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Composite Repair Risk Assessment

Composite Repair 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

Composite Repair Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Composite Repair activities using this management-level Risk Assessment, focused on governance, planning, equipment selection and WHS systems rather than task-by-task work instructions. This document supports executive Due Diligence, aligns with the WHS Act, and helps protect your business from enforcement action, prosecution and operational liability.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • Governance, Legal Compliance & WHS Accountability: Assessment of director and officer duties, allocation of WHS responsibilities, consultation arrangements and verification of compliance for composite repair operations.
  • Strategic Planning, Design & Change Management: Management of design decisions, engineering changes, new product introduction and process modifications affecting composite repair work, including formal change control and risk review.
  • Chemical Hazard Management: Assessment of risks from resins, hardeners, catalysts, solvents and additives, including SDS management, chemical approval processes and substitution or elimination strategies.
  • Airborne Contaminants, Dust & Fume Control: Management of fibre dust, vapours and fumes from cutting, grinding, lay-up and curing, including ventilation design, extraction systems and atmospheric monitoring.
  • Plant, Equipment & Engineering Controls: Evaluation of suitability, guarding, maintenance and inspection regimes for tools, mixers, spray equipment, curing systems and other plant used in composite repair.
  • Hazardous Area, Fire & Explosion Risk Management: Assessment of flammable liquids, static ignition sources, hot work, curing temperatures and hazardous area classification for composite repair environments.
  • Storage, Handling & Transport of Composite Materials: Management of decanting, segregation, bunding, temperature control and on-site transport of resins, hardeners, reinforcements and waste products.
  • Safe Systems of Work, Procedures & Documentation: Development and control of policies, risk registers, procedures, permits and work instructions that govern composite repair activities across the organisation.
  • Training, Competency & Supervision: Assessment of competency requirements, licence and ticket verification, toolbox talks and supervision levels for personnel undertaking composite repair tasks.
  • Health Monitoring, Exposure Surveillance & Fitness for Work: Implementation of health surveillance programs, baseline and periodic testing, exposure records and fitness-for-work controls for chemically exposed workers.
  • PPE Programs & Respiratory Protection Management: Management of PPE selection, fit testing, maintenance, replacement schedules and compliance with respiratory protection standards.
  • Work Environment, Ergonomics & Manual Handling: Assessment of workstation design, lifting and handling of materials, repetitive tasks, awkward postures and environmental conditions in composite repair areas.
  • Contractor, Visitor & Interface Management: Protocols for pre-qualification, induction, supervision and coordination of contractors and visitors working in or around composite repair operations.
  • Emergency Preparedness, Spill Response & Incident Management: Planning for chemical spills, fire, exposure incidents and first aid, including emergency equipment, drills and communication systems.
  • Monitoring, Auditing & Continuous Improvement: Systems for inspections, internal audits, corrective actions, performance indicators and management review of composite repair WHS performance.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Senior Managers, Safety Managers and WHS Advisors responsible for planning, approving and overseeing Composite Repair operations across their organisation or projects.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. Governance, Legal Compliance & WHS Accountability
  • • Lack of clear WHS governance structure for composite repair activities
  • • Non-compliance with WHS Act 2011, WHS Regulation and relevant Codes of Practice (e.g. Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace)
  • • Absence of documented WHS policy specific to composite repair and resin processing
  • • Unclear allocation of WHS duties between PCBUs, officers, supervisors and contractors
  • • Failure to consult, cooperate and coordinate with other duty holders on shared sites
  • • Inadequate due diligence by officers in monitoring WHS performance of composite repair operations
2. Planning, Design & Change Management for Composite Repair Work
  • • Composite repair tasks commenced without formal risk assessment or planning
  • • Poor design of repair methods leading to unnecessary exposure to resins, solvents and dusts
