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What is the Risk Severity Rating?

Understanding each severity rating for your risks in Onside

When setting up your risk register, each risk you add will have a 'Manage' section, and within this, the "Inherent risk rating" for that risk, as well as a "Residual risk rating". 

The severity ratings are important because they advise you and your staff what level of action needs to be taken and how urgently. You would treat a low risk very differently to a critical risk after all. 

The risk severity rating calculation is based on the Consequence and Likelihood chosen, as per this matrix;



What are the definitions of the levels?

Consequences

    • Insignificant - No or minor injury, no first aid required.
    • Minor - Minor injury, first aid treatment required.
    • Moderate - Injury, possible hospitalisation, days lost.
    • Major - Immediate hospital transfer or multiple serious injuries.
    • Extreme - Fatality.
Likelihood
    • Rare - Could occur under combination of circumstances.
    • Unlikely - Possible but unlikely.
    • Possible - The event might occur.
    • Likely - The event will likely occur.
    • Almost Certain - The event has a very high chance of occurring.

As you add more control measures for your risk, your 'Residual risk rating' can be updated to reflect those changes. An example of this could be an effluent pond risk; if it's possible someone could enter it, the consequence could be extreme, so it has an Inherent risk rating of 'High'. If you were to then adequately fence the pond and put up signage, the likelihood of someone entering the pond would be rare, in which case the Residual risk rating would be 'Medium'.

What should I do for each severity rating?

Critical Immediate action - isolate scene - investigate, controls. Eliminate, substitute or engineering controls. Resolve within 24 hours
High Act immediately to mitigate the risk. Either eliminate,  substitute, or engineer controls. If these controls cannot be implemented immediately, set a timeline and put interim risk reduction plans in the meantime. Apply time to resolve. Resolve within 2 weeks
Medium Take reasonable steps to mitigate the risk, with elimination, engineering, substitution, administrative or PPE controls. Lower level controls should not be considered a permanent strategy and must be reviewed at least bi-annually.  Resolve within 1 month
Low Take reasonable steps to mitigate and monitor the risk. Permanent controls can be administrative in nature. Resolve as practical, within 2 months

For a more in-depth look at legislation around control measures, as per the New Zealand Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016, click here.

If you have any questions or need any help, you can reach us on 0800 ONSIDE (NZ), 1800 112334 (AU), or email Support@onside.co

If you have an idea for an improvement to Onside, you can add it directly to our product board.