Risk management

Risk is the likelihood of an accident or incident arising from a hazard. Examples of the types of hazards you may experience in the rail industry are provided.

The categories of safety control and the types you can implement have been explained on this page.

Outlines what you need to do for us to be confident that you’re managing your risks appropriately, and to comply with your risk management obligations in the Railways Act.

Risk assessments should follow a process that ensures they are effective and the right safety controls can be applied. This process, and the process for choosing the appropriate safety controls are explained.

A risk matrix allows for easy identification of the highest risks in the business and the appropriate resources can be allocated.

Your organisation’s risk register is where all of your identified work-related hazards are contained.

In the context of risk management, continuous improvement is about continually and effectively taking opportunities to improve the resilience of your organisation to hazards. It's a key principle in rail safety.

To be approved, safety cases must demonstrate the management systems in place to both identify and assess safety risks, and develop and implement safety control measures.

Maintaining awareness on the day ensures you are prepared. It’s a good idea to regularly remind your teams to think of what has changed (or could change).

When this term is used, it means putting in place the highest level of protection considering what can be done and whether it is reasonable given the circumstances.