MANAGING RISKS

Identify the hazards

When identifying hazards, particular attention should be paid to hazards arising from:
 the construction workplace itself, including its location, layout, condition and accessibility
 any design relating to the construction work
 working at heights
 hazardous substances, including the handling, use, storage, and workplace transport or disposal of
hazardous substances
 the presence of asbestos
 systems of work
 plant, including the transport, installation, erection, commissioning, use, repair, maintenance,
dismantling, storage or disposal of plant

A person conducting a business or undertaking should also ensure there are effective procedures in place
to identify and record hazards:
 before and during the installation, erection, commissioning or alteration of plant
 before changes to systems of work are introduced or a significant change to the construction
workplace, or a part of it, is implemented
 before hazardous substances are introduced, and
 when new or additional occupational safety and health information from an authoritative source
becomes available - for example, national standards or codes of practice, guidance material
produced by a regulatory authority, industry codes of practice or information from manufacturers,
suppliers or designers.

Assess the risks

Assessing the associated risks will assist in determining:
 what regulated duties apply
 how severe a risk is
 whether any existing control measures are effective
 what action should be taken to control the risk
 whether action or control measures are necessary, and
 how urgently the action needs to be taken.

Assessing the risk includes considering things like:

 the severity of any injury or illness that could occur, for example is it a small isolated hazard that
could result in a very minor injury or is it a significant hazard that could have wide ranging and
severe affects, and
 the likelihood or chance that someone will suffer an illness or injury, for example, consider the
number of people exposed to the hazard.

A risk assessment is not necessary if the risk and how to control it is already known.
Risk Assessment

The Risk Assessment may need to be done and revisited at various stages of the project. Initially it would
be completed by the Contract Manager. Once a contractor has been selected the Risk Assessment should
be reviewed with the contractor.

Issue Hazards Likelihood Consequences Results Risk Assessment

Fire Protection Bushfire, property Likely 4 Catastrophic 5 Unacceptable Fire fighting
damage, 20 equipment such as
environmental fire extinguishers,
damage Site clearing (where
permitted)
Training and
induction

Excavations Public, Traffic Very likely Moderate 3 Tolerable 15 Barricading and

hazards 5 barriers
Night-time hazards Procedures and
Underground processes to avoid
services such as trench entry
power, water, Lighting
telecommunications Surveillance and/or
Pipe damage security

Lifting of Falling objects Fairly Catastrophic 5 Tolerable 15 PPE

Materials Swinging objects likely 3 Inspection of
equipment
Use of correctly rated
equipment
Qualified personnel

Site Lack of Fairly Minor 2 Adequate 6 Prestart Meetings

Communication understanding of likely 3 Committee Meetings
procedures and distribution of
minutes
Supervisor Meetings
Hazard reports/alerts
Trip, Slip and Uneven ground Fairly Moderate 3 Adequate 9 PPE, especially
Fall Hazards Access and egress likely 3 appropriate footwear
from plant and Awareness
vehicles Lighting
OHS Inspections
Use of handrails and
ladders
 Issue Hazards Likelihood Consequences Results Risk Assessment
Electrical Electric shock Likely 4 Catastrophic 5 Unacceptable Pre-use inspections
Equipment 20 Earthing
Resuscitation
qualified electrical
personnel
Avoid live work
situations
Protect overhead
cables

Risk Rating:

17-25 Unacceptable – Stop activity and make

5 10 15 20 25 immediate improvements/seek further advice
Increasing Consequence

4 8 12 16 20 10-16 Tolerable – look to improve within specified

timescale
3 6 9 12 15
5-9 Adequate – Look to improve at next review
2 4 6 8 10

1 2 3 4 5
1-4 Acceptable - No further action, but ensure
Increasing Likelihood controls are maintained

Guide to using the risk rating table:

Consequences Likelihood
1 Insignificant – no impact 1 Very unlikely – 1 in a million chance of it
happening
2 Minor – minor interruption to activity/process 2 Unlikely – 1 in 100,000 chance of it happening
3 Moderate – some damage to property/business 3 Fairly likely – 1 in 10,000 chance of it happening
interruption
4 Major – significant internal damage to property 4 Likely – 1 in 1,000 chance of it happening
5 Catastrophic –major disaster e.g. loss of life/loss of a 5 Very likely – 1 in 100 chance of it happening
building/impact on surrounding areas

Risk level

Likelihood X Consequences = Risk Level

References:

http://www.salford.ac.uk/__data/assets/word_doc/0010/535456/The-Tom-Husband-Leisure-Centre-Fire-
Risk-Assessment-Report-12-14.doc

https://submissions.swa.gov.au/swaforms/archive/model-whs-2nd-set/documents/managing-risks-in-
construction-work.doc