⚠️

Risk Ranking Matrix

⚠️ Guidance only. This matrix is a general template based on common industry practice. Always verify the risk ranking categories, likelihood / consequence definitions, and acceptance criteria against your company's own risk management standards before applying this tool to any project.
Risk & Incident Ranking Matrix
Consequence / Severity →
L \ S
IMPROBABLE
1×10⁻³/yr
REMOTE
1×10⁻²/yr
OCCASIONAL
1×10⁻¹/yr
PROBABLE
2×10⁻¹/yr
FREQUENT
1.0/yr
5Fatality
5Moderate
10Serious
15Critical
20Critical
25Critical
Major
Incident
4Hospital
4Accept.
8Moderate
12Serious
16Critical
20Critical
3LTI
3Accept.
6Accept.
9Moderate
12Serious
15Serious
Serious
Incident
2Med.Aid
2Accept.
4Accept.
6Accept.
8Moderate
10Serious
1First Aid
1Accept.
2Accept.
3Accept.
4Accept.
5Moderate
Minor
Incident
0Near Miss
0Accept.
0Accept.
0Accept.
0Accept.
0Accept.
Near Miss
Incident
← Likelihood of Occurrence →
Risk Classification
Critical
Unacceptable. Work shall NOT proceed until risk is reduced. Immediate Action Plan required.
Serious
Undesirable. May proceed with Management approval. Additional safeguards required. Short-Term Action Plan needed.
Moderate
ALARP. Practicable risk reduction measures must be applied. Long-Term Action Plan to be considered.
Acceptable
Normal controls in place. No additional action required.
Consequence / Severity Definitions

Select a consequence category to view the severity level descriptions. The same numeric scale (0–5) applies across all categories — use the category that best matches the dominant impact of your scenario.

LevelClassificationDescription
5Fatality or Permanent DisabilityOne or more fatalities, or permanent total disability
4HospitalisationHospitalisation required; serious injury or illness
3Lost Time Injury / Illness (LTI)Lost-time injury or occupational illness; temporary disability
2Medical Aid / Restricted WorkMedical aid required; restricted or modified work case
1First AidFirst-aid treatment only; minor injury, no lost time
0Near Miss / No InjuryNo injury or illness; near-miss event only
Major Incident (5–4) · Serious Incident (3–2) · Minor Incident (1) · Near Miss (0)
LevelClassificationDescription
5Reportable – Severe Ecological ImpactReportable spill or release resulting in severe ecological impact. Direct impact on public. Prosecution possible.
4Reportable – External Remedial MeasuresReportable spill or release requiring external remedial measures. Regulatory restriction or enforcement action.
3Reportable – Not Contained On-siteReportable spill or release not contained within client facility, requiring activation of facility's remedial actions. Non-reportable spill in company facility requiring outside mitigation services.
2Reportable – Contained On-siteReportable spill or release contained within client facility, or small release on company facility not requiring activation of any remedial measures.
1Non-reportable – ContainedNon-reportable spill or release contained within company or client facility.
0No Environmental ImpactNo environmental impact whatsoever.
Major Incident (5–4) · Serious Incident (3–2) · Minor Incident (1) · Near Miss (0)
LevelClassificationCost Impact
5Catastrophic Asset LossGreater than €1 Million
4Major Asset Damage€500,000 to €1 Million
3Significant Asset Damage€100,000 to €500,000
2Moderate Asset Damage€5,000 to €100,000
1Minor Asset DamageLess than €5,000
0No Cost ImpactNo cost impact
Major Incident (5–4) · Serious Incident (3–2) · Minor Incident (1) · Near Miss (0)
LevelClassificationDuration
5Catastrophic DowntimeGreater than 90 days, or well / unit must be abandoned
4Major Downtime15 days to 90 days
3Significant Downtime3 days to 15 days
2Moderate Downtime1 shift to 3 days
1Minor DowntimeLess than one shift
0No DowntimeNo downtime
Major Incident (5–4) · Serious Incident (3–2) · Minor Incident (1) · Near Miss (0)
LevelClassificationDescription
5International Reputation ImpactNegative international publicity; significant impact on market share or investor valuation
4National / Regional Reputation ImpactNegative national or regional publicity; transitory impact on market share or investor valuation
3Local Media / CommunityLocal media coverage; community complaint
2Limited Local CoverageLittle or no local media coverage
1ComplaintNegative public complaint; no media involvement
0No ImpactNo reputational impact
Major Incident (5–4) · Serious Incident (3–2) · Minor Incident (1) · Near Miss (0)
Likelihood of Occurrence Definitions
# Label Frequency Qualitative Description
1Improbable (A)1×10⁻³/yr — once in ~1000 yrsVery unlikely in facility lifetime; rare in the industry.
2Remote (B)1×10⁻²/yr — once in ~100 yrsUnlikely, but could occur once in facility lifetime.
3Occasional (C)1×10⁻¹/yr — once in ~10 yrsInfrequent occurrence in the industry.
4Probable (D)2×10⁻¹/yr — once in ~5 yrsMay occur several times at this facility; common in industry.
5Frequent (E)1.0/yr — once per yearVery likely; regular, repeated occurrence in the industry.
Risk Event Register

Fill in each row directly inline. Risk Score = Severity × Likelihood. Rating updates automatically. Section 1 captures the initial risk. Section 2 documents actions taken and the revised risk after controls are implemented.

RISK RANKING 1 Event identification & initial risk assessment
# Event Title Event Description
(What happened / could happen)
Failure Factor Possible Root Cause Consequence / Impact Event Type Existing Safeguards L
Likelihood
S
Severity
Score &
Risk Rating
Risk
Class
RISK RANKING 2 Recommended actions, responsibility & revised risk after controls
# Event Title Recommended Actions Responsibility Target Date Actual Completion L
Likelihood
S
Severity
Score &
Risk Rating
Risk
Class