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Hazard Identification

Lachlan McRitchie

Lachlan McRitchie

GM of Operations

Published 28 June 2026

Hazard identification is the structured process of recognising situations, substances or activities in a workplace that have the potential to cause harm to people, property or the environment.

Hazard identification is the systematic process of recognising conditions, activities, materials, or situations in the workplace that have the potential to cause harm. It is the first step in the risk management process defined under Australian WHS legislation. Methods include workplace inspections, task observations, incident and near-miss analysis, consultation with workers, review of safety data sheets, and analysis of equipment manuals and manufacturer guidance.

Why it matters

Hazards that are not identified cannot be controlled. Australian WHS law places a primary duty on PCBUs to identify reasonably foreseeable hazards and implement controls before work begins. Effective hazard identification reduces incident rates, supports proactive safety culture, and provides the foundation for meaningful risk assessments and safe work procedures.

How MapTrack helps

MapTrack captures hazard observations through digital forms on mobile devices, linking each identified hazard to the relevant asset, site, or project with automatic escalation for high-risk findings.

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Frequently asked questions

What are common methods of hazard identification?

Common methods include workplace inspections and walk-throughs, task and job safety analyses, review of incident and near-miss reports, consultation with workers (toolbox talks, safety committees), review of safety data sheets and equipment manuals, and analysis of industry-specific hazard registers. The most effective programmes combine multiple methods to catch hazards that any single approach might miss.

Who is responsible for identifying hazards in the workplace?

Under Australian WHS legislation, the PCBU has the primary duty to identify hazards. However, hazard identification is most effective when it involves everyone on site. Workers have a duty to report hazards they observe, and supervisors should conduct regular inspections. Consultation with health and safety representatives is required when identifying and assessing hazards.

How often should hazard identification be carried out?

Hazard identification should be ongoing, not a one-off exercise. It should occur before new tasks or processes begin, when new equipment is introduced, after incidents or near misses, when workplace conditions change (weather, layout, personnel), and during regular scheduled inspections. Pre-task assessments such as Take 5s provide hazard identification at the start of every shift or task.

Related terms

Risk Assessment

A risk assessment is a systematic process of identifying hazards, evaluating the likelihood and severity of harm, and determining appropriate control measures to reduce risk to an acceptable level. It follows the hierarchy of controls (elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, PPE) and produces a documented record of identified risks and the measures taken to manage them.

Take 5 Safety Assessment

A Take 5 is a brief, pre-task safety assessment where workers pause for approximately five minutes to identify hazards in their immediate environment before starting work. Widely used in Australian construction, mining, and industrial workplaces, it prompts workers to stop, look, assess, manage, and then start (the SLAMS framework). The assessment is typically recorded on a standardised form or digital checklist.

WHS compliance software

WHS compliance software is a digital WHS management system that helps organisations meet Work Health and Safety obligations by managing inspections, incident records, risk assessments, corrective actions, contractor compliance, regulatory reporting and audit trails. It replaces paper registers, spreadsheets and email chains with a searchable system of record that shows what was checked, when it was checked, who completed it, what failed and what evidence was attached.

Job Safety Analysis (JSA)

A Job Safety Analysis is a structured risk assessment technique that breaks a work task into its component steps, identifies the hazards present at each step, and documents the control measures required to eliminate or minimise those hazards. The JSA process typically involves observing the task, consulting with workers who perform it, listing each step in sequence, identifying what could go wrong at each step, and recording the controls that should be applied, following the hierarchy of controls from elimination through to personal protective equipment. JSAs are widely used across construction, mining, manufacturing, oil and gas, and logistics to ensure that hazards are systematically identified and addressed before work begins. They are often completed collaboratively by the work crew at the start of a shift or before a non-routine task. The completed JSA serves as both a planning tool and a communication document that every crew member reads and signs before commencing work, ensuring shared understanding of the hazards and the agreed controls.

Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)

A Safe Work Method Statement is a documented procedure that describes the high-risk construction work to be carried out, the hazards associated with that work, and the control measures that will be implemented to manage those hazards. In Australia, a SWMS is a legal requirement under WHS Regulations for 19 categories of high-risk construction work, including work at heights above two metres, work near live electrical installations, work involving demolition, and work in or near confined spaces. The SWMS must be prepared before the high-risk work commences, must be specific to the job and site conditions, and must be readily accessible to workers performing the task. Workers must be consulted during its development and sign on to confirm they understand the documented controls. A SWMS is a living document that should be reviewed and updated whenever site conditions, personnel, or scope change. The document typically includes the project and task description, the names and qualifications of workers, a step-by-step breakdown of the work, identified hazards at each step, risk ratings, and the specific control measures to be applied.

Cite this definition

Writing about this topic? You’re welcome to quote this definition. Here’s the wording to use so your readers can find the original.

Hazard identification is the systematic process of recognising conditions, activities, materials, or situations in the workplace that have the potential to cause harm.

Short attribution
MapTrack Glossary: Hazard Identification, https://www.maptrack.com/glossary/hazard-identification
Reference list
MapTrack. (2026). Hazard Identification [Glossary definition]. Retrieved from https://www.maptrack.com/glossary/hazard-identification

Free to reuse with credit under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. If you’d rather link straight to it, the page is https://www.maptrack.com/glossary/hazard-identification.

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