- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
- HSE Guidance HSG65: Managing for Health and Safety
What is a risk assessment?
A risk assessment identifies the hazards present in a task or premises, who might be harmed and how, and the control measures in place or needed. It is a legal requirement for all work activities under Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
A risk assessment is about real-world hazard and risk — what could go wrong, who could be harmed, and what controls are needed.
What is a gap analysis?
A gap analysis compares your current health and safety management arrangements against a defined standard — legal requirements, internal standards or a recognised management-system framework such as HSE's HSG65 or ISO 45001. It identifies where your system falls short of the expected standard.
A gap analysis is about system completeness against a benchmark — not about specific hazards, but about whether your management system covers everything it should.
How they differ
A risk assessment is about real-world hazard and risk. A gap analysis is about system completeness against a benchmark. Both are valuable — a gap analysis can reveal that excellent risk assessments exist on paper but are never implemented on site.
LRMS approach
Where appropriate, our H&S audits can include gap analysis against legal requirements, internal standards or recognised management-system expectations — producing a prioritised improvement roadmap. Gap analysis is not offered as a standalone service; it sits within our broader audit and consultancy work.
Cited Sources & Official References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a gap analysis and a risk assessment?
A risk assessment identifies hazards and evaluates real-world risk. A gap analysis compares your management arrangements against a defined standard or framework. A risk assessment is about harm; a gap analysis is about system completeness.
Is a gap analysis a legal requirement?
A gap analysis is not a specific standalone legal requirement in the way a risk assessment is under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. However, it is a valuable tool for reviewing system completeness against legal requirements and recognised frameworks such as HSG65.
Does LRMS offer gap analysis as a standalone service?
No. Gap analysis is included within our H&S audits and consultancy where appropriate, rather than offered as a separate standalone service. This keeps the focus on practical improvement rather than a document exercise.
About Louanne Lanahan
Founder & Director · CMIOSH · OSHCR
Chartered Safety Practitioner (CMIOSH), registered on OSHCR, MIFSM, AIFireE, and NFRAR. Founder and Director of Lanahan Risk Management Services Ltd.