• What law applies
• Understanding hazards and risks
• What is risk management
• The five steps
  • Preparing for the five steps
  • Step 1 - Look for the hazards
  • Step 2 - Decide who might be harmed and how
  • Step 3 - Decide on control measures
  • Step 4 - Put controls in place
  • Step 5 - Review the controls
• Occupational health and safety auditing

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Step 3 - Decide on control measures

You need to answer the following questions:

• Are there legislated things that I must do in relation to the specific hazard?
• Is there a code of practice relating to the specific hazard?
• What are existing controls?
• Are controls as high as possible in hierarchy of control priorities?
• Do controls protect everyone exposed to harm?
• What additional controls are required?

If there is a provision within the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008 about any hazards you have identified then you must control the risks associated with those hazards in the way specified.

If there is a code of practice about any of the hazards you have identified then you must do what the code of practice says or adopt and follow another way that gives the same level of protection against the risks.

If there is no direction within regulation, or you choose to follow another way to protect against risks, you must consider the hierarchy of control measures to decide on what are appropriate control measures.

Hierarchy of control measures

Control measures should be implemented in the following order:

1. get rid of the harm or prevent the risk
2. if this is not possible:
   • replace with something less harmful
   • separate people from the harm
   • change work processes or the physical work environment, e.g. by redesigning work, plant, equipment, components or premises
   • apply administrative arrangements, e.g limit entry or time spent in a hazardous area
   • use personal protective equipment.