BlueSafe
Bushfire Safety Risk Assessment

Bushfire Safety Risk Assessment

  • • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
  • • Fully Editable MS Word & PDF Formats Included
  • • Pre-filled Content – Ready to Deploy Immediately
  • • Customisable – Easily Add Your Logo & Site Details
  • • Includes 2 Years of Free Compliance Updates

Bushfire Safety Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify, evaluate and control organisational risks associated with bushfire exposure and operations using this comprehensive Bushfire Safety Risk Assessment as a strategic planning and governance tool. Structured to support WHS Act due diligence obligations, it helps demonstrate WHS Risk Management, minimise operational liability, and protect your people, assets and continuity of business.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • Bushfire Risk Governance & Legal Compliance: Assessment of leadership responsibilities, due diligence, legal exposure and integration of bushfire risk into organisational WHS and business continuity frameworks.
  • Systematic Bushfire Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment: Management of processes for identifying fire weather triggers, fuel loads, site vulnerabilities and task-specific bushfire exposure across operations.
  • Emergency Planning & Evacuation Strategy: Development and review of bushfire emergency plans, evacuation routes, shelter-in-place criteria, trigger points and decision-making authority.
  • Preparedness, Monitoring & Warning Systems: Protocols for monitoring fire danger ratings, alerts and weather conditions, including use of apps, radios and warning services to inform operational decisions.
  • Land, Asset & Infrastructure Resilience: Assessment of asset protection zones, defensible space, access/egress routes, critical infrastructure protection and design considerations for bushfire-prone areas.
  • Hazardous Materials, Fuel & Ignition Source Management: Controls for storage and handling of flammables, vegetation and fuel load management, hot work permitting and ignition source control around structures and plant.
  • Worker Competency, Training & Bushfire Awareness: Requirements for competency, inductions, refresher training and role-specific bushfire awareness for workers, supervisors and emergency wardens.
  • Communication, Coordination & Command Structure: Definition of command hierarchy, incident control roles, internal and external communication channels, and liaison with emergency services.
  • Journey Management & Remote / Field Work Controls: Management of travel, remote work, access to high-risk locations, check-in systems and no-go criteria during elevated bushfire danger periods.
  • Health, Wellbeing & Smoke Exposure Management: Assessment of physical and psychological health risks, smoke and heat exposure limits, vulnerable worker considerations and return-to-work protocols.
  • Wildfire Response Activities & Operational Limits: Establishment of clear boundaries for what workers may and may not do during a bushfire, including withdrawal triggers, defensive actions and reliance on emergency services.
  • Contractor, Visitor & Public Interface Management: Controls for briefing, supervising and accounting for contractors, visitors and members of the public during elevated bushfire risk and emergency events.
  • Resources, Equipment & Maintenance for Readiness: Planning for fire-fighting and emergency equipment selection, inspection, maintenance, accessibility and compatibility with emergency services.
  • Documentation, Drills, Testing & Continuous Improvement: Systems for recording risk assessments, conducting drills and exercises, testing emergency procedures and closing out corrective actions following reviews or incidents.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, PCBU representatives, Safety Managers, Facility Managers and Emergency Planning Committees responsible for managing bushfire risk across workplaces, sites and field operations.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. Bushfire Risk Governance & Legal Compliance
  • • Absence of a formal bushfire safety policy aligned with WHS Act 2011 and state-based bushfire legislation and codes of practice
  • • Lack of clear senior management accountability for bushfire risk management, emergency planning and resourcing
  • • Failure to integrate bushfire risk into the organisation’s WHS management system and risk registers
  • • Inadequate consultation with workers and Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) on bushfire risks and controls
  • • Non-compliance with local council, CFA/FRNSW/QFES/DFES and planning regulations relating to bushfire-prone areas
  • • Failure to monitor and implement learnings from coronial findings, regulator guidance, and industry best practice
  • • Inadequate annual review of bushfire risk controls and emergency procedures
2. Bushfire Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment System
  • • Failure to identify all workplaces, outstations and work routes located in bushfire-prone areas
  • • Inadequate assessment of bushfire risk factors such as vegetation, topography, access/egress and local fire history
  • • No systematic consideration of bushfire impact on outdoor work, remote work, mobile workforces and contractors
  • • Failure to account for ember attack, smoke, heat, and secondary hazards (e.g. hazardous materials release, power loss)
  • • Static, one-off assessments that do not consider changing climate, land use and fuel loads
  • • Inconsistent documentation and communication of bushfire risk ratings for different sites and activities
3. Bushfire Emergency Planning & Evacuation Strategy
  • • Absence of a documented Bushfire Emergency Management Plan covering all relevant workplaces and field locations
  • • No clear triggers or decision-making criteria for ‘Evacuate in Case of a Bushfire in Vicinity’ versus stay/relocate to safer area
  • • Inadequate planning for rapid deterioration of conditions, road closures and changing fire behaviour
  • • Failure to nominate primary and secondary evacuation routes and external assembly points in safer locations
  • • No pre-identified local safer places, refuges or last-resort options in coordination with fire authorities
  • • Lack of arrangements for transport, headcount, and welfare of workers and visitors during evacuation
  • • Failure to incorporate after-hours, shift work, lone workers and visitors into evacuation planning
4. Bushfire Preparedness, Monitoring & Warning Systems
  • • Reliance on informal or ad hoc methods to monitor bushfire conditions and warnings
  • • Failure to systematically track Fire Danger Ratings, Total Fire Bans and local incident alerts
