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Lubrication Greasing and Preventative Maintenance Risk Assessment

Lubrication Greasing and Preventative Maintenance Risk Assessment

  • • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
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Lubrication Greasing and Preventative Maintenance Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Lubrication Greasing and Preventative Maintenance at a management and systems level, ensuring your maintenance program is safe, efficient and defensible. This Risk Assessment supports executive Due Diligence, alignment with the WHS Act, and reduction of operational liability across your plant and asset portfolio.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • WHS Governance, Policies and Legal Compliance: Assessment of corporate policies, responsibilities and due diligence processes to ensure lubrication and preventative maintenance activities comply with WHS legislation and internal governance requirements.
  • Plant and Asset Design, Selection and Procurement: Management of risks associated with specifying, purchasing and installing plant and equipment to ensure safe access for greasing points, compatible lubricants and maintainable designs.
  • Maintenance Strategy, Planning and Scheduling: Evaluation of maintenance philosophies, task frequencies and planning systems to minimise unplanned breakdowns, hazardous reactive work and production pressures that compromise safety.
  • Safe Systems of Work and Maintenance Procedures: Development and control of documented procedures, job plans and work instructions for lubrication, greasing and preventative maintenance activities, including risk-based task authorisation.
  • Competency, Training and Supervision of Maintenance Personnel: Management of qualifications, task-specific training, supervision levels and competency verification for fitters, technicians and operators performing maintenance.
  • Contractor and Service Provider Management: Protocols for prequalification, induction, scope definition and performance monitoring of external maintenance contractors and lubrication service providers.
  • Plant Isolation, Lockout and Energy Control Systems: Assessment of isolation procedures, lockout/tagout hardware, stored energy controls and verification processes before commencing lubrication and maintenance work.
  • Lubricant, Chemical and Corrosion Control Management: Management of lubricant selection, compatibility, SDS information, storage, handling and corrosion control products to minimise chemical exposure, contamination and environmental risk.
  • Equipment Guarding, Interlocks and Moving Parts Protection: Evaluation of fixed and interlocked guarding, access covers and safety devices to prevent entanglement, crush and shear injuries during maintenance and greasing tasks.
  • Work Environment, Access and Ergonomics: Assessment of lighting, access platforms, confined spaces, working at height, manual handling and ergonomic design of lubrication points and maintenance locations.
  • Asset Condition Monitoring and Inspection Programs: Control of vibration analysis, oil sampling, visual inspections and corrosion surveillance to detect deterioration early and avoid hazardous failures.
  • Documentation, Records and Change Management: Management of maintenance histories, lubrication schedules, OEM manuals, drawings and formal processes for engineering change and configuration control.
  • Emergency Preparedness, Incident Response and Recovery: Planning for spills, fires, equipment failures and personal injury incidents linked to lubrication and maintenance activities, including communication and recovery protocols.
  • Leadership, Consultation and Worker Engagement: Systems for involving maintenance personnel in risk identification, toolbox talks, safety committees and continuous improvement of lubrication and preventative maintenance practices.
  • Performance Monitoring, Audit and Continuous Improvement: Establishment of KPIs, inspections, audits and review processes to track maintenance safety performance and drive ongoing improvement in the WHS management system.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Maintenance Managers, Asset Managers and Safety Professionals responsible for planning, governing and auditing Lubrication Greasing and Preventative Maintenance activities across their operations.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. WHS Governance, Policies and Legal Compliance
  • • Absence of a formal WHS policy addressing lubrication, greasing and preventative maintenance activities
  • • Failure to align maintenance systems with WHS Act 2011, WHS Regulations and relevant Australian Standards
  • • Inadequate definition of PCBU and officer due diligence responsibilities for plant and maintenance safety
  • • Lack of documented maintenance safety objectives, targets and performance indicators
  • • Poor integration of lubrication and preventative maintenance risks into the broader WHS management system
  • • Inconsistent application of policies between workshops, field sites and contractors
2. Plant and Asset Design, Selection and Procurement
  • • Procurement of machinery without adequate provisions for safe lubrication and greasing access
  • • Plant design that requires workers to access hazardous areas for routine lubrication (e.g. reaching into moving parts, working at height or over trafficable areas)