  • • Uncontrolled introduction of new resin systems, hardeners or catalysts without hazard review
  • • Lack of Management of Change (MoC) for new equipment (e.g. curing ovens, extraction systems)
  • • Inadequate consideration of environmental conditions (temperature, humidity) affecting cure and off‑gassing
  • • Failure to plan for waste management and residue handling (e.g. contaminated rags, resin sludges)
3. Chemical Hazard Management (Resins, Hardeners, Solvents & Additives)
  • • Exposure to hazardous resins, hardeners and catalysts (e.g. epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester systems) causing dermatitis, sensitisation or respiratory issues
  • • Insufficient review of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) leading to unrecognised acute and chronic health risks
  • • Incorrect decanting, mixing or transfer of hazardous chemicals increasing risk of spills and vapour release
  • • Use of incompatible chemicals leading to violent reactions, heat generation or off‑gassing
  • • Inadequate chemical inventory management resulting in expired or degraded products with unpredictable behaviour
  • • Poor labelling and secondary container use leading to misidentification and improper handling
4. Airborne Contaminants, Dust, Fume & Ventilation Control
  • • Fibreglass cutting, sanding and grinding generating airborne dust and respirable fibres
  • • Resin, styrene and solvent vapours accumulating in poorly ventilated repair areas
  • • Inadequate design, maintenance or positioning of local exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems
  • • Reliance on natural ventilation without verification of effectiveness for composite bonding activities
  • • Lack of air monitoring for styrene, solvents, isocyanates or composite dusts where relevant
  • • Overspray and aerosol generation from resin application techniques impacting adjacent work areas
5. Plant, Equipment & Engineering Controls for Composite Repair
  • • Use of unsuitable or poorly maintained equipment such as grinders, sanders, cutting tools and curing ovens
  • • Failure of extraction systems, curing equipment or heating devices leading to fire or fume events
  • • Absence of guarding, interlocks or emergency stops on powered equipment used in fibreglass repairs
  • • Inadequate electrical safety management for portable tools in dusty and resin-contaminated environments
  • • Improvised heating or curing arrangements (e.g. portable heaters, heat guns) increasing risk of ignition
  • • No system for verifying equipment suitability with hazardous locations (e.g. flammable vapour zones)
6. Hazardous Area, Fire & Explosion Risk Management
  • • Accumulation of flammable vapours from resins, hardeners and solvents in enclosed spaces
  • • Ignition sources such as welding, grinding, static electricity or non-rated electrical gear in resin-processing areas
  • • Inadequate classification of hazardous areas and lack of corresponding controls
  • • Improper storage of flammable liquids, catalysts and oxidising agents
  • • Failure to manage exothermic reactions in resin mixing leading to overheating or spontaneous combustion of waste
  • • Insufficient fire detection, suppression equipment and emergency response planning
7. Storage, Handling & Transport of Composite Materials
  • • Inadequate segregation and storage conditions for resins, hardeners, catalysts and fibreglass materials
  • • Manual handling risks associated with moving resin drums, rolls of fibreglass mat and repair components
  • • Unsecured storage leading to container damage, leaks or contamination
  • • Transport of hazardous chemicals on public roads without appropriate documentation or vehicle fit-out
  • • Lack of temperature control causing degradation or instability of stored resin systems
  • • Inadequate spill containment in storage areas
8. Safe Systems of Work, Procedures & Documentation
  • • Absence of structured safe systems of work for composite bonding and fibreglass repairs
  • • Over-reliance on informal practices and worker experience instead of documented procedures
  • • Procedures not reflecting current equipment, materials or legislation
  • • Confusing or overly complex documentation leading to poor uptake by technicians
  • • Failure to integrate supplier technical bulletins and SDS updates into work instructions
  • • Lack of version control and review of composite repair procedures
9. Training, Competency & Supervision for Composite Work
  • • Workers performing composite repairs, fibreglass work or resin processing without adequate training or competency assessment
  • • Limited understanding of long-term health risks such as sensitisation or chronic respiratory disease
  • • Supervisors lacking specific knowledge of composite hazards and control measures
