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Hazards index

Hazards are anything that can cause harm and every place of work has them. Understanding the hazards at your work can help you manage risks and keep workers safe and healthy.

This information will help you identify the hazards at your work and the steps you can take to reduce or remove risks for yourself and your workers.

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All hazards

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  • Hazardous chemicals; environment; material

    Biological hazards

    Biological hazards can cause risks to workers in a number of ways. This page has information about a range of biological hazards including bacterial and viral hazards and diseases from animals.

  • Hazardous chemicals; environment; material

    Core saws or drills

    Using a core saw or drill (including rig-mounted and handheld core drilling) can generate respirable crystalline silica dust. When inhaled over time, the small particles of silica can irreversibly damage the lungs.

  • Hazardous chemicals; environment; material

    Stationary masonry saws

    Using a stationary masonry saw to cut bricks, concrete blocks, pavers, tiles or other silica containing materials can generate respirable crystalline silica dust. When inhaled over time, the small particles of silica dust can irreversibly damage the lungs.

  • Health and wellbeing; mental health

    Traumatic events

    Workers may be exposed to this hazard at work through investigating, witnessing, or being directly exposed to traumatic events or situations. This may include reading, hearing or seeing accounts of traumatic events. A person is more likely to experience an event as traumatic when it is unexpected, is perceived as uncontrollable, where there is a threat to life or safety or where it is the result of intentional cruelty.

  • Hazardous chemicals; environment; material

    Airborne contaminants

    Workplace air can be contaminated by a range of airborne contaminants that are hazardous when breathed in.

  • Health and wellbeing; mental health

    Low job control

    Low job control refers to work in which workers have little or no control over what happens in their work environment, how or when their work is done, or the objectives they work towards.

  • Health and wellbeing; mental health

    Low role clarity

    Low role clarity refers to jobs where there is uncertainty about, or frequent changes to tasks and work standards; where important task information is not available to workers; or where there are conflicting job roles, responsibilities or expectations.

  • Hazardous chemicals; electricity; environment; health and wellbeing; mental health

    Casual workers

    Casual workers can be employed directly by an employer or via a labour hire agency. In general terms, you should treat every casual worker as if they were one of your full-time workers.

  • Health and wellbeing

    Healthy workplace audit tool

    Use the healthy workplace audit tool to assess workplace systems and environments and identify areas for improvement.

  • Hazardous chemicals; environment; material

    Compressed air and blowers

    Using compressed air or blowers can make respirable crystalline silica dust that has settled become airborne. When inhaled over time, the small particles of silica can irreversibly damage the lungs.

  • Hazardous manual tasks; environment; health and wellbeing;

    Slips, trips and falls

    Slips, trips and falls can happen in any workplace. Find out what causes them and how you can prevent them.

  • Health and wellbeing

    Supporting an ageing workforce

    Creating a healthy and safe place of work will support the health, safety and wellbeing of workers of all ages.