I understand that it is a legal requirement to document a risk assessment when you have over 5 employees, however, if you observe a task that does have significant risk and there isn’t a risk assessment in place but you can verify that the controls in place to control the risks are suitable and sufficient should you; a) allow the works to continue or; b) stop the works so that the task can be risk assessed and the controls documented???

Thanks for your response, can you define 'at the earliest opportunity'? Is it acceptable as a health and safety professional to observe this and advise the manager in control to do document the controls and then leave site, therefore leaving the potential for the controls not to be documented and the measures taken which were observed not to be followed which may result in an incident taking place?

I agree with responses above but would add that a documented RA is required where there are 5 or more employees not as the OP has stated where there are simply over 5 employees.

Hello Toby You do not mention what controls you have in place and how they can verified. In the worst case and some dies, can you still verify the controls. Even if you have given extensive details to the individual and you tell them about the warning everyday. Can you prove this in court to a Civil level eg "on the balance of probability". If there is no auditable record of this I suggest i may tip against you. Dont think this has to be a written document though. It could be a picture/video of someone completing the task in the correct way. Good luck