Workplace Risk Management Program (PGR) Development Course

Lesson 1 • Defining Risk in the Workplace

Introduces hazard, risk, and exposure concepts and distinguishes them from safety incidents. Provides the shared language needed throughout the entire PGR development process.

Lesson 2 • Risk Management Frameworks Overview

Surveys internationally recognised risk management models and their structural components. Enables learners to select an appropriate framework as the backbone of their PGR.

Lesson 3 • Regulatory and Compliance Landscape

Maps the functional obligations employers face under occupational health and safety frameworks. Connects compliance requirements to the strategic rationale for a formal PGR programme.

Lesson 4 • Organisational Context and Stakeholders

Identifies internal and external parties whose interests shape a PGR programme's scope and design. Learners map stakeholder influence to align programme goals with organisational strategy.

Lesson 1 • Workplace Inspection Techniques

Teaches structured walkthrough methods, checklists, and observation protocols for field hazard detection. Connects direct observation to reliable hazard register entries.

Lesson 2 • Participatory Hazard Identification

Engages frontline workers through structured group techniques to surface hidden hazards. Demonstrates how worker knowledge strengthens the completeness of hazard identification.

Lesson 3 • Hazard Classification Systems

Presents standard taxonomies for categorising workplace hazards by type and source. Classification skills enable consistent data collection across diverse work environments.

Lesson 4 • Job Safety Analysis

Breaks tasks into sequential steps to expose hazards embedded in routine work processes. Learners complete a full JSA for a selected job role within their organisation.

Lesson 1 • Quantitative Risk Assessment Basics

Covers fault tree analysis, event tree analysis, and basic probability concepts for numerical risk scoring. Enables learners to apply quantitative methods where data availability permits.

Lesson 2 • Risk Prioritisation and Ranking

Applies scoring outputs to rank risks by urgency and resource impact for control planning. Learners build a prioritised risk register aligned with organisational risk tolerance.

Lesson 3 • Risk Assessment Fundamentals

Establishes the conceptual basis for estimating risk level from likelihood and severity inputs. Provides the analytical foundation for all assessment tools introduced in this chapter.

Lesson 4 • Documenting the Risk Register

Establishes standards for recording, formatting, and maintaining a living risk register document. Connects documentation quality to audit readiness and programme credibility.

Lesson 1 • Hierarchy of Controls in Practice

Applies elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, and PPE controls to real hazard scenarios. Reinforces the principle that higher-order controls provide more reliable protection.

Lesson 2 • Personal Protective Equipment Management

Addresses PPE selection, fit testing, maintenance, and compliance monitoring as a last-resort control layer. Learners design a PPE programme integrated with higher-order controls.

Lesson 3 • Administrative Controls and Safe Work Procedures

Develops written procedures, permit systems, and rotation schedules as behavioural risk controls. Learners draft a safe work procedure for a high-priority risk scenario.

Lesson 4 • Engineering Control Design Principles

Covers guarding, ventilation, isolation, and ergonomic redesign as primary engineering solutions. Learners evaluate technical feasibility and effectiveness of engineering options.

Lesson 1 • Forms, Templates, and Checklists

Designs standardised forms that capture consistent data across inspections, assessments, and incidents. Standardisation reduces human error and supports trend analysis over time.

Lesson 2 • Document Control and Records Management

Establishes version control, retention schedules, and access protocols for all PGR documents. Proper records management is essential for regulatory audits and continuous improvement.

Lesson 3 • Procedure Writing for Risk Programmes

Applies plain-language writing techniques to produce clear, actionable risk management procedures. Learners revise sample procedures for clarity, completeness, and regulatory alignment.

Lesson 4 • Programme Manual Assembly

Integrates policy, procedures, forms, and supporting materials into a cohesive PGR programme manual. Learners finalise a structured manual ready for organisational review and implementation.

Lesson 1 • Safety Culture Assessment and Development

Measures current safety culture maturity and identifies levers for cultural improvement. Connects culture development to sustained PGR programme effectiveness over time.

Lesson 2 • Risk Communication Strategies

Develops targeted messages for diverse audiences including workers, supervisors, and executives. Effective communication ensures consistent understanding of risk priorities and controls.

Lesson 3 • Training Needs Analysis for Risk Programmes

Identifies knowledge and skill gaps across worker groups to target training resources effectively. Aligns training content with specific hazard exposures and job roles in the PGR.

Lesson 4 • Worker Engagement and Participation

Designs formal mechanisms for workers to contribute to hazard identification, control review, and programme improvement. Engagement increases ownership and reduces resistance to PGR requirements.

Lesson 1 • Leading and Lagging Performance Indicators

Distinguishes proactive leading indicators from reactive lagging metrics and selects a balanced set. A balanced indicator set provides early warning of programme weaknesses before incidents occur.

Lesson 2 • Inspection and Monitoring Programmes

Designs scheduled and unannounced inspection programmes to verify control effectiveness in the field. Connects field monitoring data to the risk register and corrective action system.

Lesson 3 • Internal Audit Design and Execution

Builds an internal audit programme including scope, criteria, evidence collection, and reporting. Learners conduct a simulated audit against the PGR programme manual they developed.

Lesson 4 • Incident Investigation and Root Cause Analysis

Applies systematic investigation methods to identify root causes and contributing factors of incidents. Investigation findings feed directly into risk register updates and control improvements.

Lesson 1 • Change Management for PGR Adoption

Applies change management models to overcome resistance and build organisational commitment to the PGR. Learners develop a stakeholder engagement plan for the implementation phase.

Lesson 2 • Implementation Planning and Phasing

Develops a phased rollout plan with milestones, resource allocation, and dependency mapping. Phased implementation reduces disruption and allows iterative refinement of the PGR.

Lesson 3 • Integration with Business Management Systems

Aligns the PGR with quality, environmental, and business continuity management systems. Integration reduces duplication, leverages shared resources, and strengthens overall organisational resilience.

Lesson 4 • Governance Structures and Accountability

Defines roles, responsibilities, and accountability mechanisms that sustain the PGR beyond initial launch. Clear governance prevents programme decay and ensures ongoing leadership commitment.