Guidance About Completing the WHS Risk Assessment

WHS Risk Assessment Form for Practical Activities/Research

Conduct a WHS risk assessment whenever it is not immediately obvious what hazards and associated risks are associated with an aspect of the working and learning environmentand/or the solutions are not straight forward.

Guidance about Completing the WHS Risk Assessment

1.During the WHS risk assessment process, consult with: 1) subject matter experts; 2) anyone with knowledge of the activities or research which are being assessed; 3) anyone that will implement the treatments (risk controls) as you require their ‘buy in’.

2.Describe what is being assessed for hazard(s) and associated risk(s) in Section 1. Note: Hazards in working and learning spaces equipment generally present because of the materials and substances used; work tasks and how they are performed, and work design and management.

3.Refer to Section 2 for guidance about some of the hazards that may be associated with the activity. Also refer to other compliance resources to help you identify these hazards.

4.In Section 3, assess the hazards and associated WHS riskswhich are associated with practical activities/research (Section 3). Use the Risk Rating Table (Appendix A) to assign a risk rating to the hazards that have been identified. Also, refer to the instructions in Appendix A and B.

5.The assessment should be signed off by a Nominated Supervisor/Manager (Section 4) and Head of School or Senior Manager, in many circumstances. If the assessor is a research student, a supervising academic should endorse the assessment.

