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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Electricity
Electricity can kill if you give it the chance. Learn about your legal obligations and the steps you can take to stay safe when working around electricity.
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Noise
Hazardous noise can destroy the ability to hear clearly. It can also put workers at risk by affecting concentration or making it hard to hear the sounds necessary for working safely, such as instructions or warning signals.
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Heat stress
Working in hot and/or humid environments can be uncomfortable, but more importantly lead to a heat-related illness, which can be fatal. This page has information about the causes and sources of heat stress, types of heat-related illness and control measures.
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Hazardous chemicals
Hazardous chemicals are common in a wide variety of workplaces. Businesses must identify the hazards of all the hazardous chemicals onsite and safely manage their storage and handling and use.
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Phosphine gas
Phosphine is used to kill insects, mice, and rats in grain and seed storage, and it occurs as a by-product of some industrial manufacturing processes for chemicals, semi-conductors, welding, and metal alloys. It is dangerous to breathe in phosphine gas and you can become ill or die depending on the amount. Find out more about your legal obligations to manage phosphine gas exposure and how to keep workers safe.
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Hazardous manual tasks
Sprains and strains are the most common workplace injury and the vast majority are caused by hazardous manual tasks, which is also known as manual handling. Learn what you can do to keep workers safe.
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Violence and aggression
Learn about your responsibilities and how to reduce work-related violence hazards.
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Welding
Find out how to manage the workplace risks associated with welding.
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Work at heights
There’s a risk of falling when working at a height—near an opening, an edge or on a slippery, sloping or unstable surface. You can also fall at ground level into holes like openings, trenches or service pits. Find out what steps you can take to stay safe working from heights.
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Low role clarity
Low role clarity refers to jobs where there is uncertainty about, or frequent changes to tasks and work standards
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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.
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Confined spaces
Confined spaces that may be found on a construction site include some types of excavations or trenches, drainage or sewerage pipes, and crawl spaces.