1 Principles

The University is adopting a risk management approach to workplace health and safety.  It involves identifying hazardous situations in the work environment and assessing the associated risks; then taking action to eliminate or minimise the possible consequences of these situations.

2 Procedures

2.1 Obligations and responsibilities

All employees have an obligation to comply with the University's workplace health and safety policies, procedures and instructions to ensure a safe workplace.  This means that employees are required to take corrective action to guard against hazards at work, or report those hazards which cannot be immediately corrected.

The Vice-Chancellor delegates responsibilities for the management of workplace health and safety.

Category 3 Delegates or above must ensure that the functional areas of the University under their control comply with the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 (Qld), all applicable standards and University policies.  In carrying out these obligations, they are expected to establish processes for regular risk assessments and self-audits within workplaces.

Category 4 Delegates have an obligation to ensure the workplace health and safety of all employees and others under their control by preventing or minimising their exposure to risk.  To meet this obligation, they are expected to undertake risk assessments and self-audits within work areas.

Refer to USQ Workplace Health and Safety Policy for more details on workplace health and safety obligations.

2.2 Hazard identification and reporting

All individuals have an obligation to guard against or protect others from any hazards or incidents as soon as they are recognised.  If the hazards or incidents cannot be rectified immediately, the person must report the hazards or incidents to the appropriate Category 4 Delegate or above and USQSafe on the Hazard Report and Investigation form or to report via the University Hazard and Incident Reporting and Tracking System (UniHIRTS) on the University’s website. 

Refer to Hazard Reporting for more details.

2.3 Risk assessment

Risk assessment is a systematic examination of any activity, location or operational system in order to control hazards and manage risk.  A risk assessment enables an individual to:

• identify hazards;

• understand the likelihood and potential consequences of the hazards (ie the risk);

• review the current or planned approaches to controlling the risks; and 

• add new control measures where required. 

It is an ongoing process and should be carried out by Supervisors particularly when changes to equipment, layout or procedures occur in a work area.  A risk assessment of a work area is synonymous with a safety audit.

The process of risk assessment involves 8 basic steps:

Step 1: Decide who should be involved

Step 2: Identify hazards

Step 3: Analyse consequences (potential injury, property damage, etc)

Step 4: Assess risk (probability, frequency, severity of injury or loss)

Step 5: Determine action (methods of removing or reducing risk)

Step 6: Implement controls (redesign, removal, new methods, audit)

Step 7: Evaluate controls

Step 8: Keep a record of the assessment and review regularly

Risk assessment proformas have been developed for use at the University.  Cost centres are encouraged to use these forms or to contact USQSafe if they require assistance in developing forms, checklists and other tools more appropriate to their own needs.

2.4 Hierarchy of control

Actions resulting from risk assessments should follow the hierarchy of control, a systematic approach to selecting control measures.  It involves the selection of the most appropriate control measures for the particular hazard. The following group of control measures are available:

1. Elimination

2. Substitution

3. Redesign

4. Engineering

5. Administrative

6. Personal protective equipment.

When a control measure is being chosen, it is important to begin at the top of the list and work down until the most appropriate control measure is selected.  The nearer to the top of the list a control measure is, the more effective it will be.

3 Definitions

4 Other Policy Information