How to Conduct a Workplace Risk Assessment in WA

What Is a Workplace Risk Assessment?

A workplace risk assessment is a structured way of identifying hazards, considering the risks they create and determining how those risks can be controlled.

For businesses in Western Australia, risk assessment forms an important part of managing workplace health and safety. It helps employers and workers understand what could cause harm and what practical steps can be taken to reduce the likelihood or severity of an incident.

A good assessment should reflect the actual work being performed. A generic document may provide a useful starting point, but it should not replace consideration of the specific workplace, equipment, tasks and people involved.

Why Is Risk Assessment Important?

Every workplace is different, and hazards can change over time. New equipment, different work methods, changes to the workplace or new contractors can introduce risks that were not previously present.

Carrying out a workplace risk assessment can help a business:

• Recognise hazards before they cause harm
• Understand who may be exposed to a risk
• Prioritise risks that require attention
• Review whether existing controls are effective
• Determine additional control measures where required
• Support better workplace safety decisions
• Maintain clearer WHS documentation

Step 1: Identify Workplace Hazards

The first step is to identify anything that could potentially cause injury, illness or harm.

Look beyond obvious physical hazards. Consider the work environment, equipment, substances, work practices and interactions between people and plant.

Depending on the business, hazards may include:

• Plant and machinery
• Forklifts and workplace vehicles
• Manual handling
• Working at heights
• Electrical equipment
• Hazardous chemicals and substances
• Noise
• Slips, trips and falls
• Workplace traffic
• Construction activities
• Fatigue and other psychosocial hazards

Step 2: Talk to the People Doing the Work

Workers can provide valuable information that may not be obvious from a procedure or inspection checklist.

Ask workers how tasks are actually performed, what problems they encounter and whether there are situations where existing controls are difficult to follow.

Consulting with workers can help reveal practical issues that might otherwise be missed during a desktop review.

Step 3: Determine Who Could Be Harmed

Consider everyone who could potentially be exposed to each hazard.

This may include employees, contractors, subcontractors, visitors, customers, delivery drivers and members of the public.

Different groups may face different levels of exposure depending on where they work, what tasks they perform and how frequently they encounter the hazard.

Step 4: Assess the Risk

Once hazards have been identified, consider the risk associated with each one.

Two key questions are useful:

This helps businesses determine which risks require the greatest attention and where controls should be prioritised.

Step 5: Review the Controls Already in Place

Before introducing new measures, look at what your business is already doing to manage the risk.

For example, a warehouse may already have marked pedestrian walkways and designated forklift areas. The assessment should consider whether these controls are being maintained, understood and followed in everyday operations.

A documented control is not necessarily an effective control. The workplace should be considered alongside the paperwork.

Step 6: Apply the Hierarchy of Controls

Where further risk reduction is required, consider the hierarchy of controls when selecting appropriate measures.

The hierarchy generally considers controls from the most effective options through to measures that rely more heavily on individual behaviour.

1. Elimination – remove the hazard where reasonably practicable.
2. Substitution – replace the hazard with something safer.
3. Isolation – separate people from the hazard.
4. Engineering controls – use physical or mechanical measures to reduce exposure.
5. Administrative controls – use procedures, training, instructions or systems of work.
6. Personal protective equipment – use PPE where appropriate as part of the overall control strategy.

In many workplaces, more than one control will be needed to manage a particular risk effectively.

Step 7: Record the Findings

Clear documentation helps communicate what was identified and what controls are required.

Your records should be practical and easy for relevant workers and managers to understand. They should also be maintained when circumstances change or the assessment is reviewed.

Documentation may include information about the hazard, people exposed, risk level, existing controls, additional control measures and responsibilities for implementation.

When Should a Risk Assessment Be Reviewed?

A risk assessment should remain relevant to the work being performed. It may need to be reviewed when circumstances change or when there is reason to believe the existing controls are no longer suitable.

Consider reviewing your assessment when:

• New equipment or machinery is introduced
• A work process changes
• The workplace layout changes
• New substances or materials are introduced
• A new contractor or work activity is introduced
• An incident or near miss occurs
• A previously unidentified hazard is discovered
• An existing control is found to be ineffective

Common Risk Assessment Mistakes

Using the Same Assessment for Every Workplace

Businesses sometimes rely on generic assessments without considering the differences between workplaces, tasks or equipment. Risk assessments should be relevant to the work being undertaken.

Focusing Only on Physical Hazards

Workplace health and safety involves more than machinery and physical hazards. Businesses should also consider factors such as work organisation and psychosocial hazards where relevant.

Not Consulting Workers

A document prepared without input from the people performing the task may overlook practical hazards and difficulties with existing controls.

Failing to Follow Up

Identifying a risk is only part of the process. Controls need to be implemented, monitored and reviewed to determine whether they are achieving the intended result.

A professional WHS risk assessment in Perth can provide an independent perspective on workplace hazards, existing controls and areas requiring improvement.

When Should You Get Professional WHS Advice?

Many businesses can manage straightforward risks internally. However, professional advice can be useful when a workplace involves complex hazards, high-risk activities, multiple contractors or significant changes to existing operations.

An independent WHS consultant can provide another perspective and help identify hazards or weaknesses that may not be obvious to people working within the business every day.

Workplace Risk Assessment Support in Perth

If you need assistance identifying workplace hazards, reviewing existing controls or developing a more structured approach to risk management, Elevate Safety Consulting can help.

We provide practical WHS risk assessment services in Perth for businesses across a range of industries and workplace environments.

Our focus is on practical safety advice that can be understood, implemented and maintained within your business.

Final Thoughts

A workplace risk assessment should be more than a document that is completed and filed away. Its purpose is to help businesses understand their hazards and make informed decisions about how those hazards can be controlled.

By identifying hazards, consulting workers, assessing risks, reviewing existing controls and taking appropriate action, businesses can build a more proactive approach to workplace health and safety.

If you’re unsure whether your current risk assessments accurately reflect your workplace, speak with Elevate Safety Consulting about your WHS requirements.

If you’re unsure whether your current risk assessments accurately reflect your workplace, Elevate Safety Consulting provides WHS risk assessment services in Perth.