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Door And Window Installation Risk Assessment

Door And Window Installation 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

Door And Window Installation Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Door and Window Installation at a management and systems level, ensuring robust planning, governance, and oversight across all stages of the works. This Risk Assessment supports WHS Act compliance, strengthens Due Diligence for Officers and PCBUs, and helps protect your business from operational and legal liability.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • WHS Governance, Legal Compliance and PCBU Duties: Assessment of organisational WHS responsibilities, officer due diligence, consultation arrangements, and documentation required to demonstrate compliance.
  • Design, Engineering and Compliance of Door and Window Systems: Management of design verification, structural adequacy, glazing compliance, fall prevention, and interface risks with building elements and building codes.
  • Procurement and Supply Chain Management: Controls for supplier prequalification, specification of compliant products, traceability of materials, and assurance that procured systems meet Australian Standards and project requirements.
  • Contractor and Worker Competency Management: Protocols for licensing, competency verification, induction, supervision levels, and ongoing training specific to door and window installation activities.
  • Planning, Scheduling and Coordination of Works: Assessment of project staging, clash management with other trades, access to work areas, and integration of installation activities into broader construction programs.
  • Site Access, Egress and Public Interface Management: Management of segregation from the public, pedestrian routes, deliveries, working at building perimeters, and control of unauthorised access to work zones.
  • Plant, Tools and Equipment Management: Systems for selection, inspection, maintenance and safe use of lifting devices, power tools, access equipment, and temporary supports associated with door and window installation.
  • Manual Handling and Materials Handling Systems: Assessment of handling heavy and awkward frames, glazing units and hardware, including use of mechanical aids, team lifts, and safe storage and staging areas.
  • Hazardous Substances, Noise and Environmental Management: Controls for sealants, adhesives, cleaners, dust, noise from powered tools, and management of waste, offcuts and packaging to minimise environmental impact.
  • Systems for Inspection, Testing, Commissioning and Handover: Protocols for verifying correct installation, weatherproofing, fire and egress performance, security hardware function, and documentation at practical completion.
  • Ongoing Maintenance, Inspection and Repair Management: Assessment of lifecycle risks, scheduled inspections, adjustment and repair procedures, and communication of maintenance requirements to building owners and managers.
  • Emergency Preparedness, Incident Response and Continuous Improvement: Planning for emergency access/egress, incident notification, investigation processes, corrective actions, and review of WHS performance for ongoing improvement.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Construction Managers, Project Managers and Safety Officers responsible for planning, overseeing and governing Door and Window Installation activities across projects or portfolios.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. WHS Governance, Legal Compliance and PCBU Duties
  • • Lack of clear WHS governance structure for door and window installation activities across projects and sites
  • • Failure to understand and implement duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and WHS Regulation, including designer, PCBU, officer and worker duties
  • • Inadequate consultation, cooperation and coordination between principal contractor, builders, specialist door and window installers, suppliers and building managers
  • • No formal process to identify and manage specific high‑risk work obligations (e.g. work at height near external openings, use of powered plant, work in occupied buildings, fire door and egress hardware installation)
  • • Poor integration of WHS obligations into contracts, tenders and purchase orders for aluminium frames, fire doors, panic bars, closers and sliding systems
  • • Lack of documented risk management procedure for non‑standard installations (e.g. retrofitting panic bars, repairing jammed doors in live premises, replacing fire doors in fire‑isolated stairs)
  • • Absence of periodic WHS audits and management reviews targeting door and window installation systems
  • • Inadequate incident reporting and investigation processes for near misses involving doors, windows, sliding components and closers
2. Design, Engineering and Compliance of Door and Window Systems
  • • Use of non‑compliant or untested fire doors, frames, vision panels, seals or hardware that may compromise fire and smoke separation
  • • Selection of door closers, hinges, panic bars and sliding systems that are incompatible with door weights, dimensions, usage patterns or environment (e.g. coastal corrosion, high wind loads)
  • • Inadequate structural design of aluminium window and door frames leading to frame distortion, jamming or failure under wind or impact load
  • • Poor design of sliding and bi‑fold door systems leading to derailment, finger trapping, or excessive force required to operate
  • • Failure to consider emergency egress, accessibility and DDA requirements (e.g. panic bar operation, opening forces, clear width, threshold design) in door selection and layout
  • • Design changes on site (e.g. door handing, frame size, offset, hinge location) without engineering verification or updated fire test evidence
  • • Insufficient design consideration for maintenance access to overhead tracks, closers and automated systems, leading to unsafe maintenance practices
