A hazard & risk assessment is the foundation on which you build your work health and safety program in your business. It is a process of identifying hazards and assessing the risks they pose to workers, customers and visitors. The goal is to eliminate or minimize the risks associated with those hazards. The first step is to identify the hazards in your workplace. This can be done by walking through your workplace and observing the work activities taking place. Once you have identified the hazards, you need to assess the risks they pose. This involves determining how likely it is that someone could be injured or killed if they were exposed to the hazard, and how severe those injuries or fatalities could be. Finally, you need to put controls in place to eliminate or minimize the risks associated with the hazard. This may involve changes to work practices, the use of personal protective equipment, or the installation of safety devices such as guardrails or warning signs. By completing a hazard & risk assessment, you will have a clear understanding of the risks present in your workplace and what needs to be done to mitigate those risks.