  • • Inadequate guarding or interlocks around lubricated moving parts and automatic doors
  • • Lack of built-in corrosion protection and access points for corrosion control treatments
  • • Use of incompatible or low-quality lubricants leading to accelerated wear, overheating or mechanical failure
  • • Failure to specify monitoring systems such as grease level indicators, automatic lubrication systems or condition monitoring points
3. Maintenance Strategy, Planning and Scheduling
  • • No formal preventative maintenance strategy for lubrication and corrosion control, resulting in reactive breakdown maintenance
  • • Inadequate maintenance intervals leading to excessive wear, overheating or seizure of moving parts
  • • Over-maintenance or incorrect lubrication intervals causing component damage or leaks
  • • Failure to incorporate manufacturer recommendations for machinery lubrication and preventative maintenance into site schedules
  • • Poor integration of automatic door maintenance and safety checks into maintenance plans
  • • Lack of visibility of overdue maintenance tasks and deferred work
  • • Ineffective periodic inspections of corrosion-prone assets leading to structural or mechanical failure
4. Safe Systems of Work and Procedures for Maintenance Activities
  • • Absence of standardised safe work procedures for lubrication, greasing, corrosion control and scheduled maintenance
  • • Inconsistent lock out tag out (LOTO) and isolation practices across different teams and sites
  • • Unclear requirements for routine manual servicing and repair of machinery, including mobile and fixed plant
  • • Failure to integrate safe systems for working near energised equipment, moving parts, pressurised systems and automatic doors
  • • Inadequate controls for work at height or confined spaces associated with lubrication or inspections
  • • Reliance on informal practices or worker memory instead of documented procedures
5. Competency, Training and Supervision of Maintenance Personnel
  • • Maintenance and lubrication tasks performed by personnel without appropriate trade qualifications or competencies
  • • Insufficient training in specific plant systems (hydraulics, pneumatics, automatic doors, high-speed equipment)
  • • Lack of awareness of hazards associated with lubricants, greases, corrosion inhibitors and cleaning chemicals
  • • Inadequate supervision of apprentices, new starters or contractors performing maintenance and lubrication work
  • • No verification of competency for critical tasks such as isolation, commissioning after maintenance or fault-finding
  • • Training programs that are not refreshed, recorded or evaluated for effectiveness
6. Contractor and Service Provider Management
  • • Use of external maintenance contractors who are unfamiliar with site-specific hazards and procedures
  • • Inadequate vetting of contractor competency for specialised maintenance activities (e.g. automatic door servicing, advanced lubrication systems, corrosion inspection)
  • • Poor coordination of contractor activities with site operations leading to conflicting work or exposure to moving plant
  • • Lack of clarity on responsibilities for WHS, isolation control and supervision when contractors are on site
  • • Insufficient verification that contractor maintenance documentation and certifications are current and compliant
  • • Failure to capture contractor findings, recommendations and maintenance records into the site CMMS
7. Plant Isolation, Lockout and Energy Control Systems
  • • Failure to isolate all energy sources (electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, gravitational) prior to lubrication or maintenance
  • • Inadequate tagging and lockout devices leading to inadvertent energisation during work
  • • Complex or poorly labelled isolation points on machinery and automatic doors
  • • Multiple work groups conducting maintenance with no coordinated isolation control
  • • Unclear processes for testing isolation and verifying zero energy state
  • • Removal of guarding or interlocks without proper isolation and authorisation
8. Lubricant, Chemical and Corrosion Control Management
  • • Improper storage, labelling or segregation of lubricants, greases and corrosion control chemicals
  • • Use of incorrect or contaminated lubricants leading to equipment failure, overheating or fire risk
  • • Exposure of workers to hazardous substances through skin contact, inhalation or ingestion
  • • Lack of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) or failure to follow manufacturer handling instructions
  • • Inadequate control of flammable or combustible lubricants in confined or poorly ventilated areas
  • • Poor management of used oil, grease and chemical waste causing environmental contamination and regulatory breaches
9. Equipment Guarding, Interlocks and Protection of Moving Parts
  • • Removal or bypassing of fixed and interlocked guards to access lubrication points or conduct manual servicing
  • • Inadequate guarding of rotating shafts, gears, pulleys, belts and chains that require periodic lubrication
  • • Faulty or defeated interlocks on automatic doors and machine guards
  • • Guards not reinstated after maintenance, exposing workers to moving parts
  • • Lack of documented inspection program for guards and interlock systems
  • • Inadequate design of guard access for routine lubrication leading to unsafe maintenance practices
