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Commercial Kitchen Equipment Moving Risk Assessment — Generated Instantly for £29
Describe the equipment you're moving — ovens, fridges, dishwashers, coldrooms — and the method, manual or pallet jack. We generate a fully written, UK-compliant risk assessment covering isolation, manual handling and food safety in minutes.
Used by restaurants, care home kitchens, hotels, contract caterers and facilities teams across the UK
🍳 Moving equipment on gas or with permanent electrical connections? Mention it — we'll include the correct isolation and reconnection steps so nobody moves a live appliance.
Legal requirements for moving commercial kitchen equipment
Under Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, every employer must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of work activities, including one-off tasks such as moving heavy catering equipment for cleaning or maintenance. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended) additionally require employers to avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable, and to assess the load, task, environment and individual capability where it cannot be avoided.
Commercial ovens, fridges and dishwashers are frequently connected to gas, water or fixed electrical supplies. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require gas appliances to be disconnected and reconnected only by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 place a duty on employers to ensure electrical systems are made safe before any equipment is moved. HSE data shows manual handling accounts for around a third of all reported workplace injuries, and kitchens — with their combination of heavy equipment, wet floors and tight layouts — carry particular risk.
Food businesses also have duties under the Food Safety Act 1990 to prevent contamination during activities that disturb the kitchen environment. A written risk assessment covering both safety and food hygiene controls is expected by environmental health officers and is good practice ahead of any equipment move.
How it works
1. Describe the move
Tell us what equipment is being moved, whether it's gas, electric or plumbed-in, and whether you're using a pallet jack, trolley or manual lifting. Mention the kitchen layout and any tight spaces or steps along the route.
2. Let the app take the strain
Anyrisks produces a fully written, UK-compliant risk assessment referencing the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, isolation procedures and food safety controls.
3. Instant download and use
Download as PDF and Word. Brief your team, share it with contractors on site, or file it for your next environmental health inspection. £29, no subscription.
What it covers
Every kitchen equipment moving risk assessment is written in full — covering handling, isolation and food safety hazards specific to your job.
Manual handling of heavy ovens, fridges, dishwashers and coldrooms
Safe isolation of gas supplies before disconnection
Electrical isolation of fixed and plumbed-in appliances
Safe use of pallet jacks, sack trucks and castor trolleys
Slip and trip hazards on wet or greasy kitchen floors
Route planning through tight doorways, corridors and steps
Crush and trapped-limb injury prevention when tilting equipment
Team lifting and coordination for oversized items
Food contamination and cross-contamination controls
Cleaning and pest control checks after equipment is moved
Damage to gas, water and electrical connections during the move
PPE requirements — gloves, safety footwear, back support
Emergency procedures for gas leaks or electrical faults during isolation
Coordination with Gas Safe registered engineers and qualified electricians
Works for
From a routine deep clean to a full kitchen refit, Anyrisks covers every type of equipment move.
What customers say
"We had to shift a gas oven for a deep clean and our EHO wanted to see a risk assessment. Anyrisks covered the gas isolation and manual handling in a couple of minutes."
Dean R.
Head chef, gastropub, Bristol
"We move fridge units around with a pallet jack during our kitchen resets. This assessment specifically covered the trolley use and tight corridor route — exactly what we needed."
Priya N.
Facilities manager, contract catering, London
"Our care home kitchen was being reconfigured and I needed something quick that covered food safety as well as manual handling. It ticked both boxes."
Colin M.
Catering manager, care home, Yorkshire
Anyrisks vs DIY templates
| Anyrisks | DIY / Templates | |
|---|---|---|
| Written in full — not a blank form | ✓ | ✗ |
| Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 referenced | ✓ | ✗ |
| Gas and electrical isolation steps included | ✓ | ✗ |
| Covers pallet jack and mechanical aid use | ✓ | ✗ |
| Food safety and cross-contamination controls included | ✓ | ✗ |
| Specific to kitchen layout and equipment type | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ready in under 2 minutes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Instant PDF and Word download | ✓ | Sometimes |
Frequently asked questions
Why is moving kitchen equipment different from a general manual handling risk assessment?
Commercial kitchen equipment such as ovens, fridges, dishwashers and coldrooms is often extremely heavy, on castors that may not have moved for months, and connected to gas, electricity or water supplies. The assessment needs to cover safe isolation before movement, weight-specific manual handling controls, and the confined, slippery layout of a working kitchen — none of which appear in a generic manual handling assessment.
Does the assessment cover isolating gas and electrical supplies before moving equipment?
Yes — describe the type of equipment (gas oven, electric dishwasher, plumbed-in ice machine) and the assessment will include isolation steps referencing the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, including who is competent to disconnect and reconnect appliances.
Is this suitable for moving equipment with a pallet jack or trolley?
Yes — if you are using a pallet jack, sack truck or castors to move heavy kitchen equipment, mention this in your description. The assessment will include controls for using mechanical aids safely, floor surface checks, and route planning through tight kitchen doorways and corridors.
Does it address food safety risks during equipment moves?
Yes — moving equipment in a live kitchen creates risks of cross-contamination, exposed food surfaces and pest ingress points. The assessment references your duties under the Food Safety Act 1990 and food hygiene regulations, including cleaning and closing down procedures before and after the move.
Can I use this for a one-off deep clean or a full kitchen refit?
Both. Describe whether the move is a temporary shift for deep cleaning, a permanent reconfiguration, or part of a larger refit, and the assessment will be tailored to reflect the duration equipment is out of position and any additional contractor involvement.
Who is responsible for this risk assessment — the kitchen manager or the contractor?
Under Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the employer (the restaurant, care home or catering business) has the legal duty to assess the risk. If external contractors are moving the equipment, a shared assessment covering both parties' controls is good practice.
How long does it take to generate the assessment?
Under 2 minutes. Describe the equipment being moved, the method (manual or mechanical aid) and the kitchen layout, and Anyrisks produces a complete, regulation-referenced risk assessment instantly.
Also see: The Ultimate Guide to Risk Assessment · Do I Need a Risk Assessment? · Risk Assessment Legal Requirements · Risk Assessment Generator