  • • Use of insect and fly screens, security grilles or bars that obstruct emergency egress windows or exit doors
  • • Insufficient acoustic or thermal design leading to retrofits and ad‑hoc modifications that undermine safety (e.g. undercut fire doors for air‑flow)
3. Procurement and Supply Chain Management
  • • Procurement of low‑quality or non‑compliant door and window products, including imported fire doors, panic bars, hinges and closers without adequate certification
  • • Inconsistent sourcing of aluminium extrusions, glass, hardware and fixings that leads to incompatibility or unreliable performance
  • • Poor traceability of fire‑rated and safety‑critical components, making it difficult to verify correct products were installed or replaced during repairs
  • • Lack of specification for WHS and performance requirements in purchase orders (e.g. load rating of hinges, closer strength, corrosion protection, glazing safety rating)
  • • Unmanaged substitution of specified components due to price or availability pressures, undermining the tested assembly (especially with fire doors and panic bars)
  • • Inadequate consideration of lead times causing rushed installations, workarounds, or use of unsuitable temporary doors or screens
  • • Failure to ensure suppliers provide safe use, installation and adjustment instructions, including for sliding and bi‑fold hardware and door closers
  • • Inadequate supplier WHS evaluation, resulting in unreliable or unsafe products (e.g. poorly manufactured tracks that deform, panic bars that jam)
4. Contractor and Worker Competency Management
  • • Use of installers or repairers who lack competency in specialist areas such as fire door installation, panic bar installation, or sliding and bi‑fold door configuration
  • • Inadequate understanding of manufacturer instructions for adjustment of hinges, closers and sliding components, leading to unsafe or unreliable operation
  • • Lack of awareness of specific WHS hazards associated with handling large aluminium frames, glazing, heavy doors and mechanical closers
  • • Insufficient knowledge of legal and technical requirements for fire door signage, hardware selection and modification restrictions
  • • Poor understanding of emergency egress, accessibility and user‑safety requirements when configuring locks, panic bars and door closers
  • • Inadequate competency in risk assessment, isolation of work areas and interaction with building occupants during repair of jammed doors and windows
  • • No verification of licences or tickets for associated tasks (e.g. use of EWP for high‑level installations, high‑risk work licences where applicable)
5. Planning, Scheduling and Coordination of Works
  • • Poor planning resulting in door and window works occurring simultaneously with other high‑risk construction activities, increasing congestion and interaction hazards
  • • Inadequate coordination with building management and occupants when adjusting or repairing entry doors, fire doors, sliding doors or windows in live buildings
  • • Work on external doors and windows without considering weather conditions, leading to wind‑related hazards, water ingress or unsafe temporary openings
  • • Insufficient planning for safe access to high‑level windows, overhead tracks or door closers, resulting in ad‑hoc ladder use or unsafe temporary platforms
  • • Failure to plan for temporary security or fire separation when doors and windows are removed or disabled during installation or repair
  • • Rushed work programs and unrealistic deadlines encouraging shortcuts, omission of testing and inadequate clean‑up of work areas
  • • Lack of sequencing planning for installation of aluminium frames, glazing, hardware and finishes, leading to rework and increased manual handling risk
6. Site Access, Egress and Public Interface Management
  • • Blocking or impairing emergency exits, stairwells or corridors while installing or repairing doors, windows or panic bars
  • • Inadequate control of public access near work areas, leading to members of the public walking under lifting operations or through partially installed openings
  • • Uncontrolled changes to egress routes when doors are removed, jammed or under repair, creating confusion during an emergency
  • • Installing door closers, locks or fly screens that increase opening forces or restrict door swing, affecting accessibility for persons with disability
  • • Leaving doorways, frames or windows partially installed or unlatched, creating fall‑from‑height or security risks
  • • Incorrect adjustment of panic bars or emergency exit hardware, causing doors to stick, fail to latch, or be difficult to open under crowd pressure
  • • Failure to provide clear signage, barriers and alternative routes during works, especially in schools, hospitals, shopping centres and other high‑traffic environments
7. Plant, Tools and Equipment Management
  • • Use of poorly maintained or unsuitable plant (e.g. drills, impact drivers, grinders, saws) during frame installation and door/hinge adjustment leading to injury
  • • Failure of lifting aids or handling equipment when transporting heavy doors, glazed units or aluminium frames to installation points
  • • Improper selection or adjustment of installation jigs, templates and setting tools resulting in misaligned doors, jamming and increased force required to operate
  • • Use of makeshift equipment for working at height on overhead tracks, door closers or upper storey windows (e.g. inappropriate ladders or platforms)
  • • Uncontrolled noise, vibration and dust from cutting and drilling operations affecting workers and building occupants
  • • Lack of pre‑use inspection systems for critical tools such as torque‑limited drivers used on aluminium frames and hardware fixings
  • • Inadequate management of electrical leads, portable RCDs and battery‑powered tools used around doorways and circulation paths
