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Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment

Hazardous Substances 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

Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with hazardous chemicals and substances across your operations with this management-level Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment. This document supports executive Due Diligence, WHS Act compliance and the reduction of organisational operational liability linked to chemical use, storage and handling.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • Governance, WHS Duties and Due Diligence: Assessment of PCBU obligations, officer due diligence, allocation of responsibilities, and integration of hazardous substances risk into corporate WHS governance frameworks.
  • Procurement & Supplier Management: Management of pre-purchase risk assessments, supplier selection, verification of SDS quality, and controls for the introduction of new hazardous substances into the workplace.
  • Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment & Change Management: Systems for identifying hazardous substances, assessing exposure scenarios, and managing risks arising from process changes, new products or altered work methods.
  • Hazardous Substances Register, SDS & Labelling Systems: Establishment and maintenance of a compliant hazardous chemicals register, SDS currency controls, container labelling protocols and information accessibility for workers.
  • Storage, Segregation & Inventory Management: Controls for secure storage, incompatibility segregation, ventilation, inventory limits, decanting practices and prevention of leaks, spills and cross-contamination.
  • Engineering Controls, Plant Design & Infrastructure: Evaluation of ventilation, local exhaust systems, isolation, automation, containment, and plant layout to minimise airborne and contact exposure to hazardous substances.
  • Training, Competency & Information: Requirements for competency-based training of workers and supervisors, provision of instruction and supervision, and verification of understanding for hazardous substances tasks.
  • Health Monitoring, Exposure Monitoring & Occupational Hygiene: Assessment of when health surveillance, atmospheric monitoring and occupational hygiene assessments are required, including record-keeping and follow-up actions.
  • PPE Programs & Respiratory Protection: Selection, fit-testing, issue, maintenance and replacement of PPE, including respiratory protection programs and integration with other control measures.
  • Contractor Management & Interface with Other PCBUs: Protocols for information sharing, induction, permit systems and coordination of hazardous substances risks where multiple PCBUs or contractors are present.
  • Emergency Preparedness, Incident Management & Spill Response: Planning for chemical spills, releases, fires and exposures, including emergency equipment, response procedures, decontamination and post-incident review.
  • Waste Management, Transport & Environmental Interface: Management of hazardous waste classification, storage, disposal, transport arrangements and controls to prevent environmental contamination.
  • Consultation, Communication & Worker Engagement: Systems for consulting workers and HSRs on hazardous substances risks, communicating changes and encouraging reporting of concerns and near misses.
  • Performance Monitoring, Audit & Continuous Improvement: Establishment of KPIs, inspections, audits, incident trend analysis and corrective action processes to continually improve hazardous substances risk management.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Officers, WHS Managers and Safety Advisors responsible for organisational management of hazardous substances across workplaces, projects and facilities.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. Governance, WHS Duties and PCBUs’ Due Diligence
  • • Lack of clear WHS governance structure for hazardous substances leading to non‑compliance with WHS Act 2011 and WHS Regulations
  • • Officers not exercising due diligence to ensure appropriate resources, processes and verification for hazardous substances management
  • • Inadequate WHS policy framework addressing procurement, storage, use and disposal of hazardous chemicals
  • • Insufficient integration of hazardous substances risk management into broader organisational risk and assurance processes
  • • Failure to consult, cooperate and coordinate with other duty holders (e.g. contractors, landlords, labour hire providers) regarding hazardous chemicals
2. Procurement, Supplier Management and Introduction of New Substances
  • • Procurement of hazardous substances without prior WHS risk assessment or consideration of safer alternatives (substitution)
  • • Purchase of chemicals without current Safety Data Sheets (SDS) or with non‑compliant SDS
  • • Uncontrolled online or ad‑hoc purchasing bypassing WHS and procurement approvals
  • • Suppliers providing inadequate information about hazards, compatibilities, storage requirements and emergency arrangements
  • • Introduction of new hazardous substances into the workplace without consultation, training or update to registers and emergency plans
3. Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Change Management
  • • Failure to identify all hazardous substances present (including maintenance, cleaning and contractor‑supplied products)
  • • Outdated or generic risk assessments that do not reflect actual substances, quantities or conditions of use
  • • Lack of systematic review of hazardous substances risks when processes, plant or chemicals change
  • • Inadequate consideration of chronic health effects, synergistic exposures and vulnerable worker groups (e.g. young workers, pregnant workers, respiratory conditions)
  • • Risk assessments focused on tasks only, with insufficient focus on system and management failures
4. Hazardous Substances Register, SDS Management and Labelling Systems
  • • Incomplete or inaccurate hazardous substances register leading to unrecognised risks
  • • Registers not readily accessible to workers, emergency responders or contractors
  • • Safety Data Sheets missing, out‑of‑date or not specific to the product in use
  • • Non‑compliant or unclear labelling of containers, decanted products or temporary containers
  • • Contractor‑supplied or customer‑supplied chemicals bypassing organisational register and labelling systems
5. Storage, Segregation and Inventory Management Systems
  • • Inadequate storage design, segregation or ventilation for hazardous substances
  • • Exceeding maximum allowable quantities for certain classes of dangerous goods without appropriate controls
  • • Incompatible substances stored together leading to increased risk of fire, explosion or toxic releases
