ISM
Risk Assessmentimport { Callout, Steps } from ‘nextra/components’
Complete a Risk Assessment
Goal: Create a new risk assessment, identify the hazards involved in an activity, score each hazard using the risk matrix, define control measures, and submit the assessment for approval so it is published and available to the crew.
Draft and published assessments
The Risk Assessment list shows two distinct views, controlled by the filter at the top:
- Published (default view) — assessments that have completed the approval workflow and are considered final. These are the active, crew-facing documents.
- Draft — assessments that are still being written or are pending approval. Only people with access to the ISM module can see drafts.
A new risk assessment always starts as a Draft. It becomes Published when it is moved through the approval workflow to its final status. Until then, it remains a work in progress and is not visible in the published view.
[PLACEHOLDER: screenshot — Risk Assessment list with the Draft / Published filter visible at the top]
Understanding the risk matrix
The risk matrix is the tool used to evaluate each hazard. It combines two factors:
- Probability — how likely the hazard is to cause harm
- Severity — how serious the consequences would be if it did
Each factor is scored on a scale of 1 to 5:
| Probability | Score | Severity | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | 1 | Very Low | 1 | |
| Unlikely | 2 | Low | 2 | |
| Possible | 3 | Medium | 3 | |
| Probable | 4 | High | 4 | |
| Highly Probable | 5 | Very High | 5 |
The Risk Factor is calculated automatically as Probability × Severity, giving a score between 1 and 25:
| Risk Factor | Risk Level | Colour |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – 3 | Minor | Green |
| 4 – 9 | Moderate | Yellow |
| 10 – 16 | Major | Orange |
| 17 – 25 | Severe | Red |
The matrix is shown as a visual reference on the assessment form — it helps you calibrate your scores before selecting them from the dropdowns.
[PLACEHOLDER: screenshot — Risk matrix legend showing the 5×5 grid with colour-coded cells]
Each hazard is scored twice: once for the initial risk (before any control measures are applied) and once for the residual risk (after control measures). The goal is to show that applying controls reduces the risk to an acceptable level.
Before you start
- You must have permission to create risk assessments. If you don’t see the Create button, ask your fleet administrator.
- Have ready: the name of the activity being assessed, the assessment date, and the scheduled review date.
- Identify the hazards you need to assess and think through the control measures for each.
Steps
Open Risk Assessments
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From the main navigation, open ISM.
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In the sub-navigation, select Risk Assessment.
The list opens in Published view by default. To see drafts already in progress, switch to the Draft filter.
[PLACEHOLDER: screenshot — Risk Assessment list in Published view with the filter selector visible]
Create a new assessment
- Click Create.
Fill in the assessment details
-
Enter the Activity (required) — a clear name for the operation or task being assessed (e.g. “Bunkering at sea”, “Engine room maintenance underway”).
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Set the Assessment Date (required) — when this assessment was conducted.
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Set the Review Date (required) — the date by which this assessment must be reviewed again. This must be on or after the assessment date.
[PLACEHOLDER: screenshot — Assessment form top section with Activity, Assessment Date, and Review Date filled in]
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In the Conducted By section, optionally select a Crew Member from the list — the person responsible for this assessment. Their rank is filled in automatically.
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Optionally configure the Next Review schedule:
Field Description Review Every A number indicating the frequency (e.g. “6”) Review After The unit of time (e.g. Months, Years) The Due Date is calculated automatically and shown as read-only.
Add hazards
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Scroll to the Hazards section and click Add Hazard.
A panel opens for you to define the hazard.
[PLACEHOLDER: screenshot — Add Hazard panel open with empty fields]
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Fill in the hazard details:
Field Required Description Risk Yes A concise description of the hazard (e.g. “Fuel spill during transfer”) Hazard Type No The area of impact: Health & Safety / Property / Environment
Score the initial risk (Risk Before)
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In the Risk Before section, select the scores that reflect the risk without any controls in place:
- Probability — how likely is this hazard to materialise?
- Severity — how serious would the consequences be?
The Risk Factor is calculated and displayed automatically. Refer to the risk matrix legend to calibrate your choice.
[PLACEHOLDER: screenshot — Risk Before section with Probability = Possible (3) and Severity = High (4), Risk Factor showing 12 in orange]
Define control measures
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In the Control Measures field, describe the actions, procedures, or equipment that reduce this risk (e.g. “Use absorbent boom, assign dedicated watchman, shut off valves if spill detected”).
[PLACEHOLDER: screenshot — Control Measures field filled in with a multi-line description]
Score the residual risk (Risk After)
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In the Risk After section, score the risk after the control measures are applied:
- Revised Probability — how likely is the hazard now, with controls in place?
- Revised Severity — how serious would the consequences be, with controls in place?
The Revised Risk Factor is calculated automatically. The goal is for the residual risk level to be lower than the initial risk level.
[PLACEHOLDER: screenshot — Risk After section showing Revised Probability = Rare (1), Revised Severity = Medium (3), Revised Risk Factor = 3 in green]
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Click Save on the hazard panel to add it to the assessment.
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Repeat steps 9–14 for each hazard you need to assess.
[PLACEHOLDER: screenshot — Hazards list with three hazards added, showing Risk Before and Risk After scores in colour-coded badges]
Attach supporting documents (optional)
- In the Attachments section, upload any relevant documents — procedure cards, diagrams, reference materials.
Save the assessment
- Click Save.
Result
The risk assessment is saved as a Draft. It appears in the list when the Draft filter is selected, showing the overall Risk Before and Risk After scores for the whole assessment (the highest risk factor across all hazards).
To make the assessment available to the crew, it must be moved through the approval workflow to its final status. Use the workflow status button on the assessment detail page to advance it. Once it reaches the final status, it becomes Published and appears in the default Published view.