me directly.

Key Takeaways

Article Content

#1 - Simple assessment

Who it's for: Single-site businesses recording the assessment themselves, recording it themselves.

What it is: An electrical safety risk assessment records the electrical hazards, the people at risk, the controls (visual checks, PAT testing, inspection), and any further action. This version keeps each risk in one group: the hazard, who's at risk, controls in place, risk level, and further action. You add one group per risk, a frayed kettle lead, an overloaded extension behind the till, the fixed wiring.

Available on: Basic.

In practice: A cafe assesses its portable appliances. For "damaged leads and plugs on kitchen equipment", they note who's at risk (staff), the controls (a visual check before use, annual PAT testing, faulty items taken out of use), rate it low with those controls, and the further action: book this year's PAT test. Next hazard, next group.

Why it works: Most workplace electrical incidents come from damaged equipment, overloaded sockets, and water near electrics, all assessable. Keeping each hazard in one group makes it a real assessment of what could cause a shock or fire and what prevents it.

Steps included:

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

When to upgrade:

  1. A manager does the assessment and needs prompting
  2. You want to attach evidence of the controls
  3. You run more than one site and need a signed, dated record
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#2 - With guidance

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

What it is: The simple assessment with a guidance note in the group, on the electrical hazards, damaged portable equipment, overloaded sockets, water near electrics, and the fixed installation, and the controls: visual checks, PAT testing, periodic fixed-wiring inspection, and removing faulty equipment.

Available on: Standard.

What it adds to the previous template:

  1. The common hazards are on screen, so none are missed
  2. The manager knows the controls that reduce each one
  3. The assessment is consistent whoever completes it

Why it works: The guidance sits in the group with the fields, so the assessor works through every hazard, not just the obvious ones.

Steps included:

  • 1 guidance note in the group (the common hazards and controls)
  • 1 grouped assessment: hazard, who's at risk, controls, risk level, further action

When to upgrade: When the assessment needs evidence of the controls (Electrical Safety RA #3) or a signed, dated record (#4).

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#3 - With photo evidence

Who it's for: Businesses that want to show the controls are real, the PAT test labels, the RCD-protected sockets, the consumer unit.

What it is: The guided assessment plus a photo or attachment in the group. Evidence the controls exist.

Available on: Standard.

What it adds to the previous template:

  1. A photo of the control, captured at the time
  2. A record that the controls are in place, not just named
  3. A baseline to compare at the next review

Why it works: A photo of the control in place is proof it exists, which matters most after any incident.

Steps included:

  • 1 guidance note in the group (the common hazards and controls)
  • 1 grouped assessment: hazard, who's at risk, controls, risk level, further action
  • 1 photo in the group (the control)

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

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#4 - With photo and signature

Who it's for: Multi-site groups that need a signed, dated assessment, signed, dated, and reviewable from head office.

What it is: The assessment plus a signature in the group. The assessor signs to confirm it 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, dated record 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 site has assessed it.

Steps included:

  • 1 guidance note in the group (the common hazards and controls)
  • 1 grouped assessment: hazard, who's at risk, controls, risk level, further action
  • 1 photo in the group (the control)
  • 1 signature in the group (assessed by)

When to upgrade: When you want Poppi to prompt the review itself, or pull every site's electrical safety assessments into one report. Those versions are coming in the next post update.

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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 common hazards and controls 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 control makes it stronger. If a written record is enough, stop at #2. If you want evidence, #3 adds it.

Does it need a signed, dated sign-off?

For a single site, 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 reading

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an electrical safety risk assessment?

Yes. Employers must assess electrical risks under the Electricity at Work Regulations. For most workplaces that means assessing portable equipment, sockets, and the fixed installation, and keeping the controls (PAT, inspection) on a schedule.

What is PAT testing, and how does it fit?

Portable appliance testing checks plug-in equipment is safe, on a risk-based schedule. It's one of the controls this assessment records, alongside visual checks before use and periodic inspection of the fixed wiring by a competent person.

What can staff do day to day?

A visual check of leads and plugs before use, not overloading sockets, keeping water away, and reporting faults. The electrical safety training is how you brief staff on that day-to-day side.

How often should it be reviewed?

At least annually, after any electrical incident, and when new equipment or a refit changes the picture. Version #4 captures the sign-off and is the point to set the next review.

Where to go next

Faulty leads, overloaded sockets, and water near electrics cause shocks and fires, and all are assessable. An electrical safety risk assessment is how you show you've identified the hazards and the controls, from visual checks to PAT testing. The versions above move from a simple assessment to a signed, dated record.

Five more versions are coming in the next refresh that bring AI into the picture. Poppi can prompt the review and pull every site's assessments into one report. Those need more review time and will land separately.

ā†’ Build your own electrical safety risk assessment on Pilla. The Basic plan unlocks the simple assessment today.