The method
In France, employers must assess occupational risks and record them in a single document (DUERP), mandatory from the first employee (Labour Code articles R. 4121-1 et seq.). The document divides the activity into work units — jobs, trades or comparable situations — and lists, for each, the risks employees are exposed to.
Each risk is described with its causes and existing prevention measures, then rated by potential severity and exposure frequency to set an action priority. The document must be updated at least once a year, and after any significant change (new equipment, new premises, reorganisation).
In companies with 50 or more employees, it feeds into an annual occupational risk prevention and working condition improvement programme. The DUERP must be kept and remain accessible to employees, staff representatives and prevention services.
When to use it
- From company creation, and at every mandatory annual update.
- After a workplace accident, an occupational illness, or a significant change in activity or premises.
- To build the prevention plan and prioritise corrective actions.
Watch out for
- Involve employees and their representatives in the assessment: only they know the real working situations.
- Do not limit the assessment to physical risks: psychosocial and organisational risks must also be assessed.
- A DUERP that is not updated or stays theoretical exposes the employer in the event of an accident and does not really protect employees.
Steps
- Divide the activity into work units representative of real working situations.
- For each unit, identify hazards and associated risks (chemical, physical, biological, organisational, psychosocial…).
- Describe prevention measures already in place.
- Rate each risk (severity, exposure frequency) using a scale defined beforehand.
- Set the action plan, track it, and update the document at least once a year.
DUERP software
List from the Aurorisk catalogue, links checked on 2026-09-26. Confirmed free access is listed first; unknown information is labelled.
| Tool | Source · licence · access | Scope | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| DigiRisk ↗ | Commercial publisherOpen sourceFree | France | Free and open-source AGPL-3.0 software for occupational risk assessment; paid support and hosting are optional. |
| EasyRisk Pro ↗ | Commercial publisherFree for teaching | France | French DUERP occupational risk assessment document. |
| HSE (Royaume-Uni) ↗ | Public bodyFree | International | Five-step risk assessment method. |
| INRS — Faire le point RPS ↗ | Public bodyFree | France | Psychosocial risks, small companies. |
| OiRA (EU-OSHA) ↗ | Public bodyFree | Europe | Sector-specific online risk assessment, in several languages. |
Standards and references
- Code du travail, articles R.4121-1 et suivants (France)
- ISO 45001
- Directive 89/391/CEE