OHS RISK MANAGEMENT
[GF.17G(viii)]
1. PURPOSE
This document prescribes minimum requirements for occupational health and safety (OHS) risk
management.
2. DEFINITIONS
Hazard
Hazard Identification
Risk
Risk Assessment
Risk Control
Risk Management
Worker
A source or a situation with a potential for harm in terms of human injury or illhealth, damage to property or the environment, or a combination of these,
including work practices or procedures.
The process of recognising that a hazard exists and defining its characteristics.
The chance that a hazard will cause injury, illness or damage to plant, property
or the environment.
The overall process of estimating the magnitude of risk and deciding what
actions will be taken.
The process of risk elimination or minimisation.
Within the context of this document, the systematic process of hazard
identification, risk assessment and control, including the ongoing process of
monitor and review.
A worker is any person who carries out work in any capacity for the company.
Examples of workers are: employees; contractors, sub-contractors or their
employees; labour hire company employees engaged by Avondale College;
outworkers; apprentices or trainees; work-experience students; and volunteers.
3. POLICY
Managers and supervisors shall ensure that, so far as is reasonably practicable, for workplaces and
activities under their control:
(a)
hazards are identified;
(b)
risks are assessed;
(c)
risks are controlled; and then
(d)
steps (a) to (c) are reviewed.
4. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
4.1 Managers and Supervisors
In support of this policy managers and supervisors shall:
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establish risk management goals and objectives within their areas of responsibility in
harmony with corporate objectives for OHS risk management;
ensure the application of generic risk assessments are applicable to hazards within their
areas of responsibility;
consult workers exposed to, or who may be exposed to, workplace hazards at all stages of
the OHS risk management process;
where appropriate, enable consultation between workers and other relevant parties, such as
purchasing officers, suppliers, OHS inspectors and technical matter experts, such as
industrial hygienists, ergonomists and engineers; and
provide workers – and other relevant parties where appropriate – with the necessary
information to enable informed decision making.
4.2 OHS Coordinator
In support of this policy the OHS Coordinator shall:
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identify and/or develop resources to assist OHS risk management;
maintain and make available to managers, supervisors and employees resources to assist
OHS risk management;
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assist managers, supervisors and employees, develop and implement action plans to
achieve goals and objectives.
4.3 When Hazard Identification is Required
Hazard identification is required:
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immediately before using a workplace for the first time;
before and during the installation, erection, commissioning or alteration of plant;
before changes to work practices and systems of work are introduced;
before hazardous substances and or dangerous goods are introduced to the workplace;
while work is being carried out; and
whenever new or additional information from a relevant authoritative source becomes
available.
4.4 Risk Assessment
The risk of harm to the health or safety of the following arising from any hazard identified in
accordance with 4.3 above must be assessed:
 workers;
 any other person legally at the workplace; and
 any other person whose health or safety may be exposed to risk by the company’s
undertaking.
The risk assessment should include:
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identification of factors that may be contributing to the risk;
a review of health and safety information that is reasonably available from an
authoritative source and is relevant to a particular hazard – see 4.5 and 4.9 below;
an evaluation of the likelihood of an injury occurring and the likely severity of an injury or
illness that may occur;
identification of the actions necessary to eliminate or control the risk; and
identification of the records required to ensure that risks are eliminated or controlled.
4.5 Risk Assessment Methodology
Where an authoritative source (4.9 below) prescribes a method for assessing risk, that method
shall be used e.g. the national Code of Practice for the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders
from performing manual tasks at work provides a method for identifying manual handling
hazards and assessing and controlling associated risks.
In the absence of more scientific methods, simple risk matrixes, such as those provided by
WorkCover NSW’s HAZPAC may be used. Users must be aware of the subjective nature of
these methods with greater weighting given to the potential consequences than the probability of
occurrence when determining priorities for establishing risk controls.
4.6 Factors contributing to the risk
When assessing risks factors that may be contributing to the risk should also be identified.
These include the:
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work premises and the working environment, including their layout and condition;
capability, skill, experience and age of people ordinarily undertaking work;
systems of work being used; and
range of reasonably foreseeable conditions.
4.7 Identification of Controls – the Hierarchy of Controls
If elimination of the risk is not reasonably practicable, the following measures (in the order
specified) shall be taken to minimise the risk to the lowest level reasonably practicable:
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Substituting the hazard giving rise to the risk with a hazard that gives rise to a lesser
risk.
Isolating the hazard from the person put at risk.
Minimising the risk by engineering means.
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Minimising the risk by administrative means (eg. by adopting safe work practices or
providing appropriate training, instruction or information).