  • • Inadequate induction for new workers, contractors or labour-hire staff
  • • No verification of competency for use of particular resin systems, curing equipment or ventilation controls
10. Health Monitoring, Exposure Surveillance & Fitness for Work
  • • Unrecognised exposure to sensitising agents in resins leading to occupational asthma or skin sensitisation
  • • Inadequate monitoring of workers regularly exposed to hazardous chemicals and composite dusts
  • • Failure to identify and manage workers with pre-existing conditions aggravated by resin or fibreglass exposure
  • • Poor management of fatigue, heat stress and other fitness-for-work factors in composite repair environments
  • • Lack of data to detect trends in exposure-related health issues
11. PPE Programs & Respiratory Protection Management
  • • Inappropriate or inconsistent use of respiratory protection during sanding, grinding or resin application
  • • Incorrect selection of gloves, coveralls or eye/face protection for specific resin systems and solvents
  • • Reliance on PPE as a primary control rather than as part of a hierarchy of controls
  • • Lack of fit-testing and training for tight-fitting respirators
  • • Poor PPE maintenance, cleaning and replacement systems leading to contamination and reduced protection
12. Work Environment, Ergonomics & Manual Handling in Composite Repairs
  • • Poor workshop layout causing unnecessary bending, reaching and awkward postures during fibreglass repair and bonding
  • • Manual handling of large repair sections, moulds or hull components leading to musculoskeletal disorders
  • • Inadequate lighting and noise control affecting accuracy and communication
  • • Thermal discomfort (heat from curing processes or poor insulation) impacting concentration and tolerance for PPE
  • • Slip, trip and fall hazards due to resin spills, offcuts and hoses in walkways
13. Contractor, Visitor & Interface Management
  • • Contractors performing hot work, electrical or building tasks near composite repair zones without understanding specific hazards
  • • Visitors entering resin-processing or fibreglass repair areas without adequate induction or PPE
  • • Poor coordination between different PCBUs working on shared sites (e.g. boatyards, workshops, client premises)
  • • Lack of control over subcontractor competency and compliance with composite-specific WHS requirements
14. Emergency Preparedness, Spill Response & Incident Management
  • • Inadequate preparedness for resin or solvent spills in composite repair areas
  • • Lack of clear procedures for managing acute exposure incidents (e.g. eye splashes, inhalation events)
  • • Emergency exits and routes compromised by stored materials, moulds or equipment
  • • Insufficient first aid resources and personnel trained for chemical exposure scenarios
  • • Failure to investigate and learn from incidents and near misses related to composite repair activities
15. Monitoring, Auditing & Continuous Improvement of Composite Repair WHS
  • • Lack of systematic monitoring of WHS performance in composite repair operations
  • • Non-compliance with established procedures and controls going undetected
  • • Failure to track and act on trends in incidents, exposures or near misses involving fibreglass, resins and bonding
  • • Outdated risk assessments that do not reflect current materials, equipment or work practices
  • • Limited worker involvement in identifying and solving WHS issues in composite repair

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
  • Model Code of Practice – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks: Guidance on risk management principles and duties.
  • Model Code of Practice – Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace: Requirements for storage, handling and use of hazardous chemicals such as resins and solvents.
  • Model Code of Practice – Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work: Guidance for noisy plant and processes associated with cutting and grinding composites.
  • Model Code of Practice – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities: Requirements for ventilation, amenities and general workplace conditions.
  • Model Code of Practice – Confined Spaces: Where composite repairs are undertaken in tanks, vessels or restricted spaces.
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines.
  • AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment.
  • AS/NZS 1716: Respiratory protective devices — Performance and testing requirements.
  • AS 1940: The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids.
  • AS 2161 (Series): Occupational protective gloves — Selection, use and maintenance guidance.
  • AS/NZS 45001:2018: Occupational health and safety management systems — Requirements with guidance for use.
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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