Find out how to identify hazards and assess OHS risks.

1. IDENTIFY HAZARDS
AND ASSESS OHS RISKS
Cert IV in OHS

2. The Cert IV in OHS includes the unit of competency
– BSBOHS403 Identify hazards and assess OHS risks
– in it you identified hazards by:
reviewing workplace information such as incident
investigation reports, workplace inspection reports, reports
of hazards, incidents and injuries, job safety analyses and
procedures;
identifying and accessing information from
regulators, industry bodies and other sources of information
external to the workplace; and
consulting with stakeholders, key personnel, technical
advisors and OHS specialists.

3. You then recorded the outcomes of the hazard
identification on a hazard, or risk, register together with
the outcomes of the risk assessments. In this section, you
will review this information to identify the hazards requiring
control action.

4. Three questions will enable you to identify which
hazards require control.
What are the MUST DO hazards?
What are the SHOULD DO hazards?
What are the COULD DO hazards?
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5. Question 1: What are the MUST DO hazards?
While no activity or environment can be 100 per cent risk
free, there is a legal obligation to minimise risk as far as
is practicable.

6. In section 4.3 of the learning guide for BSBOHS403, it was
determined that a risk is ‘tolerable’ (or As Low As
Reasonably Practicable – ALARP) where the specific
circumstances of the situation are considered and:
the law is satisfied;
the cost of putting safeguards in place is measured
against the consequences of failing to do so;
controls take account of currently available knowledge
and meet or exceed industry standards; and
the people exposed to or affected by the risk feel
comfortable about it.

7. Must do actions are those required to address the hazards
where controls do NOT meet these standards.

8. Question 2: What are the SHOULD DO hazards?
These are the hazards where further action is suggested by
codes of practice* or standards.

9. Question 3: What are the COULD DO hazards?
These are the hazards where cost-effective analysis based
on standard business practices indicates further control
action is required.

10. LMIT delivers the Certificate IV in OHS and
the Diploma in Occupational Health &
Safety Completely Online in
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and
Canberra. The Advanced Diploma in OHS is also
available via RPL only.