The four steps
- Identify hazards. Walk the area, talk to the people who do the work, read the incident and near-miss history, check manufacturer information and safety data sheets.
- Assess the risk. For each hazard, how likely is harm and how severe would it be? A 5 × 5 risk matrix combines the two into a rating (low, medium, high, extreme).
- Control the risk. Choose controls using the hierarchy of control, highest practicable level first, and work out the residual risk.
- Review. Check the controls are in place and working, and repeat the assessment when the task, equipment, people or incident history changes.
The risk matrix
| Insignificant | Minor | Moderate | Major | Catastrophic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almost certain | Medium | High | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| Likely | Medium | High | High | Extreme | Extreme |
| Possible | Low | Medium | High | High | Extreme |
| Unlikely | Low | Low | Medium | High | High |
| Rare | Low | Low | Medium | Medium | High |
Sites define what each likelihood and consequence word means in their own terms; the matrix is a shared language, not a measurement.
When a risk assessment is required
Australian WHS regulations require a formal, documented assessment for specific activities, including hazardous chemicals, confined spaces, diving, and high-risk construction work (where a safe work method statement is the required form). For everything else the duty is to manage risk; a documented assessment is the usual evidence that you have.
Types
- Generic: a task or area, reviewed annually.
- Task-based: a JSA or SWMS written for one job with the crew.
- Dynamic / point of work: a take 5 done by the worker before starting.
- Change: triggered by management of change when equipment, materials or methods alter.
Risk assessment inside daily management
A risk assessment filed in a register changes nothing on the floor. The controls it selects have to become standard work steps, checklist items and audit questions, and the hazards it rates high belong on the safety section of the tier board until the control is in place. New hazards raised at the daily huddle feed back into the assessment, which is how it stays current.