RISK ASSESSMENT MATRIX AND

TEMPLATE
Queensland State Archives

Risk assessment matrix

Below is an example of a risk assessment matrix commonly utilised by government departments to
describe, analyse, assess, rate and control hazards or risks.

CONSEQUENCES

Negligible / Low / Minor Medium / Very high / Extreme /

LIKELIHOOD Insignificant Moderate Major Critical

Rare LOW LOW LOW MEDIUM HIGH

Consider Consider Consider Specify Quarterly senior
accepting the accepting the accepting the responsibility management
risk or routine risk or routine risk or routine and action review
management management management

Unlikely LOW LOW MEDIUM MEDIUM HIGH

Consider Consider Specify Specify Quarterly senior
accepting the accepting the responsibility responsibility management
risk or routine risk or routine and action and action review
management management

Possible LOW MEDIUM MEDIUM HIGH HIGH

Consider Specify Specify Quarterly Quarterly senior
accepting the responsibility responsibility senior management
risk or routine and action and action management review
management review

Likely MEDIUM MEDIUM HIGH HIGH EXTREME

Specify Specify Quarterly Quarterly Monthly senior
responsibility responsibility senior senior management
and action and action management management review
review review

Almost MEDIUM MEDIUM HIGH EXTREME EXTREME

Certain
Specify Specify Quarterly Monthly senior Monthly senior
responsibility responsibility senior management management
and action and action management review review
review
 Risk Assessment Matrix and Template

Example risk assessment register

Risk description Likelihood Potential impact of risk Existing risk reduction Consequences Level of Priority
measures and/or rating risk rating
controls

There is a strong Possible: If records are not produced Review recordkeeping Medium: Significant
likelihood that the in accordance with the practices for
The event Potential likelihood to
allocation of grant Right to Information Act documenting and
could happen threaten the running
monies will become 2009 the public authority reporting against
at sometime may be subject to penalty. or services of the
the subject of public funding programs with
within 5 years. public authority and
scrutiny through the particular attention to
The failure within the can be managed by
Right to Information the public records kept
process could potentially implementing new or
(RTI) process. of the evaluation of
affect community modified
funding applications and
Failure to produce confidence in the relevant recordkeeping
the dispersal of funds.
evidentiary public public authority. controls.
records required Ensure that regular
Services would continue
under RTI could internal audits of
but recordkeeping practices
prejudice the rights of funding programs are
would need to be reviewed
individual citizens, undertaken and that
for cause of failure and
organisations or the records of audits are
public authority. corrective measures
kept for the appropriate
implemented.
period.

Queensland State Archives 2