Health and safety risk assessments

All staff have obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) to:

• eliminate risks to health and safety where possible
• minimise risks as far as is reasonably practicable where eliminating them isn’t possible.

The Health and Safety Risk Management Procedure outlines our approach to managing health and safety risks at UQ, including responsibilities of staff, supervisors and heads of organisational units.

We use the UQSafe-Risk system to manage health and safety risk assessments.

Log in to UQSafe

When to complete a risk assessment

The Health and Safety Risk Assessment Procedure includes instruction on when to complete a risk assessment. Risk assessments assist in identifying the risk of exposure to people, and the sources and processes that may be causing the risk. Risk assessments are required when a hazard has been identified which may result in harm, and when:

• there is uncertainty about a task or activity that may result in a risk of harm to a person or the environment; or
• there are several hazards and there is lack of understanding on how they may interact with each other to produce other risks; or
• there are changes in the workplace, the task or the activity; or
• an incident or near miss has occurred

A detailed risk assessment may not be required in low-risk office environments if there are well-known and effective controls already in use that are suited to the circumstances of that environment and/or work group. For example, UQ has well documented and implemented safety and emergency procedures in place for work groups occupying offices in UQ managed buildings and sites.

Training guide: When to complete a risk assessment

How to complete a risk assessment

UQSafe is the platform used by UQ staff and students to create and document risk assessments associated with their work and research. Risk assessments must be completed by the person or people performing the tasks (Risk Owner). Managers and supervisors are responsible for ensureing risk assessments are completed when required, and for reviewing and approving risk assessments completed by their staff/students. 

Steps:

1. Determine whether a formal risk assessment is required.
2. Identify the hazards and risk factors associated with the task or process.
3. Discuss hazards and controls with those performing the task.
4. Draft a risk assessment in UQSafe R2 (staff login required).
5. Send the risk assessment for peer review to get feedback from subject experts or your local Safety Team.
6. Submit the risk assessment to your supervisor for review and approval.

Training guide: Create a Risk Assessment in UQSafe

Approval of risk assessments

Once completed, the risk owner ‘submits’ the risk assessment which automatically workflows to the risk approver (their Supervisor). Supervisors must review and approve risk assessments for their workers to ensure all hazards and risk factors have been identified, and proposed controls are adequate and effective. 

• The Risk Assessment Name is clear and follows correct nomenclature.
• Basic details are correct, including Location Category and Organisational Unit.
• Includes a clear description of the task/process/activity (this may be included as an attachment).
• Relevant documents have been referenced and attached.
• All foreseeable hazards and risk sources have been identified and clearly described.
• Controls have been adequately described and selected based on the Hierarchy of Controls.
• The calculated risk level is proportionate and acceptable.
• Complex and/or high inherent risk tasks have had input by a subject matter expert.
• Relevant regulations, Code of Practice, and standards have been considered.

Training guide: Create a Risk Assessment in UQSafe

Safety Team Verification

To monitor quality, local Safety Teams are required to review and verify a sample of risk assessments within their area of responsibility. Where it is identified that improvements are required to risk assessments, consultation with the Risk Owner (worker/student) and Risk Approver (supervisor) is required. If the risk assessment requires significant revision, a 'Formal Review' should be conducted. 

Training guide: UQSafe risk assessment verification

UQSafe Training Videos