1. \Describe What is Being Assessed

Organisationalor Functional Unit: / Location (incl. room no.)
Assessor’s Name: ______Position Title ______
Assessor’s Signature: ______Assessment Date: ____ / ____ / ____
Name of Task/Experiment Process:
Description of Task/Experiment Process:
Who would be exposed to any potential risks (e.g. staff, students, visitors)?
Who was consulted during the WHS risk assessment:
Task/Experiment to be performed by: (Please tick☐) ☐Students ☐Teaching Staff ☐Trained Staff (Detail Specialty/Qualifications):
2. Some of Hazards to Consider <Assoc. with Laboratories and Field Trips> Prior to Completing Section 3
Biological Hazards
Biological Substance
☐ Bacteria
☐ Viruses
☐ Fungi
☐ Human/animal body fluids
☐ Human/animal blood
☐ Parasite / ☐ Cell lines
☐ Poisonous substance(s)
☐ Genetically Modified Organism
☐Recombinant construct in live agents
☐ Animal/human tissue / Route of Infection
☐ Inhalation
☐ Needle stick
☐ Skin/eye contact
☐ Ingestion
☐ Bites/scratches
☐ Aerosol transmission / Proposed Treatments
☐ Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
☐Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
☐Health surveillance
☐ Appropriate storage
☐ Spill kits
☐ Decontamination protocol / ☐Safety Data Sheets for chemical agents
☐ Training – staff/students
☐ Emergency procedures
☐Safety equipment
☐ Spill cleanup procedure
☐Vaccination
☐Waste disposal system
☐ First aid
☐Other______
Substance/Organism Name(s): ______
Chemical Hazards
Chemical Substances
☐ Solids
☐ Gases
☐ Liquids
☐ Chemical Waste(s)/By-Products
Ensure that you have analysed the relevant Safety Data Sheets, labels and hazard information tab within Chemwatch.
Chemical Name(s): / Potential Hazards
☐ Flammable
☐ Toxic
☐ Corrosive
☐ Oxidizing
☐ Harmful
☐ Irritant
☐ Radioactive / Proposed Treatments
☐SOP
☐Avoid known or suspected pregnancy/allergic reaction(s)
☐ Dry/inert atmosphere
☐ Safety Data Sheets (SDS) available
☐ Spill kits
☐ Storage facility
☐ Fire-fighting equipment
☐ Fume cabinets
☐Health monitoring to confirm treatments are effective / ☐ Static discharge protection
☐ Placarding indicating use
☐ SDS information known
☐ Safety equipment
☐ Emergency procedures
☐ PPE/blast shield/respirator
☐ Spill cleanup procedures
☐ First aid
☐Corrosives Cabinet
☐ Antidote available
☐ Other:
Sharps/Needles
Potential Hazards
☐ Pipette
☐ Scissors
☐ Scalpels/blades / ☐Glassware
☐Syringes
☐ Other: / Proposed Treatments
☐SOP
☐First aid
☐ PPE
☐ Disposal bins / ☐ Training
☐Sterilisation procedures
☐ Cleanup procedures
☐ Other:
Electrical Hazards
Potential Hazards
☐ 240 Volt
☐ High voltage
☐ Power loss
☐ Other: / Potential Consequences
☐ Electrical shock
☐ Fire
☐ Burns
☐ Fatality / Proposed Treatments
☐ Residual Current Device (RCD)/Circuit breaker
☐ Circuit protection devices
☐ Regular servicing/testing
☐ First aid / ☐SOP
☐ Shut-off switches
☐ Inspect cords/tags
☐ Non-sparking induction motors/air motors
☐ Other
Radiation
Potential Hazards
☐ Laser
☐Ionising (e.g. gamma)
☐ Non-ionising (e.g. infrared, microwave)
☐ Other: / Proposed Treatments
☐ Spill kits
☐ First aid
☐ Appropriate storage
☐ Appropriate signage / ☐ SOP
☐ Decontamination protocol
☐ Codes of Practice followed
☐ Training of staff/students
☐ Waste disposal procedures
☐ Other:
Thermal
Potential Hazards
☐ Hot
☐ Cryogenic / ☐ Cold
☐ Other: / Proposed Treatments
☐ Heat mats
☐ Insulated gloves
☐PPE
☐ Other: / ☐ Emergency Procedures
☐ SOP
☐ Tongs
☐ First Aid
Field Trips
Potential Hazards
☐ Unserviceable vehicles
☐ Noise
☐ Road/traffic conditions
☐ Climatic conditions (e.g. hot, dry, wet,cold)
☐Terrain (rivers, desert, rough, mountainous, forest, jungle)
☐ Remote locality
☐ Bites/stings
☐ Working alone
☐ Wildlife (e.g. poisonous snakes)
☐ Fencing (barbed wire, electric)
☐ Contaminated soil/water / ☐ Security
☐ Pandemic disease (overseas)
☐ Poisonous plants
☐ Weather conditions
☐ Hypothermia/Frostbite
☐ Fatigue
☐ Manual Handling
☐ Hazardous chemicals
☐ Firearms/explosives
☐ Faulty equipment
☐ Bush fires
☐ Floods
☐ Falls (e.g. from heights, into mine shafts)
☐ Working in water
☐ Other: / Proposed Treatments
☐ Survival training
☐ Training – equipment
☐ Sunscreen
☐ PPE and suitable clothing
☐ Students/staff briefed
☐ First aid kit
☐ Mobile phone
☐ Communication and check-in procedures
☐Staff/student medical informationchecked
☐ Maps/compass
☐ Adequate water/food supplies
☐ Other: / ☐ Serviceable vehicles
☐ Driver safety briefings
☐ Servicing and testing of equipment
☐ Back-up batteries
☐Instructions and safety materials for experiments and activities
☐ Contact overhead and/or underground power lines
☐ Staff/student ratio – duty of care
☐ Emergency procedures
☐ Fire extinguishers
☐ Safe work practices
Machinery/Equipment
Potential Hazards
☐ Rotational motion
☐ Linear motion
☐ Vibration / ☐ Noise
☐ Fumes
☐ Moving parts
☐ Other: / Proposed Treatments
☐ Manufactures’ manuals
☐ Regular servicing
☐ Guarding
☐ Emergency shutdown
☐ PPE
☐ Other: / ☐ SOP’s
☐ Training in equipment use
☐ Appropriate licenses
☐ First aid
☐ Fire extinguishers

1. Assess Hazards and Risks

Risk Analysis / Risk Analysis / Risk Treatment (Future)
Describe the process, activity, facility or event that may lead to hazard exposures. / Hazard(s)
Outline the situation or thing that has the potential to harm a person e.g. chemicals, high voltage, flammable chemical substances. / Risk
Describe the nature of the potential harm in terms of injuries and/or environmental or property damage. For example, the hazard exposure could result in back injuries or contamination of water supplies. / Existing Treatments
(risk controls)
Identify any existing treatments that are applied to minimise or eliminate hazard exposures and the risk(s). / Risk Rating
Calculate the risk rating (Appendix A) associated with applying any existing treatments. / Future Treatments
Place a higher priority on immediately actioning higher level risks. Also refer to the Hierarchy of Risk Control when making decisions about treatment options. / Action Owner
Person(s) responsible for actioning treatments. / New Risk Rating
(Based on applying existing and future treatments. Also account for risks associated with actioning treatments).
Likelihood:
(Insert rating)
Consequence:
(insert rating)
Risk Rating:
(insert rating) / Likelihood:
(Insert rating)
Consequence:
(insert rating)
Risk Rating:
(insert rating)
Likelihood:
(Insert rating)
Consequence:
(insert rating)
Risk Rating:
(insert rating) / Likelihood:
(Insert rating)
Consequence:
(insert rating)
Risk Rating:
(insert rating)
Likelihood:
(Insert rating)
Consequence:
(insert rating)
Risk Rating:
(insert rating) / Likelihood:
(Insert rating)
Consequence:
(insert rating)
Risk Rating:
(insert rating)

1. Endorsement of the Risk Assessment

I am satisfied that the risks are rated at Low/Moderate and or appropriately treated.

