Free printable Take 5 template
Tick off the five steps, type into the fields and table, then print it or download it as a CSV or plain text file. The table has a row for each hazard you find, what you will do about it, and whether it is under control.
Type straight into the template, or print it blank and fill it in by hand. Printing sends only the template to the printer (landscape A4 works best). Downloads are built in your browser and nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Take 5 pre-task check
Starting point only. If your site or employer issues its own Take 5 card, use that one. General information, not legal advice.
| Hazard (what could hurt someone) | Control (what I will do about it) | Controlled? (yes, or no and told supervisor) |
|---|---|---|
What a Take 5 is
A Take 5 is a personal pre-task hazard check. Dyno Nobel describes its version as a personal hazard assessment that employees use to identify risks and put controls in place before proceeding with a task (Dyno Nobel). An AusIMM conference paper describes the approach as a personal risk assessment process used in high-hazard industries for more than 30 years (AusIMM).
It is an industry practice, not a defined legal document. We did not find regulator guidance that sets out what a Take 5 must contain, so each company or site decides its own format, its own step names and when a card must be completed. If you work on more than one site, expect to use a different Take 5 card on each.
The five steps and hazard prompts
The step names differ between sources. Dyno Nobel uses Stop and Look, Think and Prepare, Identify Hazards, Implement Controls, and Proceed Safely or Stop. The Evolution Mining checklist uses Stop, Think, Assess, Control and Commit. SafetyCulture’s general guide uses stop and look, identify hazards, assess risk, control hazards and monitor. The template above uses a plain version of the same idea.
- Stop. Pause before you start. Make sure you know exactly what the task is and what you are meant to do.
- Look. Look at the area, the equipment and the people around you. Check what has changed since you were last here: weather, ground, other crews, vehicles, work above or below you.
- Assess. Name what could hurt you or someone else. Useful prompts are moving plant and vehicles, stored energy, electricity, height, ground conditions, heat, noise, dust, manual handling, and other people’s work.
- Control. Decide what you will do about each hazard. Check you have the right tools, PPE, permits and isolations. Specific actions beat vague ones: “barricade the area and spot the truck in” says more than “be careful”.
- Proceed or stop. If the hazards are controlled, go ahead. If they are not, or you are unsure, stop and tell your supervisor before you continue.
Take 5 vs JSA vs SWMS
All three are risk documents, but they work at different levels.
- Take 5: a quick personal check by the worker, just before the task, on the day. No statutory content rules.
- JSA: a written breakdown of a job into steps, with hazards, controls and a responsible person for each, usually prepared in advance with the crew. Also an industry term with no statutory definition. See the free JSA template.
- SWMS: a statutory document for 18 listed types of high risk construction work, which must contain set information and be prepared before the work starts (Safe Work Australia). See the free SWMS template.
A Take 5 does not replace a JSA or a SWMS where the site or the law requires one. On many sites it sits alongside them: the planning document covers the job, and the Take 5 checks that the plan still fits the conditions in front of you. For how these fit into mining work, including the state differences, read SWMS and JSA for mining work.
When to do a Take 5
Before you start a task, and again whenever something changes. Dyno Nobel says to repeat its Take5! when a process changes or significant additions or alterations are made. Your site’s procedure sets the actual rule: some require a card for every task, some for certain tasks only, and many use an app or a book that is checked by supervisors.
The legal duty behind all of this is to manage risks to health and safety by eliminating or minimising them so far as is reasonably practicable (see section 4.1 of the Construction Work Code of Practice). A Take 5 is one of the ways employers put that into practice at task level.
What a Take 5 can and cannot do
A Take 5 is the last check, not the main control. It catches what changed on the day or what the planning missed. An AusIMM paper notes there is limited research on whether personal risk assessments like this improve safety outcomes, and reports that workers in risk training often call it a “tick and flick” exercise (AusIMM abstract). That is an observation from training discussions, not a formal study, but it is a useful warning. A Take 5 only works when you actually stop and look, write down real hazards and real controls, and stop work when the hazards are not controlled.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Take 5?
A Take 5 is a short, personal safety check done by the person doing the job, just before they start. They stop, look at the task and the area, identify the hazards, decide on controls, and then either proceed or stop and ask for help. The name and the exact steps vary between companies and sites.
What are the five steps of a Take 5?
There is no single official set. Dyno Nobel's Take5! uses Stop and Look, Think and Prepare, Identify Hazards, Implement Controls, and Proceed Safely or Stop. Other cards use Stop, Think, Assess, Control, Commit, or a similar sequence. The common thread is the same: pause, check the hazards, set controls, and only then start. Use the version your site gives you.
Is a Take 5 a legal requirement?
We did not find a law or regulator guidance that requires a document called a Take 5. The legal duty is to manage risks to health and safety by eliminating or minimising them so far as is reasonably practicable. A Take 5 is one way many employers meet that duty at task level, so the requirement usually comes from your site or employer, not from legislation.
What is the difference between a Take 5 and a JSA?
A Take 5 is a quick personal check done by one worker or a small crew just before a task. A JSA is a written, step-by-step risk assessment of a job, usually prepared in advance with the people doing the work. Many sites use both: the JSA plans the job, and the Take 5 checks that the plan still fits the conditions on the day.
Does a Take 5 replace a SWMS?
No. A SWMS is a statutory document required by the model WHS Regulations for 18 listed types of high risk construction work, and it must contain set information. A Take 5 has no statutory content rules and cannot stand in for a SWMS where one is required.
When should I do a Take 5?
Before you start a task, and again when something changes. Company guidance, such as Dyno Nobel's, says to repeat it when a process changes. In practice that means a new task, a change in weather or ground, a different crew or equipment, or anything that does not look the way you expected. Your site's rules decide when a card must be completed and handed in.
Can I use this Take 5 template on site?
Only if your site accepts it. Most mines and principal contractors issue their own Take 5 card or app, and workers are expected to use that. This template is a free starting point for learning the steps, for small businesses without a form, and for toolbox talks.
Sources
Last checked 10 October 2026. Every legal or regulatory statement in this guide comes from one of these pages. Rules and platform terms change, so confirm against the source before you rely on them.
- Dyno Nobel: Take5! and SAO (a company's own description of its personal hazard assessment and its five steps)
- AusIMM, International Mine Health and Safety Conference 2024: Take 5, hero or villain (abstract)
- SafetyCulture: Take 5 safety (vendor guide, used only to show how the steps are commonly worded)
- Evolution Mining Take 5 before task checklist, SafetyCulture public library (an example of a mining company card)
- Commonwealth legislation register: Work Health and Safety (Construction Work) Code of Practice 2015 (duty to manage risks, SWMS rules)
- Safe Work Australia: Information sheet, Safe work method statements
- WorkSafe Victoria: Safe work method statements (SWMS)