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How to use this template

This risk register is designed to be completed by an HR practitioner, WHS officer, or people manager - ideally in consultation with workers. It covers the 14 psychosocial hazard categories recognised by Safe Work Australia. For each hazard category, you will:

1. Identify whether the hazard is present in your workplace
2. Assess the likelihood and consequence if left uncontrolled
3. Calculate a risk rating
4. Document existing controls
5. Identify additional controls needed
6. Assign ownership and a review date

Completing this register does not complete your WHS obligation. The register is the identification and assessment step. Your obligation extends to implementing the controls you identify, monitoring their effectiveness, and reviewing the register regularly or when something changes.

Consult your workers. Regulation 55D of the model WHS Regulations (and equivalents) requires employers to consult with workers when identifying and assessing psychosocial hazards. A register completed without worker input is incomplete as an assessment.

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Part A: Risk rating guide

Use the following matrices to calculate your risk rating for each hazard.

Likelihood

Rating	Description
5 - Almost Certain	Expected to occur in most circumstances. Workers regularly report this. Evidence of ongoing incidents.
4 - Likely	Will probably occur in many circumstances. Some worker reports. Recognisable patterns.
3 - Possible	Might occur at some point. Occasional worker reports or indirect indicators.
2 - Unlikely	Could occur but is not expected. No recent reports but theoretical exposure exists.
1 - Rare	May only occur in exceptional circumstances. No known reports or indicators.

Consequence

Rating	Description
5 - Catastrophic	Fatality or permanent severe psychological incapacity. Criminal liability for the organisation.
4 - Major	Long-term psychological injury requiring extended time off. Workers' compensation claim. Regulatory investigation or prohibition notice.
3 - Moderate	Significant psychological harm. Short-term incapacity. Workers' compensation claim possible. Reduced team functioning.
2 - Minor	Mild psychological distress. No time off required. Managed with workplace support.
1 - Negligible	Minimal impact. Resolved quickly without ongoing effect.

Risk rating matrix (Likelihood × Consequence)

	1 Negligible	2 Minor	3 Moderate	4 Major	5 Catastrophic
5 Almost Certain	Medium (5)	High (10)	High (15)	Critical (20)	Critical (25)
4 Likely	Low (4)	Medium (8)	High (12)	High (16)	Critical (20)
3 Possible	Low (3)	Medium (6)	Medium (9)	High (12)	High (15)
2 Unlikely	Low (2)	Low (4)	Medium (6)	Medium (8)	High (10)
1 Rare	Low (1)	Low (2)	Low (3)	Low (4)	Medium (5)

Risk rating key:

• Critical (15–25): Immediate action required. Cease or substantially modify work if controls cannot be implemented immediately. Notify regulator if relevant.
• High (10–14): Senior management action required. Implement additional controls within 30 days. Monitor closely.
• Medium (5–9): Management responsibility. Implement additional controls within 90 days. Review regularly.
• Low (1–4): Manage through routine procedures. Review at next scheduled assessment.

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Part B: Psychosocial Hazard Risk Register

Organisation: _______________________________________________

Workplace / Work Unit: _______________________________________________

Assessment completed by: _______________________________________________

Date of assessment: _______________________________________________

Date of next scheduled review: _______________________________________________

Workers consulted (names or roles): _______________________________________________

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Hazard 1: Job demands

Definition: Work that is excessive, complex, or emotionally demanding in ways that exceed what can be reasonably managed. Includes high workload, time pressure, emotional labour (dealing with distressing clients, patients, or situations), and low-control work design.

Guidance note: This is one of the most prevalent psychosocial hazards in Australian workplaces. Indicators include: frequent overtime, workers regularly skipping breaks, high sick leave rates, or customer/client-facing roles with limited recovery time. Performance management processes that are poorly designed or delivered can create acute job demand exposure for the employee being managed.

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Hazard 2: Low job control

Definition: Limited ability for workers to influence how their work is done, the order in which tasks are completed, or the decisions that affect their work. Includes micromanagement, rigid scripts or protocols with no discretion, and roles with no input into change processes.

Guidance note: Low control is a significant driver of psychological harm when combined with high demands. Remote workers, call centre staff, production workers, and highly procedurised roles are at elevated risk. Review whether supervisory practices inadvertently reduce worker autonomy.

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Hazard 3: Poor support

Definition: Inadequate practical or emotional support from supervisors and colleagues. Includes poor management practices, lack of feedback, isolation, and absence of peer connection - particularly relevant for remote or hybrid workers.

Guidance note: Support is a protective factor when present and a hazard when absent. New employees, employees on performance processes, and those returning from leave are particularly vulnerable. Supervisor capability in this area is a key control.

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Hazard 4: Lack of role clarity

Definition: Unclear or conflicting expectations about what a worker is required to do, how performance will be assessed, or how their role relates to others. Includes role conflict, competing priorities, and ambiguous accountability.

Guidance note: Role clarity issues often emerge during organisational change, restructures, or rapid growth. They are also a common underlying factor in performance management situations - a worker cannot be held accountable for expectations they did not clearly understand.

