Concrete & Formwork Operations Risk Assessment
A comprehensive, editable work-area Risk Assessment for the Concrete & Formwork Operations on Australian construction projects, aligned to Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW). Unlike a single-task SWMS, this assessment covers the whole work area and the multiple activities within it. For every hazard it records inherent risk, existing controls (classified by the hierarchy of controls), residual risk, and flags whether a Safe Work Method Statement (High Risk Construction Work, Reg 291), a permit to work, a management plan, or exposure/health monitoring is required. Includes a Required Supporting Instruments summary, the HRCW category reference, a controls verification checklist, a review log, sign-off and a publisher-protective disclaimer. A generic starting-point template to be customised and verified by a competent person in consultation with workers.
Hazards covered in this assessment
6 representative rows · register holds 20+ on openThe hazard register opens pre-filled with the typical concrete & formwork operations hazards below — each scored inherent vs residual against the 5×5 matrix. You add, edit or remove rows to match your task. Examples:
Outcome if uncontrolled: Burial, crush, fall from height.
Outcome if uncontrolled: Fatal impact injuries.
Outcome if uncontrolled: Caustic chemical burns.
Outcome if uncontrolled: Severe impact injuries.
Outcome if uncontrolled: Electrocution, soft-tissue injuries.
Outcome if uncontrolled: Struck-by injury.
Controls applied — hierarchy of controls
Every row in the register classifies its controls against the hierarchy. You stay in the highest-tier control your task allows and drop down only when forced to.
Remove the task, reroute the work, design out the hazard before mobilising.
Swap the plant for a safer alternative — smaller machine, different reach pattern, lower-energy tool.
Physical barriers, fencing, exclusion zones, ROPS / FOPS, interlocks, isolation, ventilation.
Permit-to-work, exclusion zones, traffic management plans, training, spotter assignment, shift limits.
Hard hats, hi-vis, hearing protection, safety glasses, gloves, fall-arrest harness as the last line.
What you see when you open the file
Six tabs across the bottom of the workbook. Yellow cells are the only ones you need to edit on a typical job.
Site, plant / area, supervisor, competent person and worker representative sign-offs in one yellow-cell page.
Likelihood × consequence with colour-coded risk bands (low / medium / high / extreme).
One row per hazard with task step, inherent score, controls applied (hierarchy-classified) and residual score.
Reference tab showing each tier and what counts as that tier — kept on hand for re-assessment.
Worker names, date, what was discussed, what was changed in response — proves Section 47 consultation.
Review-by date, revision history and re-assessment triggers (incident, plant change, site change).
Frequently asked
What format is the file?
Editable Microsoft Excel (.xlsx). Yellow input cells are unlocked for site and personnel details. Pre-filled zone hazards and controls are editable too so you can adapt them to the actual workzone.
How is the assessment structured?
A 5×5 likelihood × consequence matrix sits on its own tab. The hazard register scores each row inherent (before controls) and residual (after controls) and classifies each control against the hierarchy of controls. Consultation record and sign-off block sit at the back.
What hazards does the concrete & formwork operations assessment cover?
The pre-filled hazard register covers the typical incident outcomes for the concrete & formwork operations — worker / plant interface, fall, collapse, services strike, manual handling and environmental hazards specific to this zone. You add and remove rows to match your site.
How is this different from an equipment risk assessment?
Equipment RAs cover specific plant (forklift, excavator etc.). Work-area RAs cover the whole zone — interfaces between trades, environmental conditions, traffic, site-establishment rules — at the area level rather than per-machine.
Do I still need a competent person to sign it off?
Yes. These are consultant-drafted starting points. Australian law requires a competent person to assess the actual site, in consultation with workers, before any risk assessment is used in the field.
Can I reuse it across multiple jobs?
Yes. Buy once, save a working copy per site, and update only the site-specific cells. The review log tab tracks revisions across uses.
Editable consultant-drafted work-area risk assessment. Not legal, safety or professional advice. No warranty of compliance. The buyer is responsible for customising this document to the actual site, work and personnel, and for having it reviewed by a competent person in consultation with workers before relying on it. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the vendor's liability is limited to the price paid. $200 per assessment.