Why It’s Time to Rethink Personal Risk Assessment Tools

For decades, frontline workers have relied on Take 5s, SLAMs, and similar tools to assess risk before starting a task. These checklists were introduced with the best of intentions - to prompt workers to stop, think, and act before exposing themselves or others to harm.

But let’s be honest: they haven’t evolved.

The problem with Take 5s and SLAMs

These tools became popular in the early 2000s, largely driven by large industrial and mining companies seeking simple, scalable ways to introduce risk-based thinking. They were never meant to replace real risk management processes - but that’s exactly what’s happened.

Today, we consistently see:

Workers rushing through them without thinking
Workers filling out their weeks' worth of PRAs, in advance
Forms filled out after the task, just to “tick the box”
Businesses ordering thousands each year, with little to no return on investment
No measurable improvement in hazard identification or control decisions
A false sense of security that workers are thinking about risk
A belief that we can't remove them because it's the only tool we have for workers

Let’s be clear: a paper form doesn’t manage risk - people do.

So We Created Something Better

We’ve developed a practical, pocket-sized tool that helps workers do what those old checklists never really could:

Map the hazard
Apply meaningful controls
Trigger the right response when things go wrong
Capture key evidence if an incident occurs

It’s not disposable. It’s reusable. It’s designed to support real risk management—not just compliance.

Try it For Free

We’re offering free early samples to safety leaders who want to see what’s possible when you move beyond paper-based checklists.

Each sample includes:

A QR code to order more (once you're ready)
A 20% discount on your first order for providing feedback
A glimpse into the future of personal risk management

Request a Sample

The tools we use shape the way we think.

Why it’s time to rethink Personal Risk Assessment Tools - if we want workers to truly own risk, we need to give them tools that do more than just tick a box.