Take 5 Safety Checklist

Before starting any task, workers should take a few minutes to assess the risks and plan safe actions. A take 5 safety checklist helps them identify potential hazards, evaluate risk levels, and apply effective control measures before work begins. This free checklist gives your team a simple, repeatable way to perform quick safety assessments on the job.

What is a Take 5 Safety Checklist?

A take 5 safety checklist serves as a short, pre-task risk assessment tool. It guides employees through five quick steps: stop and think, identify hazards, assess risks, control hazards, and monitor conditions. By completing the checklist, workers take ownership of safety and make better decisions before performing high-risk tasks.

This process supports compliance with OSHA and company-specific safety programs by encouraging proactive hazard identification and control.

What’s Included in This Checklist

This editable Word document includes every section needed to complete a five-step safety check. It provides space for:

• Employee and job details
• Stop and think questions to confirm readiness
• Hazard descriptions and risk ratings before controls
• Control measures and adjusted risk ratings
• Notes for monitoring and additional precautions

Supervisors can adapt the form to specific job types or include it as part of broader safety observation and risk management programs.

Why Document Take 5 Observations?

Using this checklist helps your organization:

• Reinforce safe behavior before work starts
• Encourage employees to pause and think critically about hazards
• Document hazard identification and control measures
• Promote accountability and situational awareness
• Strengthen overall safety culture and compliance

This form keeps safety top of mind and ensures that every employee evaluates their work environment before beginning a task.

Download the free take 5 safety checklist today to build safer habits, prevent incidents, and support a proactive safety culture across your organization.