When is a Risk Assessment Not Necessary?

It is well known that assessing the risks of a hazard is an important step in the process of managing risks to health and safety in a workplace. It may seem strange but sometimes it is not necessary to do a formal risk assessment.

When is a Risk Assessment not Necessary?

The Code of Practice: How to Manage WHS Risks (page 9) advises that a risk assessment of a hazard in your workplace is not necessary in the following situations:

- If legislation requires that the risks of that hazard must be controlled in a specific way then those requirements must be complied with.

- If a code of practice or other guidance sets out a way of controlling the risks of a hazard that is applicable to your situation then you can choose to follow the guidance and use the recommended controls.

- If there are well-known and effective controls that are in use in your particular industry, that are suited to the circumstances in your workplace then these controls can simply be implemented.

Keep in mind that section 9 of the WHS Act requires the PCBU to do everything reasonably practicable to minimise the risks of a hazard in your workplace. As Code of Practice says at page 4:

“You have to think about what could go wrong at your workplace and what the consequences could be. Then you must do whatever you can (in other words, whatever is ‘reasonably practicable’) to eliminate or minimise health and safety risks arising from your business or undertaking.”

Note:

This Code of Practice on managing WHS risks is an approved code of practice under section 274 of the Work Health and Safety Act (the WHS Act). An approved code of practice is a practical guide to achieving the standards of health, safety and welfare required under the WHS Act and the Work Health and Safety Regulations (the WHS Regulations).

25 July, 2016 (Reviewed 8 August 2024)

---