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Hazard 5: Poor organisational change management

Definition: Change that is poorly planned, communicated, or implemented in ways that create uncertainty, anxiety, or excessive workload for workers. Includes restructures, redundancies, system changes, and leadership transitions.

Guidance note: The SafeWork NSW prohibition notice issued against UTS in September 2025 arose from a restructure process. Change management is not soft management practice - it is a WHS obligation. Workers must be consulted on changes that affect their health and safety, including psychosocial health.

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Hazard 6: Inadequate reward and recognition

Definition: Work that is not adequately recognised - financially or otherwise - relative to the effort, skill, or contribution required. Includes pay inequity, lack of acknowledgement, and limited career development opportunity.

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Hazard 7: Poor workplace relationships and conflict

Definition: Interpersonal conflict, incivility, bullying, harassment, or discrimination that creates a hostile or unsupportive work environment. Includes relationship breakdowns between colleagues, or between workers and managers.

Guidance note: Workplace investigations are themselves a psychosocial hazard if poorly managed - for all parties involved, including witnesses. The investigation process needs to be included in your risk assessment, not just the conduct that prompted it.

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Hazard 8: Remote or isolated work

Definition: Work performed in physical or social isolation from other workers, managers, or the broader organisation. Includes remote work, lone working, travel, night shifts, and work in geographically isolated locations.

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Hazard 9: Violence, aggression, and trauma

Definition: Exposure to physical or psychological violence, aggression, or traumatic events - including from clients, patients, customers, or members of the public. Includes verbal abuse, threats, physical assault, and vicarious trauma.

Guidance note: High-risk industries include health, disability, community services, retail, hospitality, corrections, and emergency services. A single traumatic incident can have significant impact - and the absence of structured post-incident support is itself a hazard.

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Hazard 10: Sexual harassment

Definition: Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that a reasonable person would anticipate might cause offence, humiliation, or intimidation. Includes physical, verbal, written, and online conduct.

Guidance note: The Respect at Work Act 2022 introduced a positive duty on employers to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate sexual harassment, not merely respond to it after the fact. The Australian Human Rights Commission has enforcement powers. A risk register must now include sexual harassment as a distinct hazard - not just a policy reference.

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Hazard 11: Bullying

Definition: Repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed at a worker or group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety. Includes undermining, exclusion, excessive criticism, and threats. Note: reasonable management action is not bullying even if the employee finds it distressing.

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Hazard 12: Fatigue

Definition: Mental or physical exhaustion that reduces a worker's capacity to work safely and effectively. Caused by excessive working hours, inadequate rest, shift work, night work, or sustained cognitive demand.

Guidance note: Fatigue is a psychosocial hazard in its own right - not just a physical risk. Rostering practices, on-call obligations, and unpaid overtime are all relevant inputs to this assessment.

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Hazard 13: Harassment (including on the basis of protected attributes)

Definition: Behaviour that demeans, offends, or intimidates a person because of a protected attribute - including race, sex, age, disability, religion, pregnancy, or sexual orientation. Distinct from sexual harassment (Hazard 10) and bullying (Hazard 11).

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Hazard 14: Poor physical environment (as a psychosocial hazard)

Definition: Physical working conditions that create psychological distress - including noise, temperature, overcrowding, lack of privacy for sensitive conversations, or environments that are demeaning or inadequate for the work required.

Guidance note: This category is particularly relevant for workers who conduct performance, investigation, or welfare conversations in open-plan environments. Lack of a private, neutral space for difficult conversations is itself a psychosocial hazard.

Field	Your entry
Is this hazard present?	Yes / No / Partially
Evidence or indicators
Who is exposed?
Likelihood rating (1–5)
Consequence rating (1–5)
Risk rating (L × C)
Existing controls
Are existing controls adequate?	Yes / No
Additional controls required
Control owner
Target completion date
Review date

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Part C: Summary and prioritisation

Hazard	Risk Rating	Priority	Control Owner	Target Date	Status
1. Job demands
2. Low job control
3. Poor support
4. Lack of role clarity
5. Poor change management
6. Inadequate recognition
7. Poor relationships/conflict
8. Remote/isolated work
9. Violence, aggression, trauma
10. Sexual harassment
11. Bullying
12. Fatigue
13. Harassment
14. Poor physical environment

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Part D: Review and sign-off

Field	Details
Assessment completed by
Role / title
Date
Reviewed by (manager/WHS rep)
Date reviewed
Workers consulted
Next review date
Trigger for earlier review	Any significant incident, complaint, workers' compensation claim, restructure, or change in work design

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This template is general guidance only. It does not constitute legal or WHS advice and does not guarantee compliance with any specific regulatory requirement. Organisations should seek independent WHS advice tailored to their industry, workforce, and circumstances. Sources: Safe Work Australia, 'Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work' (2022); WHS Regulations (Psychological Health) 2025; Respect@Work Act 2022. © 2026 Fair Ground - fairground.com.au