WHS Risk Assessment (Australia)

An Australian Workplace Incident Report Form is a structured document used to record the details of a workplace incident, including accidents, injuries, illnesses, dangerous incidents, and near misses. It is an essential component of a workplace's work health and safety (WHS) management system and is required under Australian WHS legislation for the investigation of workplace hazards and the notification of notifiable incidents to WHS regulators. The primary legislative obligation to report and investigate workplace incidents arises from the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) (WHS Act) and its state and territory equivalents. Under s 38 of the WHS Act, the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must notify the WHS regulator immediately — by the fastest possible means — after becoming aware that a notifiable incident arising from the conduct of the business or undertaking has occurred at a workplace. A notifiable incident is defined in the WHS Act as: (a) the death of a person; (b) a serious injury or illness of a person (as defined in s 36, which includes injuries requiring immediate in-patient hospital treatment, amputations, serious head and eye injuries, burns, certain diseases, and other serious harm); or (c) a dangerous incident (as defined in s 37, which includes incidents involving uncontrolled explosions, fires, escapes of hazardous substances, and structural collapses). Under WHS Act s 39, the PCBU must ensure that the site of a notifiable incident is not disturbed until an inspector arrives or the WHS regulator gives permission, except to the extent necessary to assist injured persons, remove a deceased person, prevent a further incident, or as required by another law. The PCBU must also keep a record of each notifiable incident for at least five years from the day the regulator is notified, as required by WHS Regulation 2017 (Cth) reg 693. Beyond notifiable incidents, best practice WHS management — consistent with Part 3.1 of the WHS Regulation — requires the PCBU to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement controls using the hierarchy of controls for all workplace incidents and near misses, not just notifiable ones. A near miss investigation may reveal systemic failures that could result in a serious injury or death if not corrected, and the WHS Regulation's risk management obligations apply to all workplace hazards regardless of whether an injury has occurred. State and territory workers compensation legislation also imposes reporting obligations on employers when a worker sustains a work-related injury or illness. Under the Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), the Accident Compensation Act 1985 (Vic), the Workers' Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981 (WA), the Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 (Qld), and equivalent legislation in other states and territories, employers must notify their workers compensation insurer of a work-related injury within a prescribed timeframe (typically 48 hours for serious injuries and five days for other injuries, depending on the jurisdiction). A completed incident report form is a key document in the workers compensation claims process. Effective incident investigation requires identification of contributing factors at multiple levels: the immediate (direct) causes — the physical events or conditions that directly caused the harm; the underlying (systemic) causes — the failures in systems, processes, supervision, training, or equipment; and the root causes — the fundamental organisational or management failures that allowed the other causes to develop. This multi-level analysis is essential for identifying corrective actions that will be effective in preventing recurrence, as opposed to focusing only on the visible, immediate cause. This Workplace Incident Report Form template covers all key elements required for a compliant and effective incident report, including full details of the incident, the persons involved and their employment status, the nature of injury or harm, witness details, notifiable incident assessment and regulator notification records, immediate actions taken, contributing factor and root cause analysis, corrective actions prioritised using the hierarchy of controls, and management sign-off. It is suitable for use by employers and PCBUs across all industries in all Australian states and territories.

A Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is a legally required document for high risk construction work (HRCW) in Australia. It identifies the HRCW to be performed, specifies the hazards and risks associated with that work, and describes the measures to be implemented to control those risks and how the controls will be implemented, monitored, and reviewed. A SWMS is mandatory under Chapter 6 Part 2 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (Cth) (WHS Regulation) and must be prepared before any HRCW commences. Under WHS Regulation reg 291, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) who carries out or directs high risk construction work must ensure that a SWMS is prepared before the HRCW commences, is prepared in consultation with the workers who are to carry out the HRCW, and is reviewed and if necessary revised if there is a change that may affect the way the HRCW is carried out. The SWMS must identify the work that is HRCW; specify the hazards and associated risks; describe the measures to be implemented to control the risks; and describe how the control measures are to be implemented, monitored, and reviewed. High risk construction work is defined in Schedule 18 of the WHS Regulation and includes 19 categories of work: (a) work involving a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres; (b) work on a telecommunications tower; (c) demolition of a load-bearing element or structural demolition; (d) work involving disturbance or removal of asbestos; (e) work involving structural alterations requiring temporary support of load-bearing elements; (f) work in or adjacent to a roadway or railway used by traffic; (g) work in areas with movement of powered mobile plant; (h) work in areas with artificial extremes of temperature; (i) work in or near water or other liquids posing a drowning risk; (j) diving work; (k) work involving explosives; (l) work involving pressurised gas distribution mains or piping; (m) work involving energised electrical installations or services; (n) work in a contaminated or flammable atmosphere; (o) tilt-up or precast concrete work; (p) work on or adjacent to chemical, fuel, or refrigerant pipelines; (q) work in a confined space; (r) work involving a trench or shaft more than 1.5 metres deep; and (s) tunnelling work. Under WHS Regulation reg 292, workers must not begin high risk construction work unless they have been given the opportunity to read and understand the SWMS, any person carrying out the HRCW has been consulted about the SWMS content, and the SWMS is available at the construction site at all times while the HRCW is being carried out. The SWMS must be kept at the site and available for inspection by any WHS inspector under reg 291(5). The principal contractor for a construction project has a specific duty under WHS Regulation reg 309 to take all reasonable steps to obtain a copy of any SWMS prepared by a subcontractor, and to ensure that any HRCW on the project is carried out in accordance with a SWMS. The principal contractor must also ensure that a written construction induction card (CIC) is required of all workers before they enter the site, under WHS Regulation reg 317. Control measures in a SWMS must be structured in accordance with the WHS hierarchy of controls (WHS Act 2011 ss 17-19; WHS Regulation regs 34-38): elimination, substitution, isolation, engineering controls, administrative controls, and PPE. For work involving a risk of falling more than 2 metres (the most common HRCW category), Safe Work Australia's Code of Practice — Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces sets out specific guidance on the selection and implementation of fall prevention systems (preferred over fall protection systems), including passive fall prevention systems (edge protection, scaffold platforms, work positioning systems) and fall arrest systems (safety nets, fall arrest harnesses) as lower-order alternatives. Certain HRCW also requires high risk work (HRW) licences under WHS Regulation Chapter 4. Workers performing scaffolding work require a scaffolding licence (SB for basic scaffolding up to 4 m, SI for intermediate scaffolding, or SA for advanced scaffolding); workers performing rigging, dogging, and crane work require corresponding licences. The SWMS should identify the specific licence classes required and confirm that all workers hold the relevant licences before commencing HRCW. This SWMS template covers all key elements required by WHS Regulation reg 291, including project and contractor details, HRCW type identification referencing Schedule 18, worker consultation records, step-by-step description of the work, hazard identification and risk assessment using a risk matrix, control measures structured according to the hierarchy of controls, step-by-step work sequence with hazards and controls for each step, monitoring and supervision arrangements, triggers for SWMS review and revision, principal contractor approval, and a worker sign-on acknowledgement register.

