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Mining Gas Extraction and Hydraulic Fracturing Risk Assessment

Mining Gas Extraction and Hydraulic Fracturing Risk Assessment

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

Mining Gas Extraction and Hydraulic Fracturing Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Mining Gas Extraction and Hydraulic Fracturing through a structured, management-level WHS Risk Management framework that addresses planning, governance, systems and resourcing. This Risk Assessment supports compliance with the Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations while reducing operational liability and demonstrating executive Due Diligence.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • Governance, Legal Compliance and WHS Due Diligence: Assessment of board and executive oversight, WHS governance structures, statutory obligations, licence conditions and evidence of due diligence for unconventional gas operations.
  • Safety Leadership, Culture and Worker Engagement: Management of leadership behaviours, consultation mechanisms, reporting culture, and workforce engagement in safety-critical decisions across drilling and fracturing programs.
  • Contractor and Supply Chain Management: Protocols for prequalification, selection, mobilisation and performance monitoring of drilling, fracking and logistics contractors, including interface risk management and supply chain assurance.
  • Competency, Training and Authorisation Systems: Assessment of competency frameworks, verification of skills, high-risk work licences, and authorisation processes for supervisors, well control personnel and specialist service providers.
  • Well Design, Integrity and Lifecycle Management: Management of design standards, casing and cementing requirements, integrity testing, monitoring and maintenance throughout exploration, production and decommissioning phases.
  • Process Safety and High‑Pressure System Management: Controls for well control barriers, pressure containment, blowout prevention systems, safety‑critical equipment maintenance and process safety performance indicators.
  • Hazardous Chemicals, Fracturing Fluids and Waste Management: Assessment of chemical selection, SDS management, storage and handling, flowback and produced water management, waste classification and disposal pathways.
  • Groundwater, Gas Migration and Environmental Interface Risks: Management of subsurface risk assessments, monitoring bores, gas migration controls, surface spill prevention and integration with environmental approvals.
  • Land Access, Community and Regulatory Stakeholder Management: Protocols for landholder engagement, access agreements, complaint handling, community impact mitigation and regulatory liaison and reporting.
  • Remote and Isolated Work, Fatigue and Labour Planning: Assessment of roster design, fatigue risk management, remote work procedures, journey management and workforce resourcing for 24/7 operations.
  • Traffic, Mobile Plant and Well Pad Layout Management: Management of traffic flows, heavy vehicle movements, pad layout design, segregation of people and plant, and interface with public roads and nearby land users.
  • Permit to Work, Isolation and Confined Space Systems: Governance of work permitting, energy isolation, lock‑out/tag‑out, confined space entry and simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) at well sites and processing areas.
  • Emergency Preparedness, Response and Crisis Management: Planning for well control incidents, chemical spills, fire and explosion, medical emergencies and major environmental events, including escalation to crisis management teams.
  • Health Monitoring, Occupational Hygiene and Psychosocial Risks: Assessment of exposure to noise, dust, silica, diesel particulates and chemicals, health surveillance programs, camp living conditions and psychosocial risk controls.
  • Information Management, Documentation and Change Control: Systems for managing procedures, risk registers, well files, technical standards, management of change (MOC) and records required to demonstrate WHS compliance.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Senior Executives, Operations Managers and Safety Leaders responsible for planning, approving and governing Mining Gas Extraction and Hydraulic Fracturing activities across their organisation and supply chain.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. Governance, Legal Compliance and WHS Due Diligence
  • • Inadequate understanding and application of WHS Act 2011 and WHS Regulation requirements to coal seam gas and hydraulic fracturing operations
  • • Lack of clear WHS governance structure and accountability from Board through to site leadership
  • • Failure to incorporate Safety in Design and hierarchy of control into project approvals and major change decisions
  • • Inadequate processes to identify and comply with overlapping duties (PCBU to PCBU, principal contractor, labour hire, subcontractors)
  • • Insufficient WHS reporting, leading and lagging indicators to verify effectiveness of the WHS management system
  • • Poor integration of environmental approvals, petroleum and gas legislation and land access conditions with WHS obligations
  • • Failure to consult with workers and other duty holders on major WHS risks related to gas extraction and re‑stimulation projects
2. Safety Leadership, Culture and Worker Engagement
  • • Management emphasis on production and schedule over safety in drilling, completions and fracturing operations
