New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION 2001 - REG 5

5 Meaning of “control” of risks

(1) For the purposes of this Regulation, an obligation to "control" a risk to health or safety (in any case in which the elimination of the risk is not reasonably practicable) is an obligation to take the following measures (in the order specified) to minimise the risk to the lowest level reasonably practicable:

(a) firstly, substituting the hazard giving rise to the risk with a hazard that gives rise to a lesser risk,

(b) secondly, isolating the hazard from the person put at risk,

(c) thirdly, minimising the risk by engineering means,

(d) fourthly, minimising the risk by administrative means (for example, by adopting safe working practices or providing appropriate training, instruction or information),

(e) fifthly, using personal protective equipment.

(2) A combination of the above measures is required to be taken to minimise the risk to the lowest level reasonably practicable if no single measure is sufficient for that purpose.

(3) Any obligation in this Regulation to control a risk by taking specific risk control measures, or by taking specific risk control measures in a particular order, is in addition to the obligations referred to in subclauses (1) and (2).

Note: For an example in which the above clause applies, see clause 11 (general obligation of employers and self-employed persons to eliminate risks or, if not reasonably practicable to do so, to control the risk).