RISK MANAGEMENT AND WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
The changes to the laws that govern workplace health and safety that came into effect on 1 January
2013 have implications for public artists both as contractors of Arts Tasmania and as contractors
who sub-contract out parts of the commission. It is critical that you complete a risk management
plan for your commission in order to ensure that you identify the potential obstacles to achieving
your commission and that you consider how to ensure your safety and the safety of those with
whom you work at all times.
A risk management plan will enable you to consider what could go wrong and whether you are
making assumptions that could be proven to be incorrect. It will help you to identify the risks and
determine the best way of mitigating them.
A component of your risk management plan is your safe work method statement. This
statement shows that you have considered your work practices, the hazards that may be inherent
in the work that you do and shows that you have addressed these. It is different to a risk
management plan in that it describes the steps required to create and complete the commission
and identifies the hazards as opposed to the risks.
Both the plan and the statement are designed to protect you and anyone you subcontract. You also
have the right and you should ask to see these same documents from the sub-contractors you use
as, under the new law, you have a responsibility to ensure that their work practices are also safe.
The risk management plan including the safe work method statement must be submitted as part of
the detailed design presentation package. Below you will find two templates and some guidelines to
help you develop these documents. You can use these templates or submit plans in your own
format. You will not be authorised to proceed to the next stage of your commission until these
documents have been submitted to Arts Tasmania.
The WorkSafe Tasmania website, www.worksafe.tas.gov.au, also has links to the legislation and a
range of Codes of Practice which are practical guides to achieving the standards of health, safety
and welfare required by law and which could help in the development of your risk management plan
and safe work methods statement.
Risk management plan
Please provide a plan that demonstrates:
 The range of potential risks associated with your commission and their source
 The probability of the potential risks eventuating
 The impact of these risks on the commission if they occur
 Your strategies to control and mitigate these potential risks.
You should consider the potential risks in each of the four areas below. As a guide we have
provided some examples to prompt your thinking:
 environmental/external risks (risks beyond your control) - consider whether your artwork
design may be impacted upon by unexpected changes to the building design made by the
architect, changes to the building materials and finishes made by the building project manager or
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by legislation that relates to the kind of work you are proposing. Think about the potential
restrictions that weather may have on the transport, construction or installation of the
artwork. Consider the availability of the materials you are proposing and what impact it would
have if these materials were no longer available or viable. Determine what impact vandalism
may have on the artwork.
financial risks – consider whether you have developed a realistic budget and whether you
have researched all of the potential costs associated with every component of the commission.
What are the impacts of a delay in the project for your cashflow and for your budget – will a
delay impact on materials costs? Are you insured against any financial risk? Have you included a
contingency? What happens if a sub-contractor does not deliver or underperforms?
management risks – consider the risks associated with using sub-contractors over whom
you have less control. Can you seek guarantees of products and services in writing? Have you
investigated your sub-contractor’s replacement or repair policy in case they do not deliver to
the standard required? Do you have appropriate and adequate insurance in place? Are there
sensitivities associated with the conceptual content or location of the commission – e.g. school,
hospital or prison?
personnel risks – consider the range of stakeholders with whom you will be dealing. What if
these relationships are compromised? What impact might it have on the commission? Are there
particular stakeholder groups who may have strong opinions about any potential designs for the
site? Consider your communication skills and channels – are there possible risks?
Safe work methods statement (SWMS)
A SWMS is an explanation of all of the processes and steps associated with the creation of this
commission. It shows that you have considered the whole process in careful detail from travelling
to the first meeting until the handover.
In writing your SWMS you should describe each step in the process, identify any hazards that may
be associated with the artwork, the safety controls that you will use to minimise these and
therefore the steps you haven taken to protect health and safety.
