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The purpose of this fact sheet is to provide a checklist with a range of questions to be asked in the workplace. Answers to the questions will assist employers and others in the workplace to identify many of the hazards arising from your items of plant and associated systems of work.

Note: This checklist provides a good starting point. Add or delete questions if required to make the checklist more directly relevant to your particular items of plant and associated systems of work.

How do I use the checklist?

Step 1: Use a clean copy of this checklist for each item of plant and ask the questions listed.

Step 2: Check your answers and where you answer 'yes' to a particular question, note the plant, parts of plant and the situation associated with the hazard, in the summary table included as Table 1.

The information you include in Table 1 should be descriptive enough to clearly identify the nature of the hazard. For example, it may be that:

• "fingers may get caught between the two rollers of the paper processing machine"
• "the boom of the mobile crane may touch the overhead power lines"
• "people may trip over the electric power lead of the bench grinder"

Step 3: On completion of the checklist, the employer must assess the risks arising from the hazards identified in Table 1 and take appropriate action to control them.

For further information see Comcare’s publication Identifying hazards in the workplace [pdf] (OHS 10)

Who and what should be considered when identifying hazards?

When completing the checklist, think about possible health, safety and damage effects from the use of the plant. Ask what adverse effects could occur to:

• operators of the item of plant under consideration
• anyone working with, or in the vicinity of, the plant
• others who could be affected, such as visitors and contractors
• other plant or fixed structures in the vicinity of the item of plant under consideration

Also, think about potential adverse effects associated with:

• plant design, commissioning, operation, breakdown, repair and relocation. You should be looking for the following types of hazards in the different circumstances:

• the general working environment in which the plant is used. For example, the following hazards in the working environment of the plant under consideration can cause or contribute to injury:

Acknowledgment

Comcare gratefully acknowledges the work of the Victorian WorkCover Authority in developing the 'Plant Hazard Indentification Checklist (2003)' from which this information is drawn.

Copying the Plant Hazard Indentification Checklist (2003) - below; copying of this information sheet by organisations in the Commonwealth jurisdiction and employees is permitted provided due acknowledgment is given to Comcare and the Victorian WorkCover Authority.

• Plant Hazard Identification Checklist (2003) [word]
  

More information

Other fact sheets in this series

Additional fact sheets in this series on plant safety:

• 19a - The Definition of Plant
  
• 19b - Plant - Responsibilities of Employers
• 19c - Plant - Responsibilities of Suppliers
• 19e - Exemption of Hired Plant from Licensing
• 19f - Safe Use of Lifts
  

Government authorities

Safe Work Australia:

• contact by phone: 02 6121-5317 or
• visit www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au

Contact Comcare

For further information, contact Comcare's Hotline:

• by phone on 1300 366 979
• by email at ohs.plant@comcare.gov.au

 

Contact:

Phone:

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