10. Work Environment, Access and Ergonomics for Maintenance
  • • Poor physical access to lubrication points and inspection locations leading to unsafe body positions, overreaching or climbing on equipment
  • • Slips, trips and falls due to spilled lubricants, hoses, tools and components around maintenance areas
  • • Insufficient lighting in plant rooms, pits, roof spaces and other areas where preventative maintenance is performed
  • • Exposure to excessive noise, vibration or heat during lubrication and maintenance tasks
  • • Inadequate ventilation where cleaning solvents, aerosols or powered lubrication equipment is used
  • • Manual handling of heavy grease guns, drums, filter elements or components causing musculoskeletal disorders
11. Asset Condition Monitoring, Inspection and Corrosion Surveillance
  • • Lack of systematic inspections to detect early signs of wear, misalignment, overheating or lubrication failure
  • • Failure to identify and address corrosion in structural and mechanical components that support moving plant and automatic doors
  • • Unreported or unrecorded recurring faults in lubrication systems (e.g. blocked lines, failed automatic lubricators, damaged seals)
  • • Over-reliance on operator observation without formal inspection criteria or tools
  • • Inadequate documentation of inspection findings, leading to missed opportunities for preventative repairs
  • • Delayed response to defect reports due to unclear prioritisation or approval processes
12. Documentation, Records and Change Management
  • • Incomplete or inaccurate records of lubrication schedules, maintenance activities and part replacements
  • • Loss of historical maintenance data for plant, making it difficult to identify recurring issues or verify compliance
  • • Changes to plant, control systems or lubricants implemented without formal risk assessment or management of change (MOC) process
  • • Out-of-date drawings, manuals or lubrication charts used by maintenance personnel
  • • Poor version control of procedures leading to inconsistent work practices across shifts and locations
13. Emergency Preparedness, Incident Response and Recovery
  • • Unclear procedures for responding to plant failures, fires or entrapment incidents involving lubricated machinery and automatic doors
  • • Delayed emergency response due to lack of familiarity with isolation points and emergency stops
  • • Inadequate planning for spills or releases of lubricants, oils and corrosion control chemicals
  • • Failure to investigate and learn from near misses and incidents related to maintenance activities
  • • Inadequate arrangements to safely restore plant to service after emergency maintenance or breakdown repairs
14. Leadership, Consultation and Worker Engagement in Maintenance Safety
  • • Limited involvement of maintenance personnel in WHS decision-making and risk assessment for lubrication and preventative maintenance systems
  • • Poor reporting culture, with workers reluctant to raise concerns about plant condition, guarding or schedule pressures
  • • Inadequate communication between operations and maintenance teams regarding plant availability and risk priorities
  • • Lack of visible leadership commitment to safe maintenance practices and preventative strategies
  • • Failure to consult health and safety representatives (HSRs) on changes to maintenance procedures or plant modifications
15. Performance Monitoring, Audit and Continuous Improvement
  • • No systematic monitoring of WHS performance relating to lubrication, greasing and preventative maintenance activities
  • • Failure to identify systemic issues from recurring breakdowns or near misses involving poorly lubricated or corroded equipment
  • • Audit programs that focus only on documentation rather than field verification of maintenance practices
  • • Lack of follow-up on corrective actions identified from audits, inspections or incident investigations
  • • Complacency due to periods without major incidents, leading to erosion of preventative maintenance standards

Need to add specific hazards for your workplace?

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Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
  • Model Code of Practice – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks: Guidance on systematic risk management processes.
  • Model Code of Practice – Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace: Requirements for plant design, guarding, inspection and maintenance.
  • Model Code of Practice – Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace: Controls for lubricants, solvents and corrosion inhibitors.
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines.
  • AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018: Occupational health and safety management systems — Requirements with guidance for use.
  • AS 4024 Safety of Machinery (series): Standards for machinery guarding, interlocks and access for maintenance.
  • AS 1940:2017: The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids, relevant to lubricant storage and dispensing.
  • AS/NZS 60079 (series): Explosive atmospheres — For facilities where flammable vapours from lubricants or solvents may be present.
  • AS 2865: Confined spaces — Applicable where lubrication and maintenance tasks occur in confined environments.
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

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