  • • Normalisation of deviance where unsafe practices become accepted (e.g. bypassing controls, informal procedures)
  • • Insufficient mechanisms for workers and contractors to report hazards, near misses and safety concerns without fear of reprisal
  • • Poor integration of contractor workforce into site safety culture and communication channels
  • • Lack of learning from incidents, process safety events and high‑potential near misses across projects and sites
3. Contractor and Supply Chain Management
  • • Use of drilling, completions and hydraulic fracturing contractors whose WHS systems are inadequate or not equivalent to principal PCBU standards
  • • Gaps between client and contractor procedures resulting in confusion about which systems apply on site
  • • Pressure on contractors from commercial arrangements that may incentivise corner‑cutting or excessive work hours
  • • Inadequate pre‑qualification of specialist service providers (e.g. wireline, pumping services, chemical suppliers, transport) for high‑risk operations
  • • Lack of verification that critical equipment provided by contractors meets Australian Standards and site specifications
  • • Poor management of subcontractors and labour hire personnel by primary contractors
4. Competency, Training and Authorisation Systems
  • • Inadequate competency of personnel performing high‑risk tasks such as well control, high‑pressure pumping, wireline operations and gas monitoring
  • • Reliance on informal on‑the‑job training without formal assessment against competency standards
  • • Training not tailored to risks specific to coal seam gas extraction, direct re‑stimulation and hydraulic fracturing activities
  • • No systematic verification of licences, high risk work permits and professional qualifications for relevant roles
  • • Insufficient refresher training for emergency response, well control and process safety critical roles
  • • Language, literacy or cultural barriers reducing effectiveness of training and communication for a diverse workforce
5. Well Design, Integrity and Lifecycle Management
  • • Inadequate well design for geological conditions leading to loss of well integrity, blowouts or gas migration
  • • Failure of casing, cementing or packers due to poor design verification, construction quality or monitoring
  • • Insufficient assessment of legacy wells and previous stimulation history prior to direct re‑stimulation projects
  • • Inadequate barriers and isolation between coal seams, aquifers and surface, increasing risk of contamination or uncontrolled gas flow
  • • Lack of structured well integrity management system across design, drilling, completion, production and abandonment phases
  • • Poor record‑keeping of well construction, modifications and pressure tests
6. Process Safety and High‑Pressure System Management
  • • Over‑pressurisation of well, surface lines or frac equipment leading to catastrophic failure and release of gas or fluids
  • • Inadequate design and maintenance of pressure relief, emergency shutdown and interlock systems
  • • Failure of temporary surface piping, manifolds and connections used for fracturing and flowback operations
  • • Poor control of simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) involving drilling, fracturing, wireline, coiled tubing, lifting and vehicle movements
  • • Uncontrolled gas release during perforation, flowback, well clean‑up or equipment change‑out
  • • Inaccurate or failed pressure, flow and gas detection instrumentation
7. Hazardous Chemicals, Fracturing Fluids and Waste Management
  • • Exposure of workers to hazardous chemicals in fracturing fluids, proppants and additives via inhalation, skin contact or ingestion
  • • Inadequate assessment and control of chemical compatibility, reactions or degradation products under downhole conditions
  • • Spills or leaks of chemicals, produced water or flowback fluids impacting workers and environment
  • • Inadequate segregation, labelling and storage of hazardous substances on well pads and in laydown yards
  • • Poor management of waste streams (e.g. drill cuttings, contaminated soils, filter media, used chemicals) creating ongoing health and environmental risks
  • • Insufficient disclosure and communication of chemical hazards to workers, regulators and affected landholders
8. Groundwater, Gas Migration and Environmental Interface Risks
  • • Uncontrolled migration of gas into groundwater or to surface due to inadequate isolation or failure of well barriers
  • • Induced fractures intersecting other wells or preferential pathways leading to gas or fluid migration
  • • Inadequate baseline and ongoing groundwater monitoring to detect changes associated with CSG extraction or re‑stimulation
  • • Insufficient integration between environmental management plans and WHS risk controls on well pads and gathering systems
  • • Community and landholder concern or opposition escalating into psychosocial risks for workers and conflict at worksites
9. Land Access, Community and Regulatory Stakeholder Management
  • • Poorly managed land access negotiations leading to hostility, protest or obstruction at sites
  • • Failure to comply with land access conditions, biosecurity requirements or agreed activity plans
  • • Inadequate management of community complaints, concerns or misinformation about hydraulic fracturing and CSG risks
  • • Regulatory non‑compliance or poor communication with petroleum, environment and WHS regulators
