Australian risk management

Australian risk management is shaped by two things that get conflated, and the difference matters.

The first is legal duty. Work health and safety legislation requires duty holders to eliminate risks to health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable, and where that is not possible, to minimise them. That is an obligation, not a suggestion.

The second is the risk management guidance standard, which sets out principles and a framework for managing risk generally. It is guidance rather than a requirement, and it is not something an organisation is certified against.

Confusing the two produces two opposite errors. Treating the guidance standard as though it were compulsory, and treating the work health and safety duty as satisfied simply because a register exists somewhere.

Safe Work Australia publishes the duty. Standards Australia publishes the standard. This is general information rather than legal advice, and obligations vary by state and territory.

See Sentrient’s risk management system and work health and safety course.