Skip to content

Precautionary Principle

Definition overview

1 Definition

The Precautionary Principle or precautionary approach states that if an action or Policy or Procedure has a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or to the environment, in the absence of scientific consensus that the action or Policy or Procedure is harmful, the burden of proof that it is not harmful falls on those taking the action.

2 References

UniSQ Defined.

3 Definition Information

Approved Date

1/7/2013

Effective Date

1/7/2013

Record No

14/272PL

Complying with the law and observing Policy and Procedure is a condition of working and/or studying at the University.

* This file is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) which requires the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader. A free copy of Acrobat Reader may be obtained from Adobe. Users who are unable to access information in PDF should email policy@usq.edu.au to obtain this information in an alternative format.