Identifying,assessingandmanagingworkrisksQUICKGUIDEHSWA•HEALTH&SAFETYATWORKACT•July2017CONTENTS1.0Introduction2Managingworkrisks2Involvingworkers3WorkingwithotherPCBUs3Overviewofariskmanagementprocess42.0Plan:assessriskandidentifycontrolmeasures5Identifyinghazardsthatcouldgiverisetoworkhealthandsafetyrisks5Assessingrisks9Workingouthowtodealwiththerisk10Recordinghowyouaremanagingyourrisks143.0Do:implementcontrolmeasures164.0Check:monitorperformanceofcontrolmeasures185.0Act:takeactiononlessonslearnt206.0Managementofchange217.0Furtherhelp22tables1Examplesofhealthandsafetyregulationsandtheworktheycover102Examplesofcontrolmeasures11figures1ThePLAN-DO-CHECK-ACTapproach42Typesofrisk53Work-relatedhealthrisksandhealth-relatedsafetyrisks64Hierarchyofcontrols131.0IntroductionManagingworkrisksRiskstohealthandsafetyarisefrompeoplebeingexposedtohazards(anythingthatcancauseharm).Riskhastwocomponents–thelikelihoodthatitwilloccurandtheconsequences(degreeofharm)ifithappens.UndertheHealthandSafetyatWorkAct2015,riskstohealthandsafetymustbeeliminatedsofarasisreasonablypracticable.Ifariskcan’tbeeliminated,itmustbeminimisedsofarasisreasonablypracticable.‘Reasonablypracticable’meanswhatisorwasreasonablyabletobedonetoensurehealthandsafetytakingintoaccountandweighinguprelevantmattersincluding:–thelikelihoodoftheriskconcernedoccurringorworkersbeingexposedtothehazard–thedegreeofharmthatmightresult–whatthepersonconcernedknows,oroughtreasonablytoknow,about:-thehazardorrisk-waysofeliminatingorminimisingtherisk–theavailabilityandsuitabilityofwaystoeliminateorminimisetherisk–afterassessingtheextentoftheriskandtheavailablewaysofeliminatingorminimisingtherisk,thecostassociatedwithavailablewaysofeliminatingorminimisingtherisk,includingwhetherthecostisgrosslydisproportionatetotherisk.FormoreguidancereadWorkSafe’sfactsheetReasonablyPracticable.Riskmanagementisnotjusthazardspotting.Riskmanagementinvolvesidentifyingandthenassessingwhichworkriskstodealwithfirst(egriskswithpotentiallysignificantconsequencessuchaschronicill-health,seriousinjuryordeath,orthosewithahighlikelihoodofoccurring).Thisguidancedescribesaprocessthatapersonconductingabusinessorundertaking(PCBU)couldfollowtoidentify,assessandmanagerisksarisingfromwork.ItisdesignedtogivePCBUswhoneedhelpastartingpoint.Themanagementofriskneedstobeappropriate/proportionateforthescaleoftherisk.Thismeansriskswithpotentiallysignificantconsequences(egchronicill-health,seriousinjury,death)mayrequiremoreeffortandresourcestodeterminethemosteffectivewaytoeliminate/minimisetherisk.ThisguideisanupdatetothefactsheetAWaytoIdentify,AssessandManageWorkRisks.SeeWorkSafe’sfactsheetHowtoManageWorkRisksforasimplifiedversionoftheprocessdescribedinthisguidance.2InvolvingworkersYoumustinvolveyourworkersandtheirrepresentativesinworkhealthandsafety.Youhavetwoduties:–toengagewithyourworkersonhealthandsafetymattersthatmaydirectlyaffectthem,sofarasisreasonablypracticable–tohavepracticesthatgiveyourworkersreasonableopportunitiestoparticipateeffectivelyinimprovinghealthandsafetyonanongoingbasis(theseareknownasworkerparticipationpractices).Ahealthyandsafeworkplaceismoreeasilyachievedwheneveryoneinvolvedintheworkcommunicateswitheachothertoidentifyhazardsandrisks,talksaboutanyhealthandsafetyconcernsandworkstogethertofindsolutions.Seektheviewsofyourworkersandtheirrepresentative...