Nominated Supervisor’s/Managers Name: ______Position Title: ______

Signature: ______Date: ____ / ____ / ____

HIGHrisks (or proposed treatments) that require expenditure approvals from senior managers within the school or organisational unit, including Heads of School, should be authorised by this senior manager or the Executive Planning Group (non-academic organisational units). High level risks should be accompanied by a detailed risk management plan which will reduce risks down to an appropriate level (ideally, reduced down to a low rating or no higher than MODERATE [3]).

Executive Planning Group Member’s Name: ______Executive Planning Group Member’s Signature: ______

Date: ____ / ____ / ____ Retain a copy of the WHS risk assessment and email a copy of the assessment to .

Appendix A: Risk Rating Table

Calculate a Risk Score, Using the Table (Below):

1. Choose a Likelihood Rating, from the table below, based on your assessment of the likelihood of exposure(s) to the hazard(s) (ranges from insignificant to catastrophic).
2. Choose a Consequence Rating, from the table below, which reflects your assessment of the consequences of people (staff/students/volunteers/visitors/general public) being exposed to the hazard(s).
3. Line up the intersection point between the Consequence and Likelihood Rating to determine the risk rating e.g. If you assessed the consequence to be Moderate and the likelihood rating to be Almost Certain, the risk rating is High (30).
4. Refer to the Hierarchy of Risk Control, Appendix B, to assist you to choose risk controls to manage hazards, which should be documented in Section 3. It is an expectation that higher level controls will be chosen to manage higher level risks.

Likelihood Ratings / Consequence Ratings
Almost Certain: Is expected to occur in most circumstances per month)
Likely: Will probably occur at least once (between once per month and once per year)
Moderate: Might occur at some time (between once per year and once in 5 years)
Unlikely: Could occur at some time (between once in 5 years and once in 20 years)
Rare: May occur in exceptional circumstances (once in more than 20 years) / Catastrophic: Could result in death, permanent total disabilities or severe injuries affecting multiple persons
Major: Could result in permanent partial disabilities or injuries or illness resulting in hospitalisation of multiple persons
Moderate: Could result in injury or illness resulting in Lost Time Injury (LTI)
Minor: Minor injury or illness not resulting in lost work day
Insignificant: Unlikely to result in an injury
Likelihood
Rating / Consequence Rating
Insignificant
(1) / Minor
(3) / Moderate
(10) / Major
(30) / Catastrophic
(100)
Almost Certain(3) / Moderate
3 / Moderate
9 / High
30 / High
90 / High
300
Likely(1) / Moderate
1 / Moderate
3 / Moderate
10 / High
30 / High
100
Moderate(0.3) / Low
0.3 / Moderate
0.9 / Moderate
3 / Moderate
9 / High
30
Unlikely(0.1) / Low
0.1 / Low
0.3 / Moderate
1 / Moderate
3 / Moderate
10
Rare(0.03) / Low
0.03 / Low
0.09 / Low
0.3 / Moderate
0.9 / Moderate
3

Appendix B: Hierarchy of Risk Controls

Figure 1: Hierarchy of Risk Control

Appendix C: Organisational Unit Risk Register

Refer to this black boxes, below, to support your organisational unit to place treated WHS risks on your organisational unit’s Risk Register.

Risk Identification / Risk Analysis / Risk Treatment (Future)
Risk Event / Risk Owner / Causes / Impacts / Existing Treatments / Risk Rating / Future Treatments / Action Owner / Resolution/
Review Date
/ / / / / Likelihood
(insert)
Consequence
(insert)
Risk Rating
(insert) / / /
Likelihood
(insert)
Consequence
(insert)
Risk Rating
(insert)
/ / / Likelihood
(insert)
Consequence
(insert)
Risk Rating
(insert) / /
Likelihood
(insert)
Consequence
(insert)
Risk Rating
(insert)

Page 1of 7 ACU WHS Risk Assessment Form for Practical Activities/Experiments March 2018