Plant Risk Assessment and Management Summary

The University is required to establish systems to effectively manage "plant" under its control. This is to minimise the risk to the health and safety of staff, students, contractors, and other people at or near the University workplaces, as far as is reasonably practicable.

Departments need to review items of "plant" and complete new risk assessment forms. If areas have technical records or manuals for "plant" purchased over the years, this will assist the process.

Some examples of "plant" may include:

• Plant under pressure e.g. hydraulic press, pressure piping, steam turbines, sterilisers, gas cylinders
• Plant with moving parts e.g. presses, lathes, milling machine, mixer, slicer, microtomes, centrifuge
• Powered mobile Plant e.g. electric vehicles; vehicle hoists, delivery and construction zoning, forklift, cherry picker, tipper truck
• Plant with hot or cold parts e.g. liquid nitrogen tanks and dewars, hotplates, exhaust systems, apparatus with naked flame,
• Electrical plant and plant that is exposed to electrical hazards e.g. electrical generators, powered hand tools, computer equipment, photocopiers and fax machines
• Plant designed to lift or move e.g. cranes, forklifts, hoists and elevating work platforms; earth moving machinery
• Industrial robots and other remotely or automatically energised equipment
• Scaffolds
• Non-powered hand tools e.g. screwdriver, chisel, hammer etc. small office equipment
• Accessories such as jigs and fixtures
• Miscellaneous items - supporting experiments infrastructure e.g. vacuum pumps, chillers, refrigeration units

RSPE requires all existing 'Plant' to be risk category assessed under a 'A-B-C-D' system including equipment manufactured within the School. New plant obtained in the future will require this process to be completed as well as a Pre-Purchase Risk Assessment.

‘Plant' in your area must be assessed and determined for RISK CATEGORY:

A. Low risk

B. Medium risk

C. High risk

D. Extreme risk

For risk categories B, C, D the ANU requires the completion of the Plant Risk Assessment & Management Summary (PRAMS) form.

To assist with background understanding and documentation for this risk assessment process, three files are attached:

Plant - Life Cycle Stages (pdf) http://physics.anu.edu.au/OHS/_files/Plant - Life Cycle Stages.pdf

RSPE - Risk Assessment Guidelines(pdf) http://physics.anu.edu.au/OHS/_files/RSPE - Risk Assessment Guidelines.pdf

RSPE - PLANT - PRAMS form (fill out this form for all plant assessed as B, C and D risk). (rtf) http://physics.anu.edu.au/OHS/_files/RSPE - PLANT - PRAMS form.rtf

Once completed, these forms should be maintained by the Department, and made available for use by new staff and students, and OH&S staff if required.