National Safe Work Month: Week 4 – Reviewing Controls and Building a Safer Future
The final week of National Safe Work Month focuses on a critical yet often overlooked step in workplace safety, reviewing controls. Even the best systems need regular evaluation to ensure they continue to protect your people effectively. By reviewing and improving your WHS controls, your business can stay compliant, adaptable, and ready for future challenges.
The final step in the risk management process, and the focus of Week 4 of National Safe Work Month is reviewing controls.
Why? Because even the best control measures can fail over time. Processes drift, new hazards emerge, and old measures stop working as intended .
When to Review Controls
When a control is not effective
After a change in the workplace (new equipment, process, or environment)
When new hazards are identified
If workers raise concerns or new information comes to light
When requested by health and safety representatives
Key Questions to Ask
Are the controls working as designed?
Have they introduced new problems?
Are safety procedures actually being followed?
Has training been successful?
Is incident frequency and severity reducing over time?
Why It Matters
Reviewing isn’t about paperwork. It’s about learning, adapting, and improving continuously. Safety is never static, it’s a living system that grows as your organisation changes.
Action this week: Select one hazard you controlled earlier this month. Run a review: are your controls still effective, or do they need adjustment?
Regularly reviewing workplace controls is a key requirement under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011. Changes in equipment, processes, or staffing can all impact how well safety measures perform. By monitoring performance indicators, consulting workers, and updating procedures, businesses can identify weaknesses early and maintain a strong, compliant WHS management system.
Wrapping Up National Safe Work Month
By the end of October, you’ll have walked through the entire cycle:
Identify hazards
Assess risks
Control risks
Review controls
At Anzen Safety & Training, we believe these steps shouldn’t just be a campaign exercise, they should be the backbone of everyday work. Let’s carry the lessons of National Safe Work Month forward to make safety every job, every day.
Effective safety management doesn’t stop once controls are in place, it’s about continuous improvement. Keep your WHS systems strong and up to date with expert guidance. Book your free, no obligation 30-minute Safety Health Check today and let Anzen Safety & Training help your business review controls, improve compliance, and build a safer future for your people.
