HIRA risk assessments that stay current, not stuck in a binder

Why a HIRA matters under South African law

Section 8 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act requires employers to establish, as far as is reasonably practicable, what hazards to health and safety are attached to the work being performed, and what precautionary measures are needed. A documented HIRA is the most common way to show that this has been done.

Several regulations made under the Act, for example the Construction Regulations, 2014, expect written risk assessments for specific types of work. Clients and principal contractors often ask for a site- or task-specific risk assessment before work starts.

Baseline and issue-based assessments

A baseline HIRA covers the normal activities of a workplace or department. Issue-based assessments are done when something changes: a new machine, a new process, a new site or after an incident. Compliance Junkie keeps both types separate, so you can see the standing baseline and the change-driven assessments that sit on top of it.

• Industry templates with common hazards and suggested controls as a starting point
• Likelihood and severity ratings with a clear risk score before and after controls
• Hierarchy-of-control prompts: elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative and PPE
• Draft-to-approved workflow with signatures from the assessor, management and health and safety representatives
• Review dates and reminders, so assessments are revisited on schedule or after an incident
• Clean, labelled PDF output for site files, clients and inspectors

From assessment to action

A HIRA is only useful if the controls actually happen. In Compliance Junkie, controls can link to PPE issue registers, training requirements and inspection registers, so the people doing the work have the protection and competence the assessment calls for.

Because the HIRA lives next to your incident records, an incident can prompt a review of the relevant assessment instead of being filed and forgotten.

Who uses it

Safety officers, SHEQ managers, site supervisors and business owners use Compliance Junkie to keep HIRAs consistent across sites. Templates cover offices, workshops, retail, healthcare practices, construction, transport and more, and every template can be edited to match your operation.

Frequently asked questions

Is a HIRA a legal requirement in South Africa?

The OHS Act requires employers to identify hazards and precautions as far as reasonably practicable (section 8). The Act does not prescribe one format, but a documented HIRA is the usual way to meet and prove this duty, and some regulations require written risk assessments.

How often should a HIRA be reviewed?

Review it on a set schedule (many organisations use at least once a year) and whenever work, equipment or the workplace changes, or after an incident. Compliance Junkie reminds you when a review is due.

Who should sign a HIRA?

Typically the person who did the assessment, the responsible manager, and health and safety representatives who were consulted. Compliance Junkie captures each signature with a date and audit trail.

Can I start from a template?

Yes. Industry templates give you common hazards and controls to start from. You should always adapt them to the actual tasks and conditions at your workplace.