8. Manual Handling and Materials Handling Systems
  • • Injury from lifting, carrying or manoeuvring heavy or awkward doors, glazed units, aluminium frames and sliding panels without adequate mechanical assistance
  • • Strains from repetitive tasks such as installing multiple fly screens, insect screens or hinges over extended periods
  • • Uncontrolled movement of stacked doors, frames or glass awaiting installation or repair
  • • Poor materials‑handling routes to upper levels or remote parts of a site, leading to manual lifting up stairs or through narrow corridors
  • • Inadequate planning for receiving and storing long aluminium profiles, tracks and frames, causing bending, damage or instability
  • • Lack of systems for team lifts or coordination when installing large sliding or bi‑fold assemblies
9. Hazardous Substances, Noise and Environmental Management
  • • Exposure to hazardous substances such as sealants, adhesives, expanding foams, paints and cleaning agents used in frame and door installation or repair
  • • Generation of silica‑containing dust when cutting masonry openings, concrete sills or certain fibre‑cement products around doors and windows
  • • Noise from drilling, cutting and impact tools affecting workers and building occupants, particularly in enclosed or reverberant spaces
  • • Creation of sharp off‑cuts, metal swarf and glass fragments during frame trimming and hardware installation
  • • Inadequate waste management of removed doors, broken glass, insect screens and packaging, leading to slip, trip or cut hazards
  • • Use of aerosol lubricants and cleaning products on hinges, tracks and closers in poorly ventilated areas
10. Systems for Inspection, Testing, Commissioning and Handover
  • • Doors, windows, panic bars and sliding systems put into service without adequate functional testing, leading to jamming, slamming or failure when used in an emergency
  • • Incorrect adjustment of door closers, hinges and locks resulting in excessive operating force, uncontrolled closing speed or incomplete latching
  • • Failure to test emergency exit doors for full and reliable operation from the egress side after installation or repair
  • • Lack of documentation and labelling for fire doors, including missing tags, incorrect signage or unrecorded modifications
  • • Inadequate communication of limitations and maintenance requirements to building owners and facility managers at handover
  • • No process to verify that all temporary measures (e.g. temporary barriers, disabled closers, removed doors) have been removed or reinstated correctly at completion of works
11. Ongoing Maintenance, Inspection and Repair Management
  • • Lack of scheduled inspection and maintenance for high‑use doors, sliding systems, bi‑fold doors, panic bars and closers leading to progressive deterioration and failure
  • • Ad‑hoc repairs to jammed or misaligned doors and windows without reference to original design or manufacturer instructions
  • • Inadequate prioritisation of reported defects in fire doors, exit doors or windows used for rescue or ventilation, leading to prolonged unsafe conditions
  • • Use of unsuitable replacement hardware (e.g. non‑fire‑rated hinges, domestic grade closers) during maintenance works
  • • Poor record keeping of maintenance activities, component replacements and inspection findings, hindering trend analysis and assurance
  • • Maintenance carried out by untrained personnel, including building caretakers or cleaners, adjusting closers or disabling latches without understanding safety implications
12. Emergency Preparedness, Incident Response and Continuous Improvement
  • • Inadequate planning for emergencies occurring during door and window works, such as fires, security incidents or medical emergencies when exits are partially obstructed
  • • Delayed response to incidents or near misses involving doors and windows (e.g. fingers caught in closing doors, failed panic bar in a drill, glass breakage near public areas)
  • • Failure to analyse incident data and trends related to door and window performance (e.g. repeated jamming, frequent closer failures, sliding panel derailments)
  • • Poor communication of lessons learned from incidents, audits and inspections across different projects and teams
  • • Lack of integration of door and window safety considerations into building emergency plans and drills after alterations

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
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines
  • Code of Practice – Construction Work: Guidance on managing WHS risks in construction, including installation of building elements such as doors and windows.
  • Code of Practice – Managing the Risk of Falls in Housing Construction: Requirements for fall prevention where doors and windows are installed near edges, voids or elevated work areas.
  • Code of Practice – Hazardous Manual Tasks: Guidance for assessing and controlling manual handling risks when lifting and positioning doors, windows and glazing units.
  • Code of Practice – Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work: Requirements for controlling noise exposure from power tools and installation equipment.
  • AS 2047: Windows and external glazed doors in buildings – Performance requirements for structural adequacy, weatherproofing and safety.
  • AS 1288: Glass in buildings – Selection and installation requirements for glazing associated with doors and windows.
  • AS 1905.1: Components for the protection of openings in fire-resistant walls – Fire-resistant doorsets.
  • AS 1428 Series: Design for access and mobility – Requirements for doorways, clear openings and hardware to support safe access and egress.
  • AS/NZS 4801 / ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems – Principles for systematic WHS governance and continuous improvement.
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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