A safe workplace doesn’t just happen by chance. It comes as a result of proactive planning, taking responsibility, and setting up crystal-clear systems. A big key part of this involves carrying out a risk assessment; but what is risk assessment in practical terms?
This workplace must be the structured process of identifying any potential hazards and evaluating the risk they pose to workers. Then, control measures are put in place to minimise potential harm. Risk assessments play a pivotal role in helping employers meet their legal obligations, protecting employees, and building a culture of safety across their workplace.
Understanding basic terminology is all part of building a safety management system that works for your business. Let’s start off by getting an understanding of three main points:
A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm. This could be physical objects, substances, environmental factors, or even psychological stressors.
Risk refers to the chance or probability of a person being harmed by a hazard. It also takes into account how severe that harm could be.
Risk assessment is the process of identifying hazards, evaluating the associated risks, and deciding on appropriate control measures to reduce or eliminate them. It’s a foundational step in workplace safety and a critical part of your broader compliance OHS strategy.
Workplace risk assessments are a legal requirement under WHS laws in Australia. Employers must take reasonable steps to identify and control risks to the health and safety of anyone who could be affected by their work.
Risk assessments are a major part of preventing accidents, illnesses, and injuries. This is achieved by proactively identifying what could go wrong and putting the right controls in place before incidents occur.
Completing and maintaining documented risk assessments demonstrates compliance with industry regulations and safety standards. This is a critical part of any audit or investigation process.
Regular risk assessments promote safety awareness and responsibility across your business. Employees feel more confident when they know risks are being managed with the proper care and consistency they deserve.
Reducing incidents means fewer compensation claims, lower insurance premiums, and less downtime for your business. In short, effective risk assessments save time, money and a lot of extra stress.
For a broader overview, read our blog on the 5 steps of the risk management process.
Now we’ve covered the basic terminology, here’s how to complete a risk assessment in five practical steps. This is simple version; for a full walkthrough of the correct steps to take read our full guide on how to do a risk assessment:
Walk through your workplace or task area and pinpoint anything that could cause harm. Hazards can come in the form of:
Need a tool to simplify this step? Consider using a take 5 safety checklists as a fast, daily risk review method.
Think about who is exposed to each hazard; this might include employees, contractors, clients, or visitors. Next consider how harm might occur, whether it’s through contact, exposure, or environmental conditions.
Assess the severity and likelihood of harm from each hazard. Then determine the best way to control the risk. Controls may include:
For high-risk tasks, a SWMS risk assessment may be legally required.
Document the process, including all the hazards identified, the risks evaluated, and the control measures chosen. This creates an audit-ready record and helps track improvements over time.
Conditions change all the time and so should your assessments. Review them regularly, particularly after an incident, when introducing new equipment, or after significant changes have taken place in the workplace.
Learn more about proactive strategies in our article on how to manage WHS risks.
Here are common categories of control measures you might use:
It’s important to note that the best approach is always to remove the risk at the source. PPE should only be considered a last line of defence.
Risk assessments are practical tools that protect people, prevent harm, and improve how a business operates. It doesn’t matter if you’re just getting started or refining your systems, a structured approach to risk will safeguard your business so that it’s resilient and protected.
WHS Monitor makes risk assessments easier for small businesses. Our platform allows you to create, manage, and review assessments with full visibility. With our help, your business stays compliant and your workforce is kept safe.
A WHS Monitor safety specialist will contact you to assess your needs and demonstrate a system that suits your business.
