Australia-wide except Victoria · New Zealand
Every Australian state and territory except Victoria has a five-year hazardous-chemical review requirement. New Zealand does too. The interval is consistent; what must be reviewed is not.
The national position
The model-WHS jurisdictions require hazardous-chemical control measures to be reviewed at least once every five years. Western Australia uses a separate dangerous-goods risk-assessment duty. New Zealand also requires a five-year control-measure review.
Regulation 352 requires measures implemented to control risks from hazardous chemicals to be reviewed and, as necessary, revised at least once every five years.
The same provision applies across New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and Northern Territory. The Commonwealth WHS Regulations use the same rule.
Regulation 48 requires the operator of a dangerous-goods site to make and record a risk assessment, then review it—and revise it if necessary—at intervals of not more than five years.
Review sooner after a significant process or work-system change, evidence that the assessment is no longer adequate, or a reportable situation.
Regulation 48(2)–(3)Regulation 3.3 requires hazardous-substance control measures implemented under Part 3 to be reviewed and, if necessary, revised at least once every five years.
Review is also required after a significant change to the safety data sheet or hazardous-substances inventory, and after a notifiable event involving a relevant hazardous substance.
Regulation 3.3Victoria has not implemented the model WHS laws. Its hazardous-substances rules require risk controls to be reviewed when specified trigger circumstances occur, but do not impose the same general five-year calendar review.
The Victorian triggers include changes to work systems, adverse health-monitoring advice, a notifiable incident, evidence that controls are inadequate, and a valid request from a health and safety representative.
Important distinction: outside Victoria, “five yearly” does not always mean the same document. The model-WHS jurisdictions and New Zealand focus on control measures; Western Australia expressly requires review of the recorded dangerous-goods risk assessment.
The outside limit
The calendar date is the backstop. A material change, incident, new information or evidence that a control is ineffective can bring the review forward.
A defensible programme therefore uses both a scheduled review date and event-based triggers. Management of change, incident investigation, exposure monitoring, maintenance findings and regulatory updates should all be capable of initiating review.
Do not ask only, “Is the five-year review due?” Ask, “Has anything changed that means the review is due now?”
A review that can be defended
The law identifies what must be reviewed. A structured ammonia audit provides a practical way to gather evidence, test whether the risk basis and controls remain current, and record what must change.
The current ammonia inventory, plant configuration and documented risk basis
Changes to plant, process, procedures, occupancy and surrounding land use
Incidents, near misses, alarms, exposure monitoring and maintenance history
Whether engineering, administrative and emergency controls remain effective
Drawings, relief arrangements, detection, ventilation and isolation capability
Competency, procedures, inspection, testing and action-closeout records
Independent by design
Our only job is to tell you what the evidence shows.
Many audits are delivered by businesses that can also quote the construction, upgrade or service work arising from their findings. We do not build, install, maintain or service ammonia refrigeration plants.
That means we have no downstream repair contract, equipment sale or project work to win. Our commercial interest ends with giving you a clear, evidence-based view of the risk, the controls and the priorities.
Findings first. Nothing else to sell.How we can help
We review the regulatory basis, existing risk assessment and critical controls against the actual plant and operating context. The scope can be aligned to the relevant jurisdiction and integrated with your wider AS/NZS 5149 or process-safety review.
Information basis: legislation and regulator material accessed 5 November 2026. This page provides general information, not legal advice. Confirm the current law and its application to your site.
Model WHS laws by jurisdictionStart here
Start with a practical conversation about your plant, current concerns and what good looks like from here.
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