What is a risk assessment?

Risk assessments are performed to identify, assess and control hazards in a systematic way that is consistent, relevant and applicable to all University activities.

How to complete a risk assesment

For advice on how to complete a risk assessment, see Section 3.2.6.4 of the University EH&S Manual, or contact the Safety Officer.

As a general rule, when completing risk assessments involving chemicals, the following should be included:

• Describe what control methods must be used to handle the substances safely.
• Describe what personal protective clothing/equipment must be used when handling the substances.
• Outline the emergency procedures in the event of an accident with the hazardous substances.
• What special waste disposal requirements will there be?

Blank risk assessment forms are available and can be printed. (PDF)

Completed risk assessments

Completed risk assessments for environmental and common tasks are available for viewing in PDF format. If any of these assessments are relevant to your work, you must read them and confirm that you have done so by printing a copy, initialing it and filing it with your other risk assessment forms. For equipment or activities not on the list, as well as new chemicals introduced into the lab, a risk assessment must be made by a competent person (usually the Supervisor or senior PhD student) and a copy kept with your risk assessment forms.

The completed risk assesments below are all PDFs and require Adobe Acrobat to view. If you don't have Adobe Acrobat, get it here.

Chemical Risk Assessments

Note: These risk assessments are generic and may not apply to all chemicals in the hazard classes mentioned. They are intended to be used as a guide only. Specific risk assessments will need to be conducted for certain dangerous goods, hazardous substances, carcinogens, biological material and scheduled poisons.

• Use of Class 2 compressed gases
• Storage and handling of Class 3 Flammable Liquids
• Storage and use of Class 4 Flammable Solids
• Storage and use of Class 5.1 Oxidising Agents
• Storage and use of Class 6.1 Toxic substances
• Use of metal cyanides
• Storage and use of Class 8 Corrosives
• Use of Schedule 2 carcinogens
• Use, handling and cleanup of Mercury
• Storing chemicals of mixed classes in minor quantities in fridges/freezers
• Storing or bringing chemicals into the office
• Use and transport of liquid nitrogen
• Use of acid bath to clean glassware
• Use of base bath to clean glassware
• Solvent distillation
• Storage & use of Schedule 7 poisons including, but not limited to Acrilonitrile, Acrolein, Arsenic, bifluorides, Bromine, Benzene, Boron trifluoride, Carbon tetrachloride, HF, Mercury compounds, metallic cyanides, Selenium
• Use of Formaldehyde
• Use of (tert- or n-)Butyllithium