Last updated: April 2026
Risk Assessment. While a very important health & safety requirement, it’s probably safe to say that these two words are unlikely to set the dinner table alight with intrigue and probably wont be something anyone would look up without having a pretty good reason.
That aside, it is still important that professional musicians understand RA and what its function is.
While the legislation that governs Health & Safety and RA can be complicated, we have put together a handy guide for dealing with RA as a professional musician.
What is Risk Assessment?
Put simply, Risk Assessment is evaluating various things that could go wrong and what the consequences would be if they did.
Once you know that, you can put measures in place to prevent them causing harm, and arrange contingency plans should the worst happen.
The principal legislation that covers RA is the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999. However, there are other regulations that cover specific hazards — for example, noise exposure is governed separately by the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. RA is most likely to affect professional musicians when working in or with a venue, concert, practice room or similar location.
If you’re ever concerned about health and safety in a venue, you are also entitled to ask to see the venue’s Risk Assessment.
Risk Assessment Generator Tool
If you need to create a risk assessment document we’d suggest this free risk assessment generator tool.
Risk Assessment Templates
There are several examples/template forms for a RA that already in existence:
The Musicians’ Union Template (specifically tailored for musicians)
The Health and Safety Executive’s Template (more general)
How does it affect me?
There are essentially two contexts for a musician dealing with RA.
1. You are a directly employed musician (perhaps as part of an orchestra or similar).
In this instance, it is your employer that would be responsible for carrying out a Risk Assessment in order to keep you safe. You should cooperate fully in this process, and try and point out anything that you think could be a problem. The Musicians’ Union lists several specific things that anyone employing musicians should consider:
- Noise exposure
- Electrical equipment
- Musculo-skeletal problems (meaning looking at how you work physically and aches and strains that may result, seating, posture)
- Working on stages
- Working outside
- Rehearsal spaces
You should work with your employer and any Health and Safety representatives to ensure a safe working environment, and make sure your employer consults you on the process.
2. You are a Self-Employed/Freelance Musician (or working within a group in the same circumstance). As such, you may be asked by a venue to provide a Risk Assessment. If you are at any point considered a sub-contractor (perhaps when hired by a production company, for example) you may also be asked for a RA.
How do I carry it out?
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have identified 5 steps for carrying out a risk assessment:
Step 1 Identify the hazards
Step 2 Decide who might be harmed and how
Step 3 Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions
Step 4 Record your findings and implement them
Step 5 Review your assessment and update if necessary
The most important tool you have at your disposal is common sense. Think about the activities you have to do and what risks might be involved when filling out your template. Then consider what the impact would be if an accident was to happen. Finally, put in place sensible precautions and contingencies. Every now and then, make sure this is updated.
The MU lists these potential hazards for musicians to think about:
- Electrical equipment (including use of lights) — ensure all equipment is PAT tested and cables are managed safely to prevent trip hazards
- Manual handling — take care when lifting heavy speakers, amplifiers, or instruments
- Vehicles used for transport
- Special effects
- Noise — under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, employers must protect workers from harmful noise levels; musicians are particularly at risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL)
- Musculo-skeletal problems (meaning looking at how you work physically and aches and strains that may result, seating, posture etc.)
- Working outside
- Working on temporary structures
Noise exposure action values at a glance
Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, employers must act when daily or weekly average noise exposure reaches certain levels. The lower action value is 80 dB(A), which triggers a requirement to assess the risk and provide information and training. The upper action value is 85 dB(A), at which point hearing protection and hearing protection zones become mandatory. Above the exposure limit value of 87 dB(A) (measured with hearing protection taken into account) workers must not be exposed at all. Musicians and crew routinely work in environments that meet or exceed these thresholds, which is why any RA covering live performance, rehearsal or studio work should address noise directly.
An important part of conducting an RA is working with your colleagues. Make sure everyone’s concerns are addressed.
Your set up might not be quite as big as this, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do everything you can to make it safe!
If you haven’t already, you should consider getting public liability insurance, either as an individual or as a band. Membership of the MU comes with £10m worth of PLI cover, and there are also private schemes available.
General vs specific
It is certainly best to have a general Risk Assessment in place, but you may need to make amendments to it to deal with specific situations. Each time someone asks you to provide one, treat this as an opportunity to update it. You may also want to consider filling one out for rehearsal.
If you want any other help, you can use the HSE’s online risk assessment guidance.
RAMS
Although more widely used in the construction industry, on very rare occasions venues have been known to ask for a “Risk Assessment and Method Statement” otherwise known as RAMS.
If this happens, your first step should probably be to clarify whether the venue is simply after your Risk Assessment (send them a copy) or RAMS. If it is the latter, then you must also provide a Method Statement – essentially a step by step guide on how you plan to do your job safely. For more information on RAMS, check out this page on HS Direct.
The Musicians’ Union
Remember, if you have any Health and safety concerns, the Musicians Union is there to offer support. Their website states “If you are concerned about any aspects of health safety or welfare you should talk to your MU Regional Officer and your MU Health and Safety Rep. The MU can give advice on how to deal with different health and safety problems like hearing testing, noise levels, working at height or touring.”
Risk assessment for different types of music work
Whether you are preparing a risk assessment for a music studio session, a live music event, a DJ set, a music festival stage or a concert, the same five-step HSE process applies. What changes is the specific hazard list. A studio RA might focus on cable management, prolonged headphone use and lone working. A festival or outdoor event RA needs to consider temporary structures, weather, crowd flow and longer periods of noise exposure. A music venue or pub gig RA tends to prioritise electrical safety, trip hazards and sound levels. Adapt your template to match the actual environment you will be working in, and update it each time you move to a different type of venue or event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do musicians need to do a risk assessment?
If you are a self-employed or freelance musician, you are not legally required to carry out a written risk assessment unless you have 5 or more employees. However, many venues and event organisers will ask you to provide one before you perform. It’s good professional practice to have a general RA ready, and to adapt it for each gig.
What should a musician’s risk assessment include?
A musician’s risk assessment should cover the main hazards you face during a performance or rehearsal — including electrical equipment, noise exposure, manual handling, working on stages or temporary structures, and travel. For each hazard, you should identify who might be harmed, how likely it is, and what steps you’ll take to reduce the risk.
Is there a free risk assessment template for musicians?
Yes — the Musicians’ Union provides a free risk assessment template for freelance musicians, and the HSE also offers a general risk assessment template. You can also use the free risk assessment generator tool on Last Minute Musicians.
What is RAMS and do musicians need it?
RAMS stands for Risk Assessment and Method Statement. It’s more commonly associated with the construction industry, but some venues may ask for it. In most cases, venues are simply asking for your standard risk assessment — but if they specifically request RAMS, you’ll also need to provide a Method Statement explaining step by step how you plan to carry out your work safely.
Do you have any tips on carrying out a Risk Assessment as a musician? Post them in the comments below…
