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Handmade Wax Melt & Home Fragrance Seller Risk Assessment
Describe where you sell — school fairs, care homes, markets or craft fairs — and what you make. We generate a fully written, UK-compliant risk assessment covering fragrance oil handling, allergen awareness and safe trading, with no naked flame or hot pour risks to worry about.
Used by wax melt makers, home fragrance sellers and mobile market traders across the UK
🕯️ Trading at a school fair or care home? Mention the venue type — we'll include the specific allergen, vulnerable-visitor and fragrance-exposure considerations these settings require.
Legal requirements for wax melt and home fragrance sellers
Anyone running a business activity in the UK — including selling handmade wax melts at markets, fairs or care homes — has a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to assess and control risks arising from that activity. Regulation 3(1) of MHSWR requires "a suitable and sufficient assessment" of the risks to yourself, your customers and anyone else affected by your work, including members of the public browsing your stall.
Because fragrance oils are chemical products, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) applies to how you store, handle and decant them. Some fragrance and essential oils can cause skin sensitisation or respiratory irritation with repeated contact, so appropriate controls — gloves, secure storage, correct labelling and safe decanting — are expected as part of a suitable assessment.
Venues themselves — particularly schools and care homes — often have their own visitor and stallholder policies requiring evidence of a written risk assessment and public liability insurance before you're permitted to trade. If you're unsure whether your activity needs a formal document at all, our guide on whether you need a risk assessment explains when one is legally required versus simply good practice.
How it works
1. Describe your setup
Tell us what you sell (wax melts, diffusers, room sprays), where you trade (school fairs, care homes, markets, craft fairs) and whether you demonstrate scent with a warmer on the day.
2. Let the app take the strain
Anyrisks produces a fully written, UK-compliant risk assessment covering fragrance oil handling, allergen awareness, manual handling and stall safety — referencing the relevant regulations by name.
3. Instant download and use
Download as PDF and Word. Hand it to the school office, care home manager or market organiser on request, or keep it on file. £29, no subscription.
What it covers
Every wax melt and home fragrance seller assessment is written in full — covering the specific hazards of your trading activity and venue.
Fragrance oil handling and skin sensitisation (COSHH)
Safe storage of concentrated fragrance and essential oils
Allergen and respiratory sensitivity awareness — care home settings
Safe decanting and labelling of oils and finished products
Electric wax warmer safety if used for scent demonstration
PAT testing for any electrical equipment brought to a stall
Burn risk from warm wax during production, prior to sale
Manual handling of stock boxes, tables and gazebos
Slip, trip and fall hazards at markets and outdoor pitches
Vulnerable visitor considerations for school and care home trading
Fire safety declaration — no naked flame at point of sale
Public liability and stall setup safety
Product labelling and consumer safety information
Safe transport and storage of stock in vehicles
Works for
From school summer fairs to care home coffee mornings, Anyrisks covers every wax melt and home fragrance trading setting.
What customers say
"The care home I sell to every month asked for a written risk assessment out of nowhere. Anyrisks had one ready with the fragrance and allergen sections included in two minutes."
Donna R.
Handmade wax melt seller, Nottinghamshire
"I do a lot of school summer fairs and they're much stricter now about paperwork. This covered exactly what I needed without me having to guess what to write."
Kirsty M.
Home fragrance stallholder, Yorkshire
"I bring a warmer to demonstrate my scents at markets. Anyrisks picked up on the electrical and burn risk side of that as well as the usual fragrance oil handling stuff."
Aaron T.
Wax melt trader, West Midlands
Anyrisks vs DIY templates
| Anyrisks | DIY / Templates | |
|---|---|---|
| Written in full — not a blank form | ✓ | ✗ |
| COSHH 2002 fragrance oil handling referenced | ✓ | ✗ |
| Care home and school venue considerations included | ✓ | ✗ |
| Distinguishes wax melts from candle-pouring flame risks | ✓ | ✗ |
| Allergen and vulnerable visitor awareness built in | ✓ | ✗ |
| Covers electric warmer demonstration safety | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ready in under 2 minutes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Instant PDF and Word download | ✓ | Sometimes |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a risk assessment to sell wax melts at a school fair or care home?
Yes. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR), any business or self-employed trader carrying out a work activity must assess the risks — and most schools, care homes and venue organisers will now ask to see a written risk assessment before allowing a stallholder to trade on site. Because wax melts involve fragrance oils and are often sold in settings with children, elderly residents or vulnerable people, venues are increasingly strict about this paperwork.
Is this different from a candle making risk assessment?
Yes. Wax melt selling does not involve a naked flame at the point of sale, so the fire risk profile is different from candle making or pouring. Instead, the main hazards are fragrance oil handling and skin contact, manual handling of stock and display equipment, allergen and respiratory sensitivity among customers (particularly relevant in care homes), and trip/slip hazards at market stalls. This assessment is written specifically around those risks rather than naked flame and hot wax pouring hazards.
What legislation covers fragrance oils used in wax melts?
Fragrance and essential oils are classified as chemical substances under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH). Regulation 6 requires an assessment of the risks from exposure, including skin sensitisation and respiratory irritation, along with appropriate control measures such as ventilation, gloves and correct storage of concentrated oils.
Do care homes and schools have specific requirements for visiting traders?
Many care homes and schools operate their own site-specific health and safety policies for visitors and stallholders, often requiring proof of a risk assessment, public liability insurance and, in some cases, a fire safety declaration confirming no naked flames or hot equipment will be used. Describe the venue type when generating your assessment and these considerations will be built in.
Does it cover manual handling of stock and stall equipment?
Yes — carrying stock boxes, folding tables, gazebos and display units is a common cause of minor injury for mobile traders. The assessment includes manual handling controls in line with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, covering safe lifting technique, use of trolleys and team lifting for heavier items.
What if I also sell reed diffusers or room sprays alongside wax melts?
Mention this in your description and the assessment will include the additional handling and labelling considerations for liquid fragrance products, including spillage control and safe transport, alongside the core wax melt hazards.
Will it cover electrical safety for wax melt warmers I bring to demonstrate?
Yes — if you bring an electric wax warmer to demonstrate scent at your stall, this introduces electrical equipment and heat as hazards. The assessment will include PAT testing requirements, safe positioning away from customers (especially children), and burn risk controls.
How long does it take to generate?
Under two minutes. Describe your setup — what you sell, where you trade (markets, school fairs, care homes, craft fairs) and whether you demonstrate scent using a warmer — and Anyrisks produces a complete, regulation-referenced risk assessment ready to hand to the venue.
Also see: The ultimate guide to risk assessment · Do I need a risk assessment? · Risk assessment legal requirements · AI risk assessment generator