OH Consultant
Risk Assessment Software

Risk Assessment Software Built on the WHS Hierarchy of Control

Generic risk matrix tools don't know the difference between a SWMS, a plant risk assessment, or a psychosocial risk assessment. EHS Atlas gives you structured workflows for each risk assessment type — mapped to the WHS Act, Codes of Practice, and Australian standards.

5×5
Risk matrix
WHS
Hierarchy of control
All
Assessment types

Risk Assessments Without Structure Create Liability

A risk assessment that doesn't reference the WHS hierarchy of control isn't just incomplete — it's a liability in the event of an incident. Courts and regulators look at whether the organisation identified the hazard, assessed the risk correctly, and applied controls in the right order.

Spreadsheet risk assessments fail this test at scale. They're inconsistent across teams, don't prompt for the right control hierarchy, and create no audit trail showing that controls were actually implemented.

No hierarchy of control prompts
Spreadsheets list hazards and controls but don't enforce the Section 17 hierarchy — elimination first, then substitution, isolation, engineering, administrative, PPE.
Plant risk assessments are a separate spreadsheet
Plant hazard assessments under Part 5 of the WHS Regulation require a different structure to job safety analyses. Managing them in the same spreadsheet creates confusion.
No review workflow
Risk assessments should be reviewed when the work environment changes or on a scheduled basis. Without a system, reviews don't happen.
Psychosocial risks are missing
The Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work requires systematic identification and assessment of psychosocial risks — most organisations have no structured process.

Structured Risk Assessment for Every Hazard Type

EHS Atlas provides separate risk assessment workflows for physical hazards, plant and equipment, chemical hazards, and psychosocial risks — each mapped to the relevant Code of Practice and WHS Regulation provisions.

Every risk assessment enforces the hierarchy of control: you cannot record an administrative control without first documenting why elimination and engineering controls are not reasonably practicable. The audit trail shows the thinking, not just the outcome.

Features

⚠️
Hazard & Risk Register
Centralised risk register with 5×5 matrix, hierarchy of control fields, and residual risk tracking. Linked to tasks and work areas.
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Plant Risk Assessments
Structured plant hazard identification and risk assessment per WHS Regulation Part 5. Covers guarding, energy isolation, LOTO, and maintenance procedures.
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Chemical Risk Assessments
Chemical risk assessment linked to SDS data, exposure standards, and hierarchy of control. Covers storage, handling, and emergency response.
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Psychosocial Risk Assessments
Structured psychosocial hazard identification aligned to the Safe Work Australia Code of Practice. Covers workload, role clarity, conflict, and leadership.
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Job Safety Analysis
Step-by-step JSA workflow with hazard identification and control selection at each step. Exportable to PDF for toolbox talks.
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Risk Dashboard
Heat map view of risks by area, trade, or project. Residual risk trends and overdue review alerts.

Risk Assessment Requirements Under the WHS Act

Section 17 of the Model WHS Act 2011 requires PCBUs to eliminate risks, or where elimination is not reasonably practicable, minimise risks using the hierarchy of controls. This hierarchy — eliminate, substitute, isolate, engineering, administrative, PPE — must be applied in order. A risk assessment that jumps straight to PPE without considering engineering controls is not legally compliant.

For plant and equipment, WHS Regulation Part 5 requires hazard identification and risk assessment before new plant is commissioned, and when plant is used in a new way. For chemicals, the Hazardous Chemicals Regulations require risk assessments linked to SDS data and exposure standards. For psychosocial hazards, the Code of Practice on Managing Psychosocial Hazards creates a structured identification and assessment obligation.

Risk assessment software supports compliance with all of these obligations by providing structured workflows, forcing hierarchy of control documentation, and creating an auditable record of the assessment and the controls implemented.

References
  • Model WHS Act 2011, Section 17 — Hierarchy of Control — Legal requirement to apply controls in hierarchy order — risk assessment software enforces this.
  • Model WHS Regulation 2011, Part 5 — Plant and Structures — Hazard identification and risk assessment required for plant and equipment.
  • Safe Work Australia — Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work (2022) — Requires systematic psychosocial hazard identification and risk assessment.

Frequently asked questions

What is risk assessment software?
Risk assessment software provides structured digital workflows for identifying hazards, assessing likelihood and consequence, selecting controls, and recording the assessment outcome. It replaces spreadsheet-based risk assessments with an auditable system that enforces the WHS hierarchy of control.
Is risk assessment software different from a SWMS?
Yes. A SWMS (Safe Work Method Statement) is a specific document required for High Risk Construction Work under WHS Regulation 299. A risk assessment is the broader process of identifying and controlling hazards for any type of work. Risk assessment software manages both, plus other assessment types like plant risk assessments and psychosocial risk assessments.
What does a WHS risk assessment need to include?
Under the WHS Act and hierarchy of control (Section 17), a risk assessment must: identify the hazard, assess likelihood and consequence, document what controls are in place, explain why elimination and higher-order controls were or weren't reasonably practicable, and specify residual risk. The assessment must be reviewed when work conditions change.
What is a plant risk assessment?
A plant risk assessment is required under WHS Regulation Part 5 before registrable plant is commissioned or operated in a new way. It covers mechanical hazards, guarding, energy isolation, noise, vibration, and maintenance procedures. The assessment must reference the relevant Australian Standard for the plant type.
What is a psychosocial risk assessment?
A psychosocial risk assessment identifies and controls psychosocial hazards — factors in the work design, systems, or environment that can cause psychological harm. The Safe Work Australia Code of Practice on Managing Psychosocial Hazards lists 14 psychosocial hazard types including job demands, role clarity, remote or isolated work, and violence and aggression.
How often should risk assessments be reviewed?
Risk assessments should be reviewed when: the work activity changes, new hazards are identified, an incident or near-miss occurs, or a specified review date is reached. The WHS Act requires risk management to be ongoing — a risk assessment done once and never reviewed does not meet the Act's requirements.
Can risk assessment software help with ISO 45001 certification?
Yes. ISO 45001 Clause 6.1 requires hazard identification and risk assessment as the foundation of the management system. Risk assessment software provides the documented records, review workflows, and audit trails that ISO 45001 auditors look for during certification and surveillance audits.