Risk Management

To effectively reduce the risks to health and safety it is important to identify the hazards and controls present in a task or process, and assess the risk to identify if further controls are required. 

Risk management must be completed on all processes/procedures/activities that involve the use of machinery/equipment whether existing machinery/equipment or designed within the university where there is a risk to harm.

Machinery/equipment must be made safe for use before activities using machinery/equipment commence or the introduction of new procedures or processes that use machinery/equipment.  It is also important to review risks when procedures or processes that use machinery/equipment are modified or when designing machinery/equipment.

Risk can be reduced through design to remove or isolate hazards within the machinery/equipment and through the addition of emergency stop devicesisolation devices (for all energy sources), adequate guarding and including ergonomic considerations.

Monash has a risk management process which can be accessed via the following link:

Risk Control Program

"GENERIC" risk assessments for machinery, equipment and processes with similar identified hazards may be completed and also minimum controls identified to elimninate or reduce the risk as far as reasonably practicable should be in place. These Generic assessments should only be used as a guide and modified to suit the equipment/machines being assessed by qualified staff for each work area and process they are used for.

Risk assessment is also an important step in developing safe work instructions

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