What is the difference between an incident report and a risk assessment?
Last reviewed July 5, 2026
An incident report logs what happened after an event, detailing the specifics and outcomes. A risk assessment identifies potential hazards before they cause issues, evaluating the likelihood and impact of those risks. Both are key for workplace safety but serve different purposes.
Key points
- Incident reports record past events.
- Risk assessments focus on potential hazards.
- Both help improve safety protocols.
Incident reports are used after an event to understand what went wrong and how to prevent it in the future. Risk assessments are proactive, aimed at spotting hazards before they lead to incidents. They're both essential for a solid safety management system.
How Alloovium helps
Alloovium helps manage compliance by tracking incident reports and risk assessments, making it easier to stay on top of safety requirements.
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General information for Australian construction professionals — not legal advice. Verify jurisdiction-specific requirements with the relevant regulator.