  • • Psychosocial stress for workers arising from conflict with landholders or community activists
10. Remote and Isolated Work, Fatigue and Labour Planning
  • • Workers operating in remote locations with delayed emergency response and limited access to medical support
  • • Fatigue arising from long shifts, night work, camp rosters and travel to and from isolated CSG and fracturing sites
  • • Inadequate journey management and road risk controls for travel between camps, depots and well pads
  • • Insufficient systems to monitor lone workers or small crews during night operations, well testing and flowback monitoring
  • • Workforce planning not adequately resourced for peak fracturing campaigns, resulting in overtime and excessive work hours
11. Traffic, Mobile Plant and Well Pad Layout Management
  • • Congested well pads with multiple heavy vehicles, cranes, frac pumps, chemical tankers and light vehicles operating simultaneously
  • • Poor segregation of pedestrian, light vehicle and heavy plant movements on pads and access tracks
  • • Inadequate design of pad layout, access roads and parking leading to vehicle conflicts and restricted emergency access
  • • Uncontrolled third‑party access to operational areas (e.g. landholders, visitors, inspectors) without adequate briefing or controls
  • • Improper lifting planning and management for rig up/rig down, coil units and heavy component handling
12. Permit to Work, Isolation and Confined Space Systems
  • • Failure to adequately isolate wells, lines, vessels or electrical systems prior to maintenance, intervention or modification work
  • • Incomplete or ineffective permit to work systems for hot work, working at height, confined space and invasive activities
  • • Uncontrolled re‑pressurisation or gas ingress into work areas during maintenance or re‑stimulation preparation
  • • Confined space risks in tanks, separators, pits or enclosed process equipment associated with CSG and fracturing operations
  • • Informal bypassing or normalisation of deviations from isolation and permit systems under time pressure
13. Emergency Preparedness, Response and Crisis Management
  • • Inadequate planning and resourcing for credible emergency scenarios such as well control incidents, gas releases, fires, vehicle rollovers or medical events
  • • Emergency response plans not tailored to remote CSG and fracturing locations, actual workforce composition and contractor arrangements
  • • Lack of coordination between operator, contractors, emergency services, regulators and landholders during incidents
  • • Insufficient drills and exercises to test readiness for well control, site evacuation and mass casualty scenarios
  • • Poor communication systems and redundancy for use during emergencies
14. Health Monitoring, Occupational Hygiene and Psychosocial Risks
  • • Chronic exposure to noise, silica, diesel emissions, chemical vapours or other airborne contaminants at drilling and fracturing sites
  • • Inadequate health monitoring for workers exposed to hazardous substances in fracturing fluids, produced gas and flowback operations
  • • Psychosocial hazards including remote work isolation, long rosters, job insecurity and exposure to community hostility
  • • Insufficient management of heat stress, cold stress or weather‑related health impacts for outdoor workers
  • • Inadequate integration of occupational health considerations into contractor management systems
15. Information Management, Documentation and Change Control
  • • Outdated or conflicting procedures and technical documents in circulation across multiple CSG and hydraulic fracturing sites
  • • Informal changes to frac designs, pump schedules, chemicals or well operating envelopes without formal review
  • • Loss or fragmentation of critical well and process safety information across different contractors and data systems
  • • Inadequate communication of changes in risk controls, lessons learned or new regulatory requirements to field personnel
  • • Failure to capture operational learnings from re‑stimulation campaigns and apply them to future projects

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
  • AS/NZS 4801 / ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems — Requirements with guidance for use.
  • AS 2885 (series): Pipelines – Gas and liquid petroleum, for interface with gathering and transmission systems where applicable.
  • AS/NZS 60079 (series): Explosive atmospheres — Requirements for equipment and electrical installations in hazardous areas.
  • AS 1940: The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids, relevant to fuel and chemical management.
  • Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks: Guidance on systematic risk management processes.
  • Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace: Requirements for chemical selection, storage, handling and disposal.
  • Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Confined Spaces: Guidance for confined space entry and control systems in process and wellsite environments.
  • Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work: Applicable to drilling, pumping and plant operations.
  • Relevant State and Territory Petroleum, Environmental and Groundwater Protection Legislation: For alignment with jurisdictional requirements on well integrity, environmental impact and land access.
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

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