What is a hazard register?
A hazard register is a list of the hazards found in your workplace, with what could happen, how serious the risk is, what is being done about it, who is responsible and by when. It is where the results of hazard identification and risk assessment are kept so they can be tracked until they are fixed. Use our free hazard register template (Excel) to record and follow up hazards.
The code of practice on managing risks puts it this way: you may prepare a risk register identifying the hazards, what action needs to be taken, who will be responsible for taking the action and by when. It includes an example in Appendix D.
Hazard register or hazard report form?
- Hazard report form: a worker or supervisor reports one hazard they have spotted. Our free hazard report form is built for that.
- Hazard register: the ongoing list of all hazards, usually fed by report forms, inspections and risk assessments.
Is a hazard register required by law in Queensland?
Not as a general requirement. The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) requires you to identify reasonably foreseeable hazards (regulation 34), to eliminate or minimise risks so far as is reasonably practicable (regulations 35 and 36), and to review your control measures (regulation 38). It does not prescribe a general hazard register. A register is the practical way to show you did those things.
Some specific registers are required, for example:
- Hazardous chemicals register: regulation 346 requires a PCBU to ensure a register of hazardous chemicals used, handled or stored at the workplace is prepared and kept at the workplace, and maintained so it is up to date. The register must list the hazardous chemicals and include the current safety data sheet for each (regulation 346(2)).
- Asbestos register: regulation 425 requires a person with management or control of a workplace to ensure an asbestos register is prepared and kept at the workplace. It does not apply to domestic premises (regulation 421(2)), or to a building constructed after 31 December 1989 where no asbestos has been identified and none is likely to be present (regulation 425(6)).
These are separate registers and a general hazard register does not replace them.
Hazard register, risk register or risk assessment?
People use these terms loosely. A hazard register lists the hazards. A risk register adds the assessed risk and the actions, and that is the term the code of practice uses. A risk assessment looks closely at one hazard or task to work out how serious the risk is and what controls are needed. In practice many businesses use one spreadsheet for both registers. You do not need a full risk assessment for every entry: the code says that where you already know the risk and how to control it effectively, you may simply put the controls in place.
What columns should a hazard register have?
| Column | What to record |
|---|---|
| Hazard number | A unique reference, such as H-001. |
| Date identified | When it was found, and by whom. |
| Area or task | Where the hazard is or what task creates it. |
| Hazard | What the hazard is, in plain words. |
| Who could be harmed, and how | The people exposed and what could happen. |
| Risk rating | How likely it is and how serious, using your risk matrix, before and after controls. |
| Controls | What is in place now, and what more will be done, working down the hierarchy of control. |
| Owner and due date | One named person and a date. |
| Review date and status | When it will be checked again, and whether it is open or closed. |
Hazard register example
These entries are made up to show the format.
| No. | Area | Hazard | Who could be harmed and how | Risk | Controls | Owner and due | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-001 | Workshop | Frayed cord on a bench grinder | Operator: electric shock | High | Remove from use now, then repair or replace. Inspect leads and test portable equipment on a schedule | Supervisor, immediately | Monthly |
| H-002 | Yard | Forklifts and pedestrians share one route | Pedestrians: struck by a forklift | High | Separate walkway with barriers (isolation), traffic plan, then hi-vis clothing | Site manager, 2 weeks | After install, then quarterly |
| H-003 | Office | Boxes stored on top of a cabinet | Staff: struck by falling objects | Medium | Move boxes to low shelving | Office manager, this week | Next inspection |
For the controls, work through the order set by regulations 35 and 36: eliminate the hazard if you can, otherwise substitute it, isolate it or use engineering controls, then administrative controls, then personal protective equipment. Our guide to eliminating hazards covers the top of the list, and for the H-001 example see our guide on test and tag requirements.
How to fill in your first hazard register
- Walk the workplace and watch the work. Our guide on how to identify hazards gives a checklist.
- Ask your workers. Section 49(a) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) requires you to consult them when identifying hazards and assessing risks.
- List every hazard you find, including ones you already know about and are dealing with, so nothing is missed.
- Rate the risk and decide what to fix first. Use the free risk assessment template for anything that needs a closer look.
- Choose controls, name an owner and set a due date for each.
- Check that the control works, then close the entry.
Common mistakes
- Listing hazards but never naming an owner or a date.
- Rating the risk and stopping there, without choosing controls.
- Relying on training, signs or personal protective equipment when a higher control, such as removing or isolating the hazard, was possible.
- Forgetting hazards that come with change, such as new equipment, a new site or a new contractor.
- Letting the register go stale. If nobody opens it after an inspection, change or incident, it stops showing the real position.
- Keeping it to yourself. Workers should be able to see what has been reported and what is being done, and section 49(b) of the Act requires you to consult them when deciding how to eliminate or minimise risks.
How often should you review a hazard register?
No law fixes a review interval for a general hazard register. What the law does require is a review of your control measures in particular circumstances. Regulation 38(2) of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) says you must review and, as necessary, revise a control measure when:
- it does not control the risk it was meant to control;
- before a change at the workplace that is likely to create a new or different risk that the measure may not control;
- a new relevant hazard or risk is identified;
- consultation shows a review is necessary; or
- a health and safety representative asks for the review.
The code of practice adds that you should also review controls regularly. As good practice, go through open items at every safety meeting, update the register after every incident, and review the whole register at least once a year.
Download the free hazard register template, edit it in Excel and add your own logo. Pair it with the hazard report form so every report lands in one place. For a written process behind it, our Hazard Management Policy Template sets out who identifies, who assesses and who signs off.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the current law or talk to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland for your situation.
Templates for this job
Ready-to-edit Word and Excel templates for Queensland workplaces.