  • • No designated role responsible for gathering and interpreting bushfire information on high-risk days
  • • Inadequate process to quickly disseminate warnings and instructions to dispersed or remote workers
  • • Over-reliance on a single communication channel (e.g. email only) susceptible to power or network failure
  • • Workers unaware of official warning systems, terminology and their implications for work activities
5. Land, Asset & Infrastructure Bushfire Resilience
  • • Inadequate asset design or siting in relation to bushfire risk (e.g. buildings located in heavy fuel loads)
  • • Lack of defensible space and vegetation management around structures, storage yards and critical infrastructure
  • • Buildings not constructed or upgraded to relevant bushfire resistance standards for their Bushfire Attack Level (BAL)
  • • Vulnerable utilities (power, water, communications) with no redundancy or protection against bushfire damage
  • • Poor layout of access roads, gates and turning areas limiting emergency services access and safe egress
  • • Unprotected above-ground fuel and chemical storage susceptible to radiant heat and ember attack
6. Hazardous Materials, Fuel & Ignition Source Management
  • • Uncontrolled accumulation of flammable materials, waste, pallets and vegetation near buildings and plant
  • • Inadequate segregation and bunding of fuel stores, LPG cylinders and combustible liquids
  • • Poor control of hot work, grinding and other ignition sources on high Fire Danger Rating days
  • • Lack of procedures for plant operation, refuelling and parking during elevated bushfire risk
  • • No system to routinely inspect and maintain electrical, mechanical and vehicle systems to prevent sparks or leaks
  • • Failure to identify and manage chemical reactions or releases during bushfire exposure
7. Worker Competency, Training & Bushfire Awareness
  • • Workers unaware of bushfire risks, local conditions and organisational emergency arrangements
  • • Lack of competency in interpreting warnings, using communications equipment and following evacuation procedures
  • • No specific induction for new workers, contractors and visitors operating in bushfire-prone environments
  • • Inadequate training for supervisors and incident controllers in decision-making under bushfire conditions
  • • Failure to address language, literacy or cultural barriers to understanding bushfire instructions
  • • Overestimation of workers’ ability to defend assets or conduct wildfire response activities safely
8. Communication, Coordination & Command Structure
  • • Unclear roles and responsibilities during bushfire incidents leading to confusion and delayed actions
  • • Lack of structured incident command arrangements compatible with emergency services protocols
  • • Ineffective internal communication between field crews, depots, management and control rooms
  • • No reliable communication channels in remote or poor-coverage areas during bushfire emergencies
  • • Inadequate coordination with neighbours, tenants, landlords and local emergency services
  • • Multiple, conflicting instructions being issued to workers during fast-moving bushfire scenarios
9. Journey Management & Remote/Field Work Controls
  • • Workers travelling through or working within bushland or rural areas without structured journey management
  • • Inadequate route planning that fails to consider fire history, vegetation and potential road closure points
  • • No real-time monitoring of worker locations during heightened bushfire conditions
  • • Lone workers or small crews unable to receive timely instructions to evacuate in case of a bushfire in vicinity
  • • Vehicles not suitably equipped for emergency evacuation, smoke or heat exposure
  • • Failure to suspend or modify non-essential travel and field tasks on extreme and catastrophic fire danger days
10. Health, Wellbeing & Smoke Exposure Management
  • • Prolonged worker exposure to bushfire smoke, particulate matter and poor air quality
  • • Exacerbation of respiratory or cardiovascular conditions due to inadequate health screening and controls
  • • Heat stress and dehydration for workers undertaking wildfire response activities or evacuations
  • • Psychological stress, anxiety and fatigue arising from bushfire threats, evacuations and property damage
  • • Lack of systems to identify and support vulnerable workers during major bushfire events
11. Wildfire Response Activities & Operational Limits
  • • Uncontrolled or ad hoc attempts by workers to defend property or undertake wildfire response without proper systems
  • • Use of firefighting equipment (e.g. slip-on units, pumps, hoses) by untrained or unsupervised personnel
  • • Lack of clear organisational limits on wildfire response activities leading to unsafe exposure to radiant heat, smoke and entrapment
  • • Insufficient PPE, equipment maintenance and refuelling procedures for designated wildfire response teams
  • • Inadequate coordination with emergency services during on-site defensive actions
12. Contractor, Visitor & Public Interface Management
  • • Contractors operating in bushfire-prone areas without alignment to the organisation’s bushfire procedures
  • • Visitors and short-term workers unaware of local bushfire risks, alarms and evacuation arrangements
  • • No clear allocation of responsibilities for bushfire safety between host employer, principal contractor and subcontractors
  • • Public presence on or near worksites during bushfire or wildfire response activities leading to uncontrolled exposure
  • • Inconsistent communication of restrictions on access, parking and movement during high-risk days
13. Resources, Equipment & Maintenance for Bushfire Readiness
  • • Insufficient or poorly maintained firefighting and emergency equipment to support planned bushfire responses and evacuations
  • • Lack of documented maintenance schedules for pumps, hoses, water tanks, generators and emergency lighting
  • • Inadequate provision of bushfire-specific PPE for designated roles
  • • Failure to test backup power, water supply and communication systems prior to bushfire season
  • • No clear budget or resourcing plan for implementing and sustaining bushfire controls
14. Documentation, Drills, Testing & Continuous Improvement
  • • Outdated or inaccessible bushfire procedures, plans and maps during emergencies
  • • Lack of regular drills to validate evacuation and communication processes under realistic conditions
  • • No structured process to capture lessons learnt from drills, near misses and actual bushfire events
  • • Inconsistent record-keeping on training, equipment checks and bushfire-related decisions
  • • Failure to adjust bushfire controls in response to climate change, new technology or regulator guidance

