Risk management under Australian WHS law
WHS laws require businesses to eliminate risks to health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable and, where that isn't possible, to minimise them. The model Code of Practice on managing WHS risks sets out a four-step process: identify hazards, assess risks, control risks, and review control measures.
The hierarchy of controls
When choosing how to control a risk, the hierarchy of controls ranks the options from most to least effective:
- Eliminate the hazard.
- Substitute it with something safer, isolate people from it, or use engineering controls.
- Use administrative controls, such as procedures, training and signage.
- Use personal protective equipment (PPE).
Higher-level controls are more reliable because they don't depend on people's behaviour. Administrative controls and PPE should support higher-level controls, not replace them.
Training for hazard identification and risk assessment
Practical Risk & Hazard Management is a one-day online course covering hazard identification, risk assessments that support defensible decisions, choosing controls that are reasonably practicable, and keeping hazard registers useful.