  • • Poor inventory management resulting in expired, degraded or unknown substances accumulating on site
  • • Improper storage in unauthorised locations such as offices, amenities or vehicles
6. Engineering Controls, Plant Design and Infrastructure
  • • Reliance on administrative controls and PPE instead of higher order controls for hazardous substances exposure
  • • Poorly designed ventilation, extraction or containment systems leading to airborne contaminant build‑up
  • • Inadequate design, maintenance or testing of fixed plant, tanks, piping or dosing systems for hazardous substances
  • • Lack of appropriate spill containment infrastructure in storage and handling areas
  • • Process changes or retrofit works compromising the integrity of existing controls (e.g. exhaust hoods, interlocks, isolation barriers)
7. Training, Competency and Information for Workers and Supervisors
  • • Workers and supervisors lacking knowledge of hazardous substances risks, control measures and legal obligations
  • • No formal competency requirements or verification for roles with significant hazardous substances exposure or management responsibilities
  • • Training limited to generic inductions without substance‑ or site‑specific content
  • • Inadequate supervision and monitoring of new or temporary workers handling hazardous substances
  • • Failure to provide training on early recognition of exposure symptoms and health monitoring requirements
8. Health Monitoring, Exposure Monitoring and Occupational Hygiene
  • • Unrecognised chronic exposure to hazardous substances leading to long‑term health effects
  • • Failure to implement legally required health monitoring for specific substances under WHS Regulations
  • • Lack of exposure monitoring data to verify effectiveness of existing controls
  • • Inadequate use of occupational hygiene expertise in designing and reviewing controls
  • • Poor communication of monitoring outcomes to workers and inadequate follow‑up of abnormal results
9. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Programs and Respiratory Protection
  • • Over‑reliance on PPE as the primary control for hazardous substances exposure
  • • PPE not selected, fitted or maintained in accordance with relevant standards and specific substance hazards
  • • Inconsistent use of PPE due to poor comfort, availability, supervision or understanding of risks
  • • Lack of documented Respiratory Protection Program where respirators are required
  • • No system for cleaning, storage and replacement of reusable PPE leading to secondary contamination
10. Contractor Management and Interface with Other PCBUs
  • • Contractors bringing hazardous substances on site without organisational oversight or integration into controls
  • • Conflicting procedures between PCBUs at shared worksites, leading to gaps in control and emergency response
  • • Insufficient verification of contractor WHS systems for hazardous substances management
  • • Lack of clarity over responsibilities for storage, manifests, waste and spill response for contractor‑owned chemicals
  • • Poor communication of site‑specific hazardous substances risks to contractors and visiting workers
11. Emergency Preparedness, Incident Management and Spill Response
  • • Inadequate planning for spills, leaks, fires or exposures involving hazardous substances
  • • Emergency equipment, such as spill kits, eyewash stations and safety showers, not matching the substances and quantities on site
  • • Poor coordination with external emergency services due to lack of up‑to‑date information on hazardous substances
  • • Workers and contractors not trained or practised in emergency procedures related to hazardous chemicals
  • • Incidents and near misses involving hazardous substances not being properly reported, investigated or used to improve systems
12. Waste Management, Transport and Environmental Interface
  • • Improper classification, storage or disposal of hazardous substances and contaminated waste
  • • Inadequate systems for managing empty or partially empty containers, leading to uncontrolled residual hazards
  • • Non‑compliance with transport and waste regulations for hazardous chemicals, including documentation and licencing requirements
  • • Uncontrolled release of hazardous substances to the environment (soil, water, air) during routine operations or incidents
  • • Poor coordination between WHS and environmental management systems, resulting in gaps in responsibilities and controls
13. Consultation, Communication and Worker Engagement
  • • Workers not informed or consulted about hazardous substances decisions that affect their health and safety
  • • Lack of accessible information on hazardous substances risks, controls and changes to systems
  • • Limited mechanisms for workers to raise concerns or suggest improvements related to hazardous substances
  • • Language, literacy or cultural barriers preventing effective communication of hazardous substances information
  • • Under‑representation of key groups (e.g. shift workers, contractors) in hazardous substances consultations
14. Performance Monitoring, Audit and Continuous Improvement
  • • Lack of systematic monitoring of hazardous substances controls and performance indicators
  • • Non‑compliance with legislation or internal standards going undetected due to weak assurance processes
  • • Findings from audits, inspections and incidents not being tracked to closure or used to improve systems
  • • Outdated procedures, risk assessments and training materials persisting due to infrequent review
  • • Over‑reliance on lag indicators (e.g. injury statistics) rather than proactive measures of control effectiveness

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
  • Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace – Code of Practice: Guidance on risk management for hazardous chemicals.
  • Preparation of Safety Data Sheets for Hazardous Chemicals – Code of Practice: Requirements for the content and management of SDS.
  • Labelling of Workplace Hazardous Chemicals – Code of Practice: Requirements for classification, labelling and hazard communication.
  • Safe Storage of Chemicals (including flammable and combustible liquids) – relevant Australian Standards: Guidance for design and management of chemical storage facilities.
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines
  • AS/NZS 1715 & AS/NZS 1716: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment and performance requirements.
  • AS 1940: The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids (where applicable to hazardous substances used on site).
  • Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS): International framework adopted in Australia for hazardous chemical classification and labelling.
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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