Performing a Risk Assessment

Performing a Risk Assessment

A risk assessment allows you to identify and assess the risks that your caravan park may face.  By identifying and assessing these risks you will then be able to develop actions to reduce the impact of these risks if they do occur, or even eliminate the risk.

A risk assessment is a four stage process:

The following Risk Assessment Factsheet provides further information on Risk Assessment for your Caravan Park.

Identify Hazards

A hazard is a situation that poses a threat to life, health, property or environment. This could range from large scale natural hazards like a bushfire or flood, to public health and safety issues such as water contamination or food poisoning.

To identify hazards in your area, contact your local council. Under the regulations, local councils must notify caravan park owners of the emergency service agencies who are responsible for your area. You can also consult directly with your local SES unit and CFA station.

Check the hazards factsheet (29 KB) for useful information and tips about identifying hazards in your area.

Determine Likelihood

When deciding on the likelihood of an event occurring, consider if the hazard has occurred before.  If you are new to the area ask the local council or long term community members if there is a history of the hazard occurring.  Also think about the location of your caravan park.  

  • Are you located close to the ocean or rivers?
  • Are you in an urban area or bushland?

All these factors contribute to the likelihood of certain hazards occurring at your caravan park.

Likelihood Description
Almost Certain A hazard event is expected in most circumstances
Likely A hazard event will probably occur in most circumstances
Possible A hazard event could take place at some time
Unlikely A hazard event unlikely to take place
Rare A hazard event may take place only in exceptional circumstances

Determine Consequence

Decide what the consequence will be if a hazard event occurs at your caravan park.  When considering consequences you need to think of a number of different types of consequences including injuries and fatalities, environmental, financial, and damages to the park.  Consider access to your property;

  • is there a possibility that you could become isolated?

Also consider the demographic of you occupants and what they could be doing when a hazard event occurs.

Consequence Description
Catastrophic Significant fatalities, extensive damage, park potentially out of business, large number of severe injuries
Major Some fatalities, significant damage, significant financial loss, extensive injuries
Moderate No fatalities, localised damage, significant financial loss, medical treatment required including some hospitilisation
Minor First aid treatment required, minor damage, some financial loss
Insignificant No injury, little or no damage, little or no financial loss

Risk Analysis

The risk score for each of your hazards will be calculated automatically based on the information you provide.

This table allows you to identify what hazards are likely to cause the greatest risk to your caravan park.  By identifying high risks hazards you are now able to put treatments into place to address these hazards in order to reduce the impact.

Risk rating Explanation
(E) Extreme Unacceptable risk to the park, treatments required
(H) High Unacceptable risk to the park, treatments required
(M) Moderate Acceptable risk, treatments can lower risk
(L) Low Acceptable risk