Hazards can include:
 physical hazards – floors, stairs, ladders, fire, falling objects, slippery surfaces, manual
handling, noise, vibration, heat and cold, poor lighting, etc.
 mechanical and/or electrical hazards – electricity, machinery, equipment, hoists, etc.
 chemical hazards – dangerous goods, chemical substances, cleaning agents, dust and fumes,
air quality, acids or poisons and chemicals that could lead to a fire or explosion
 biological hazards – bacteria, viruses, mould, vermin, animals
 radiation hazards - UV light from sunlight, microwaves from mobile phones, x-rays
 psychosocial hazards – excessive work stress arising from a range of sources including
workload, trauma, contractor or sub-contractor relationships
Options for controlling the risks include eliminating the risk entirely by removing it, substituting or
modifying the hazard by replacing it with something less dangerous, isolating the hazard by physically
removing it or cordoning it off, engineering controls for example redesigning your work set up,
administrative controls for example limiting the time you are exposed to a potential hazard and using
personal protective equipment.
Arts Tasmania Public Art Program Officers are happy to assist artists with the risk
assessment process.
Risk management plan and workplace health and safety
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Page
PROJECT NAME
ARTIST NAME
DATE
RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN with examples – please delete the examples and insert additional rows for your own plan as required
Risk/Source
What, where and how can it happen
Probability
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Environmental/External Risk
Freight charges increase from original quote –
e.g. Artwork transport to King Island
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Medium/High
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Risk management plan and workplace health and safety
Controls
What you will do / have done
Impact
Additional costs may exceed
budgeted amount.
An alternative freighting
arrangement may need to be
found.
This may impact on the delivery
date
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Ensure the quote is in writing
Make a note of when the quote expires
Ensure artwork packaged to size quoted
Page 3 of 7
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Financial Risk
Material costs changing due to rising $AUD
Medium/High
Management Risks
Sub-contractor has produced substandard work High
that has not met the
required Australian Standards and the Building
Code of Australia
Risk management plan and workplace health and safety
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Change to the design may be
required
Use of less preferred material
than originally planned may be
required
Materials budget exceeded and
delays caused to project
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Additional costs may be incurred 
to replace the component or
service the sub-contractor has
provided
Time involved in sourcing another 
sub-contractor leads to delays
Potential liability claim from injury
caused to member of the public
because the required Standards
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have not been met
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Ensure you allow for a sufficient
contingency amount in your budget
allocation
You keep lines of communication open
with your supplier
Ensure design does not rely on having to
use only one particular material but could
be achieved with an alternative
Maintain good, clear, regular
communication channels with your subcontractor and document all
communications
Provide written brief to sub-contractor
including expectations and Standards
compliance requirements and get
guarantees of products or services in
writing
Check details at every stage of fabrication
with the required consultant i.e engineer
Page 4 of 7
to check footing cagebolt assembly prior
to moving cagebolt assembly to site
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Compromise to the commission
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design
Building user/Client unhappy with 
the final product
Confrontation impacts on ability to
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work and deliver commission on
time
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Personnel Risks
Dealing with a difficult/confrontational
client
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Medium
Risk management plan and workplace health and safety
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Take minutes and notes in meetings to
record discussions
Call the Arts Tasmania Public Art
Program Officer to negotiate on your
behalf
Stay professional and do not take it
personally – grow a thick skin.
Page 5 of 7
PROJECT NAME
ARTIST NAME
DATE
SAFE WORK METHODS STATEMENT with examples – please delete the examples and insert additional rows for your own plan as required
Critical steps in this job
A step by step

Site inspection to determine location of artwork
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Loading and unloading of heavy materials
Risk management plan and workplace health and safety
Safety control
What you will do / have done
Potential hazard

Site is still under construction so
there may be trip and fall
hazards, machinery on site and
heavy vehicles including earth
moving equipment
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Potential for back injury if
incorrect lifting techniques are
used
Materials may fall if they are not
secured
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Request site safety induction from works
foreman prior to entry to the site
Request hard hat and high visibility vest
Ensure I am accompanied at all times when
on site
Use safe lifting techniques (keep back straight
and bend knees). Use a second person if
required. Consider hoist.
Use straps and ropes to secure materials and
store in a stable, flat location
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Sub-contractor’s work methods do 
not comply with safe work
practices
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Fabrication of work by sub-contractor
Risk management plan and workplace health and safety
Request a copy of Safe Working Methods
Statement and Risk Management Plan from
sub-contractors when requesting quote and
factor into considerations as to which subcontractor to appoint
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