Using personal protective equipment.
A combination of the above measures shall be taken to minimise risk to the lowest level
reasonably practicable if no single measure is sufficient for that purpose.
4.8 When a Formal Risk Assessment is Not Required
Many hazards and risks are well known and have well established and accepted control
measures. A formal risk assessment is not required when:
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OHS laws require a hazard or risk to be controlled in a specific way. These requirements
must be complied with.
Other laws require specific risk controls to be implemented, e.g. gas and electrical
safety. These requirements must be complied with.
A regulator code of practice or other regulator guidance material sets out a way of
controlling a hazard or risk and the guidance is applicable to the situation. In these
circumstances the guidance can simply be followed.
There are well known and accepted controls that are widespread use in the particular
industry, that are suited to the circumstances in the workplace and provide acceptable
control of the hazards or risks. These controls can simply be implemented.
In circumstances where a formal risk assessment is not required care must be taken to ensure
that hazards or risks not addressed by the above are identified, assessed and controlled.
4.9 Information to Guide Risk Assessment and Control
The following information (authoritative source) shall be considered as appropriate to the specific
situation during the risk assessment process.
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OHS Legislation and Regulations. OHS legislation and regulations prescribe minimum
standards for the control of specific classes of hazards. Compliance is mandatory.
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Codes of Practice. Created under the authority of the OHS Act, codes provide practical
guidance to enable employers to comply with specific legislative requirements. These
should be followed unless there is an alternative course of action which achieves the
same or better standard of health and safety.
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OHS Regulator produced guidance material. While preference will be given to that
produced by WorkCover NSW, guidance material, including codes of practice, published
by other regulators or SafeWork Australia may be used to compliment that produced by
WorkCover or where material from WorkCover is not available.
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Australian and New Zealand Standards represent good practice with regards to the
matter addressed by specific standards. When called into specific regulations or codes
they have the same status as those regulations or codes.
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Hazard information supplied with the product or equipment, such as material safety
data sheets (MSDS’s) or manufacturer’s information.
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Industry Specific Guidance Material. Employer, employee, or industry associations
may produce guidance material relevant to a particular sector, e.g. Adventure Activity
Standards developed by the outdoor recreation industry or ‘Guidelines for the safe
conduct of sport and physical activity in schools’, developed by the NSW Department of
Education and Training.
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Workplace experience. Utilise knowledge with the hazard or similar hazards gained in
the workplace or other workplaces.
4.10 Review of Risk Assessment and Control Measures
A date for reviewing a risk assessment and any related control measure must be determined as
part of the risk assessment. The review date shall reflect the severity of risk – high risk items will
be reviewed more frequently than those with low risk.
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In addition a risk assessment and any related control measures should be reviewed whenever:
 there is evidence that the risk assessment is no longer valid; or
 there is an incident resulting in, or that has the potential to cause, injury or illness or damage
to property or the environment resulting from exposure to a hazard to which the risk
assessment relates; or
 a significant change is proposed in the workplace or in work practices or procedures to which
the risk assessment relates.
4.11 Generic Risk Assessments
A generic risk assessment is sufficient if hazards of the same kind occur in different places or
circumstances within the workplace so long as that assessment has been applied to each place
or circumstance.
4.12 Training Requirements
All managers, supervisors and staff shall receive training appropriate to their level of
responsibility and the nature of hazards within their area of responsibility to enable them to
participate in the risk management process. Training shall include:
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an explanation of the role of risk management in OHS;
risk management roles and responsibilities;
risk management methodologies; and
risk management documentation requirements.
4.13 Record Retention
Risk management records shall be retained for the period for which they are current plus 12
months, or longer if required by regulation.
5. REGULATORY AND OTHER MATTERS
Regulatory Requirements
 Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 [NSW], Chapter 2: Places of work – risk
management and other matters
Codes of Practice
 Code of Practice for Risk Assessment [NSW]
 Code of Practice for Technical Guidance [NSW]
 Risk Management Code of Practice 2007 [Qld]
Other Regulator Guidance Material
 Controlling OHS hazards and risks. A handbook for workplaces [Vic]
6. REFERENCES
In addition to the above
 AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 – Risk management – Principles and guidelines
 AS/NZS 4804:2001 – Occupational health and safety management systems – General guidelines
on principles, systems and supporting techniques
 Code of Practice for OHS Consultation, NSW WorkCover
 How WorkSafe applies the law in relation to Reasonably Practicable, WorkSafe Vic
Approved by
Date
3 May 2010
OHS Risk Management [GF.17G(viii)]
Upload Authorized by
Replaces
Review
V1, 10.04.30
March 2013
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