An Australian Workplace Fire Risk Assessment is a systematic document used to identify fire hazards in a workplace, evaluate the effectiveness of existing fire safety controls, and determine what additional measures are needed to protect occupants and property from fire. It is a foundational element of a workplace's fire safety management system and is required under Australian work health and safety legislation, the National Construction Code (NCC), and the Australian Standard AS 3745-2010 Planning for Emergencies in Facilities. The primary legislative obligation to conduct fire risk assessments arises from s 19 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) (WHS Act), which imposes a broad primary duty of care on the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and other persons at the workplace. This includes managing the risk of fire as a workplace hazard under Part 3.1 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (Cth), which requires the PCBU to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement controls using the hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, isolation, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. Under s 27 of the WHS Act, officers of the PCBU (including directors and senior managers) have a positive duty to exercise due diligence to ensure the organisation manages WHS risks, including fire safety risks. A documented and regularly reviewed fire risk assessment is a key mechanism for demonstrating that due diligence has been exercised. The National Construction Code (NCC), formerly the Building Code of Australia (BCA), sets out minimum fire safety requirements for buildings of each class, including requirements for fire detection and alarm systems, fire suppression systems, emergency lighting, exit signage, compartmentation, and fire resistance levels (FRLs) of structural elements and separating walls. NCC Volume 1 Part C addresses fire resistance and stability, Part D addresses access and egress, and Part E addresses services and equipment including fire safety systems. Buildings must be maintained to comply with the NCC requirements applicable at the time of construction and any relevant upgrade requirements. AS 3745-2010 Planning for Emergencies in Facilities is the key Australian Standard governing emergency planning in workplaces. It requires the occupier or owner of a facility to establish an Emergency Planning Committee (EPC), develop an Emergency Procedures document, designate and train emergency wardens, maintain emergency response equipment, and conduct evacuation exercises at least annually. The standard also requires the emergency procedures to address the needs of occupants with mobility impairments or other disabilities. Fire safety systems in Australian workplaces are typically governed by a suite of Australian Standards, including AS 1670.1-2018 (Fire Detection, Warning, Control and Intercom Systems — System Design, Installation and Commissioning — Fire), AS 2118.1-2017 (Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems — General Systems), AS 1841-2007 series (Portable Fire Extinguishers), AS 2293.1 (Emergency Escape Lighting and Exit Signs), and AS 1851-2012 (Routine Service of Fire Protection Systems and Equipment). All fire safety systems must be regularly inspected and maintained in accordance with AS 1851-2012 and manufacturers' recommendations. State and territory legislation also imposes specific fire safety obligations on building owners and occupiers, including fire safety certification requirements (such as Annual Fire Safety Statements in New South Wales under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021 (NSW)) and requirements to maintain essential fire safety measures as specified in a building's fire safety schedule. This Fire Risk Assessment template covers all key elements of a compliant workplace fire risk assessment, including premises and building class details, assessment methodology, ignition and fuel source identification, high-risk area identification, existing fire safety system inventory and service records, residual risk evaluation, additional control measures, evacuation procedures and assembly area, evacuation drill records, and sign-off by the assessor and approving officer. It is suitable for workplaces across all industries in all Australian states and territories.

An Australian Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) Policy is a formal document in which an employer commits to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for all workers and others affected by its activities. It sets out the organisation's WHS obligations under Australian law, defines the responsibilities of officers, managers, and workers, and establishes the systems and procedures the organisation will use to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement controls. The primary legislative framework governing WHS in Australia is the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) (the WHS Act) and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (Cth) (the WHS Regulation), developed by Safe Work Australia as model legislation. As of 2026, the model WHS Act has been adopted by the Commonwealth, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, and Tasmania. Victoria and Western Australia have separate but substantially similar legislation (the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic) and the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA)). The central obligation on employers is found in s 19 of the WHS Act. A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers engaged by or caused to be engaged by the PCBU, and the health and safety of workers whose activities in carrying out work are influenced or directed by the PCBU. The 'so far as is reasonably practicable' qualifier requires the PCBU to weigh the likelihood and severity of a risk against the availability and cost of measures to eliminate or minimise it. Under s 27 of the WHS Act, officers of a PCBU (including directors and senior managers) have a positive duty to exercise due diligence to ensure the organisation complies with its WHS obligations. This includes acquiring and keeping up-to-date knowledge of WHS matters, understanding the operations and associated risks of the business, ensuring the PCBU has appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise WHS risks, and verifying that those resources and processes are being used effectively. Workers also have duties under s 28 of the WHS Act. They must take reasonable care for their own health and safety, ensure their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the safety of others, comply with any reasonable WHS instruction given by the PCBU, and cooperate with any reasonable WHS policy or procedure. The WHS Regulation 2017 (Cth) supplements the WHS Act by providing detailed requirements for managing risks, including the hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, isolation, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE) as a last resort. Employers are required to consult with workers when identifying hazards, assessing risks, and making decisions about controls under Part 5 of the WHS Act. Notifiable incidents — including workplace fatalities, serious injuries or illnesses, and dangerous incidents as defined in ss 35 to 37 of the WHS Act — must be reported immediately to the relevant state or territory WHS regulator. The incident scene must be preserved until an inspector attends or authorises disturbance under s 39 of the WHS Act. Having a documented WHS Policy is a fundamental element of any effective WHS management system. It demonstrates the organisation's commitment to health and safety at the highest level, provides a framework for establishing WHS objectives and responsibilities, and supports compliance with the WHS Act and WHS Regulation. Employers with five or more employees are required to record significant findings of risk assessments in writing under the WHS Regulation. This WHS Policy is suitable for businesses of all sizes across all industries operating in Australia and should be reviewed at least annually, or whenever there is a significant change to operations, personnel, or legislation.

