WHS Risk Assessment — Meeting Your Legal Obligations
A managed WHS risk assessment service for Australian PCBUs and SMEs. Advisor‑guided, aligned to the WHS Act 2011, and designed to produce documentation that satisfies regulators, insurers, and incident investigators.
The obligation every PCBU carries
The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 requires PCBUs to ensure the health and safety of workers and others so far as reasonably practicable. This includes identifying hazards, assessing risks, and implementing controls — with documentation that demonstrates the process was genuine.
Safe Work Australia and state regulators can audit your WHS arrangements at any time. Businesses unable to produce adequate documentation face improvement notices, fines, and personal liability for officers under section 27.
A WHS risk assessment is the foundational record regulators expect to see.
What a WHS risk assessment covers
Hazard identification
Identifying hazards relevant to your workplace, plant, equipment, systems of work, and worker activities.
Risk evaluation
Assessing likelihood and consequence using a recognised risk matrix.
Control selection
Selecting controls using the hierarchy — elimination through to PPE — with documented rationale.
Residual risk assessment
Confirming remaining risk is as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).
Review schedule
Setting reassessment triggers — incidents, near misses, or operational changes.
Documentation
Producing a regulator‑ready record of the full assessment process.
Why self‑managed assessment creates exposure
Many businesses complete their own assessments using templates or industry guidance. This is common — and commonly inadequate.
The WHS Regulations require that the person conducting the assessment has the knowledge to identify hazards and apply controls appropriate to the specific work. A business owner or manager completing a template rarely meets this standard.
When an incident occurs, investigators examine whether the assessment was competent and site‑specific. Self‑assessed documentation that cannot demonstrate this is a liability for the business and for individual officers.
What advisor‑guided assessment provides
- Competent assessment: Conducted by a risk advisor with WHS knowledge and industry experience — not by a template.
- Regulatory alignment: Methodology aligned to Safe Work Australia guidance and state WHS regulations.
- Defensible documentation: A documented record of hazard identification, risk scoring, and control selection — suitable for regulators, insurers, and investigations.
- Officer‑level evidence: Documentation that supports officer due diligence obligations by demonstrating appropriate WHS systems.
Frequently asked questions
What is a WHS risk assessment service?
It is an advisor-guided service that helps Australian businesses assess hazards, apply controls, and produce defensible WHS documentation.
How is this different from using a template?
A service adds competency, context, and documentation quality that a generic template cannot provide on its own.
Does it help with WHS Act compliance?
Yes. The process is aligned to the WHS Act 2011, Safe Work Australia guidance, and the hierarchy of controls.
Speak with a Risk Advisor
Talk to a risk advisor about your WHS obligations and what a managed assessment would involve for your business.
Contact a Risk Advisor