Introduction

We have an obligation to:

• Eliminate risks to health and safety, so far as is reasonably practicable.
• If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate such risks, to minimise those risks so far as is reasonably practicable.

In this context “reasonably practicable” means something reasonably able to be done in relation to ensuring health and safety, taking into account and weighing up all relevant matters, including:

• The likelihood of the hazard or the risk concerned occurring.
• The degree of harm that might result from the hazard or risk.
• What the person concerned knows, or ought reasonably to know, about the hazard or risk; and ways of eliminating or minimising the risk.
• The availability and suitability of ways to eliminate or minimise the risk.
• After assessing the extent of the risk and the available ways of eliminating or minimising the risk, the cost associated, including whether the cost is grossly disproportionate to the risk.