What reasonably practicable means
Reasonably practicable means you need to:
- determine what kinds of risks your work may cause
- consider how likely those risks are
- take appropriate action that is proportionate to the injury or illness that could happen
- implement well-known and effective industry practices
- involve your staff in identifying and controlling risks.
Reasonably practicable doesn’t mean you have to:
- do everything humanly possible to prevent accidents
- buy the most expensive equipment on the market
- spend most of your week on health and safety training, compliance and documentation.
You’re expected to do what a reasonable person would do in your situation. It’s about taking responsibility for what you can control.
Reasonably practicable steps
Example 1
Tim manages a small carpentry crew working on a renovation project. When he discovers asbestos behind the plasterboard – a well-recognised industry hazard – Tim immediately sees the risks. He stops all work and calls a certified asbestos remover to come in and take over.
Since asbestos risks are well known, as are the control mechanisms around its removal, Tim has managed the risk so far as is reasonably practicable.
Example 2
While on a job, two builders have to spend a day outside drilling. The work will cause a lot of dust, and both the foreman and the workers recognise the dust is not good for either them or those nearby.
Together they decide that, while they can’t eliminate the problem altogether, they can keep dust levels down by using a water spray and regularly cleaning up. They can also wear masks while working. They erect barricades to keep others away.
As this is an isolated task and not part of their day-to-day work, and because some kind of dust extraction unit would be too expensive for a one-day job, they’ve done what is reasonably practicable.
Not reasonably practicable steps
Example 1
Trudi works at a retail store where she regularly has to climb a ladder to stock high shelves. The ladder she’s been given is wobbly and a bit short. This means Trudi has to reach quite high while on an unstable ladder. She feels unsafe doing this and tells her manager she is uncomfortable with the task. In turn, the manager tells Trudi she has to keep using it because it’s the only ladder the shop has. This would be considered unreasonable due to the minimal costs associated with getting a safer ladder and the high potential for Trudi to get hurt.
Example 2
Jono’s timber yard has workers, wholesalers and customers regularly driving in and out of the premises. Jono is worried about accidents caused by poor traffic flow. Rather than simply painting clear parking lines and putting up speed limits and clear ‘Enter’ and ‘Exit’ signs, Jono gets a boom gate installed. While Jono has definitely met his duty, it’s probably beyond what is reasonably practicable.
Other factors
WorkSafe also explains that addressing health and safety issues should be considered against many factors.
“What is reasonably practicable takes into account how much is commonly known about the risks involved, as well as the recognised ways of eliminating and minimising them,” a spokesperson says.
You should also consider the availability and cost of safeguards. The question is not whether the business has the cash on hand to pay for the solution, but rather whether the cost is proportionate to the harm that could result. No one expects NASA-type technology where the risk is relatively low and a cost-effective and simple solution could work.
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