An Australian Manual Task Risk Assessment is a systematic document used to identify the hazardous manual task risk factors present in a specific work task, evaluate the level of risk of musculoskeletal disorder, and determine the control measures required to eliminate or minimise that risk. It is required by Australian work health and safety legislation and is a key tool for protecting workers from one of the most common causes of workplace injury in Australia. Manual handling injuries — particularly musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affecting the back, shoulder, neck, and upper limbs — are consistently among the most common and costly workplace injuries in Australia. Safe Work Australia data shows that manual handling is a leading mechanism of workplace injury, accounting for a substantial proportion of all serious workers' compensation claims each year. This makes systematic identification and control of hazardous manual tasks a high-priority WHS obligation for all employers. The legislative framework governing hazardous manual tasks in Australia is primarily established by regulations 60 to 68 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (Cth) (WHS Regulation), made under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) (WHS Act). Regulation 60 defines a 'hazardous manual task' as a task that requires a person to use force exerted by a person, repetitive or sustained force, high or sudden force, repetitive movement, sustained or awkward posture, or exposure to vibration. Under reg 61 of the WHS Regulation, the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must identify the risk factors for musculoskeletal disorder associated with each hazardous manual task performed by a worker. Under reg 62, the PCBU must eliminate the risk of musculoskeletal disorder if reasonably practicable; if elimination is not reasonably practicable, the PCBU must minimise the risk so far as is reasonably practicable by implementing controls using the hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, isolation, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. Regulation 65 requires the PCBU to review and revise risk control measures when the risk may have changed or when controls are not effective. The Safe Work Australia Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks (the Code) is approved under s 274 of the WHS Act and provides detailed practical guidance on identifying, assessing, and controlling hazardous manual task risks. The Code is admissible in WHS proceedings as evidence of what is known about hazards or risks and standards of risk management. Following the Code is the most straightforward way for a PCBU to demonstrate compliance with the WHS Regulation requirements for hazardous manual tasks. The Code identifies the key biomechanical risk factors associated with musculoskeletal disorder: forceful exertions (lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying heavy loads); repetitive or sustained movements (repeated actions, prolonged sustained postures); awkward or sustained postures (bending, twisting, reaching, overhead work, kneeling); vibration (whole-body vibration from vehicles, hand-arm vibration from power tools); and the physical characteristics of objects handled (heavy, large, unstable, difficult to grip). The presence of multiple risk factors significantly increases the probability of musculoskeletal injury. The Code also emphasises the importance of consulting workers when identifying hazards and developing control measures. Workers who perform the task often have valuable practical knowledge about the physical demands and risk factors involved, and their input is essential for developing effective and workable controls. Consultation is also a legal obligation under Part 5 of the WHS Act. Effective control of hazardous manual tasks typically involves a combination of engineering controls (mechanical aids such as hoists, trolleys, pallet jacks, conveyor systems, or height-adjustable workstations), administrative controls (job rotation, task scheduling, limiting duration of high-risk tasks, safe work procedures, training in manual handling techniques, and health monitoring), and personal protective equipment (safety footwear, gloves) as a supplementary measure. This Manual Task Risk Assessment template covers all requirements of regs 60–68 of the WHS Regulation 2017 (Cth) and the Safe Work Australia Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks, including task description, identification of all five categories of manual task risk factors, assessment of existing controls, overall risk rating, injury history, control measures across the full hierarchy, an action plan with responsibilities and timeframes, worker consultation, and sign-off. It is suitable for all industries and workplaces across Australia.