General Risk Assessment Form Template for Australia

A General Risk Assessment Form is your essential tool for meeting workplace health and safety obligations under Australian law. This document helps you systematically identify potential hazards, evaluate risks, and implement appropriate control measures to protect workers and visitors in your workplace. Whether you're managing a construction site, office environment, or manufacturing facility, this form ensures you comply with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and demonstrate due diligence in risk management.

When do you need this document?

You must complete a risk assessment before starting any new work activity, introducing new equipment or processes, or when workplace conditions change significantly. This includes situations like hiring new employees, implementing new procedures, responding to workplace incidents, or conducting annual safety reviews. The assessment is also required when contractors enter your workplace, when you're planning workplace modifications, or if workers raise safety concerns. Regular reviews of existing assessments are essential, particularly after near-misses or when industry best practices evolve.

Key legal considerations

Your risk assessment must be comprehensive and cover all reasonably foreseeable hazards that could affect workers, contractors, or visitors. The assessment should evaluate both the likelihood of an incident occurring and the potential severity of consequences. You must document existing control measures and identify where additional controls are needed to reduce risks to acceptable levels. The form should include clear action items with assigned responsibilities and completion dates. Remember that risk assessments must be conducted by competent persons with appropriate training and experience. All affected workers should be consulted during the assessment process, and the completed document must be accessible to relevant personnel.

Legal requirements in Australia

Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, you have a primary duty of care to ensure the health and safety of workers and others at your workplace. This includes the obligation to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement control measures following the hierarchy of controls. Your risk assessment must comply with the WHS Regulations 2011, which specify detailed requirements for risk management processes. The assessment should consider physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial hazards relevant to your workplace. You must also ensure that personal information collected during assessments complies with the Privacy Act 1988. Documentation must be retained for the period specified in your state or territory WHS regulations, typically at least five years. Regular review and updates of risk assessments are mandatory whenever workplace conditions change or at least annually to maintain compliance.