Last updated:
A construction risk assessment is the process of identifying the hazards of building work, working out how likely and how serious harm could be, and choosing controls to reduce the risk. On Australian sites, it underpins the WHS management plan, safe work method statements (SWMS) for high risk construction work, and day-to-day decisions about how work is done.
Risk Assessments in Construction: A Practical Guide to Identifying and Controlling Site Risks
Construction sites change every day. New trades arrive, excavations open, scaffolds go up and plant moves around people on foot. A risk assessment done once at the start of a job won’t keep up. This guide covers what WHS law expects, when a SWMS is needed, a practical step-by-step process, and how to keep assessments live as the site changes.
Key points
- Every PCBU on a construction site must manage risks so far as is reasonably practicable.
- High risk construction work needs a SWMS before the work starts.
- Construction projects valued at $250,000 or more need a principal contractor and a WHS management plan.
- Start risk management at the design and planning stage, not when work begins.
- Review assessments whenever the work, the site or the controls change.
What WHS law expects
Under WHS laws, each person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) on a site, including builders, subcontractors and self-employed trades, must remove risks so far as is reasonably practicable, or minimise them if they can’t be removed. Where several PCBUs share a site, they must consult, cooperate and coordinate with each other.
For a construction project valued at $250,000 or more, the WHS regulations require a principal contractor, who must prepare a WHS management plan before work starts and keep it up to date. Safe Work Australia’s model Code of Practice for construction work gives practical guidance. Check with your state or territory regulator for the rules that apply where you work.
Start before the first shovel
The best time to control a risk is before it exists. Designers, clients and planners have safety in design duties, and decisions made early, such as prefabricating at ground level, designing in permanent edge protection or planning delivery routes away from pedestrians, remove hazards that would otherwise need controlling on site. A pre-construction site inspection is a good place to start.
High risk construction work and SWMS
The WHS regulations list categories of high risk construction work (HRCW). A safe work method statement must be prepared before any of it starts. Examples include work:
- with a risk of a person falling more than 2 metres
- in or near a trench or shaft deeper than 1.5 metres, or in a confined space
- involving demolition of load-bearing elements, or disturbing asbestos
- on or near energised electrical installations
- in an area where powered mobile plant is moving
- on or near roads, railways or shipping lanes that are in use
A SWMS sets out the HRCW, its hazards and risks, the control measures, and how those controls will be put in place and checked. It must be kept for the duration of the work, be easy for workers to understand, and be reviewed when the work changes or controls aren’t working, including after an incident.
The risk assessment process
- Identify the hazards. Walk the site, review drawings and the program, and talk to the trades doing the work. Consider falls, plant, excavations, electrical, hazardous materials, manual handling and the public.
- Assess the risks. For each hazard, consider how harm could happen, how likely it is and how serious it could be.
- Choose controls. Work down the hierarchy of controls: remove the hazard, substitute, isolate, engineering controls, then administrative controls and PPE.
- Record the assessment. Capture it in the WHS management plan, a SWMS for HRCW, or a task assessment such as a JSEA.
- Put controls in place and supervise. Brief workers, check controls are in place before work starts, and supervise the work.
- Monitor and review. Use daily checks and inspections to confirm controls are working, and review after changes, incidents and near misses.
Rating risks
Many sites use a simple likelihood and consequence matrix to prioritise risks. An example:
| Likelihood | Minor | Serious | Fatal or permanent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Likely | Medium | High | Extreme |
| Possible | Low | Medium | High |
| Unlikely | Low | Low | Medium |
A matrix helps set priorities, but it doesn’t replace the legal test. Where a control is reasonably practicable, it should be used, whatever the rating says.
Risk assessment, SWMS and JSEA compared
| Site risk assessment / WHS plan | SWMS | JSEA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covers | The whole project or site | High risk construction work | A specific task on the day |
| Prepared by | Principal contractor or builder | PCBU doing the HRCW, usually the subcontractor | The crew doing the task |
| Required | WHS plan for projects of $250,000 or more | Before HRCW starts | Often a site or company requirement |
See our guides to completing a JSEA and workplace risk assessments.
Keeping assessments live on site
Paper SWMS and risk assessments are hard to keep current and hard to check. With DIGI CLIP, crews complete task assessments, SWMS sign-ons and daily site checks on a phone or tablet, with photos. Each form is location- and time-stamped. When a check finds a control missing, it creates an action in the Action Log, so it is assigned, fixed and closed out with evidence. Incidents, hazards and investigations can be managed alongside inspections in Safety Tracker.
Illustrative scenario: a changed excavation
On a commercial build, a service trench planned at 1.2 metres has to go deeper to clear an existing pipe. The supervisor flags the change in the daily site check, which creates an action to review the SWMS for trench work. Shoring and a spotter for the excavator are added, the crew signs on to the revised SWMS in DIGI CLIP, and the action is closed out with a photo of the shoring in place.
This scenario is illustrative. It shows how a builder could use DIGI CLIP and is not an account of a specific customer.
For regular site checks, see our guide to construction site safety inspections.
Keep Site Risk Controls in Check
Put task assessments and site checks on your crews’ phones and see gaps land in the Action Log, ready to fix and prove.
Start Your 14-Day Free TrialNo credit card required. Set up in minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Is a risk assessment required on a construction site?
WHS laws require every PCBU to manage risks so far as is reasonably practicable. A risk assessment is the usual way to do that, and some work, such as high risk construction work, must be covered by a SWMS before it starts.
What is high risk construction work?
Work listed in the WHS regulations, such as work with a risk of falling more than 2 metres, work in trenches deeper than 1.5 metres, demolition of load-bearing elements, disturbing asbestos, and work near energised electrical installations or moving powered mobile plant.
When does a construction project need a WHS management plan?
When the project is valued at $250,000 or more. The principal contractor must prepare the plan before work starts and keep it up to date.
What is the difference between a SWMS and a JSEA?
A SWMS is a legal requirement for high risk construction work and sets out the hazards, risks and controls for that work. A JSEA is a task-level assessment the crew completes for a specific job, often required by sites or companies.
How often should construction risk assessments be reviewed?
Whenever the work, the site or the controls change, after an incident or near miss, and when a check shows controls aren’t working. A SWMS must be reviewed in the same situations.
Can SWMS and risk assessments be completed digitally?
Yes, as long as they are accessible and understandable to the workers using them. In DIGI CLIP, crews complete assessments and sign-ons on a phone or tablet, and gaps become actions in the Action Log.
About DIGI CLIP Mobile Forms
DIGI CLIP is an Australian-built mobile checklist and inspection platform. Inspections. Actions. Evidence. Teams complete checks on a phone or tablet, turn defects into assigned actions, and keep the proof that each one was fixed and verified.
See our Form Library for ready-made templates.