Need to add specific hazards for your workplace?

Don't worry if a specific hazard isn't listed above. Once you purchase, simply log in to your Client Portal and add your own custom hazards at no extra cost. We take care of the hard work—creating the risk ratings and control measures for free—to ensure your document is compliant within minutes.

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing the Risk of Airborne Contaminants at Work: Guidance on managing smoke and particulate exposure for workers.
  • Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice: Requirements for safe access, egress and emergency arrangements.
  • Safe Work Australia – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice: Framework for hazard identification, risk assessment and control implementation.
  • AS 3745-2010 (Incorporating Amendments): Planning for emergencies in facilities, including emergency plans, diagrams and training.
  • AS 1851-2012: Routine service of fire protection systems and equipment relevant to bushfire readiness.
  • AS 3959-2018: Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas, referenced for asset and infrastructure resilience considerations.
  • State and Territory Bushfire and Emergency Management Guidelines: Jurisdictional requirements and best practice for bushfire preparedness and response.
Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)
  • Comprehensive hazard identification for all activities
  • Risk rating matrix with likelihood and consequence analysis
  • Existing control measures evaluation
  • Residual risk assessment after controls
  • Hierarchy of controls recommendations
  • Action priority rankings
  • Review and monitoring requirements
  • Consultation and communication records
  • Legal compliance references
  • Sign-off and approval sections

$79.5

Safe Work Australia Aligned