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Hazard identification, assessment and control is at the foundation of occupational health and safety, and is a requirement under the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code. In order to control hazards, there must first be a proactive process to identify and prioritize them, so that you know where to focus your efforts.
Hazard identification, assessment and control is at the foundation of occupational health and safety, and is a requirement under the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code. In order to control hazards, there must first be a proactive process to identify and prioritize them, so that you know where to focus your efforts.
In the Partnerships program, these concepts are separated into two elements:
hazard identification and assessment
hazard control.
RESPONSIBILITIES
RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the OHS Code, Part 2, employers must:
assess a work site and identify existing or potential hazards
prepare a written and dated hazard assessment, including the methods used to control or eliminate the hazards identified. A properly completed checklist is acceptable as a written hazard assessment.
involve workers in the hazard assessment, where possible
make sure workers are informed of the hazards and the methods used to control the hazards.
An employer must make sure that a hazard assessment is done:
at reasonably practicable intervals to prevent the development of unsafe and unhealthy working conditions
when a new work process is introduced
when a work process or operation changes
before the construction of a new work site.
SPECIAL SITUATIONS
SPECIAL SITUATIONS
Multiple Work Sites
If an employer has multiple work sites with similar hazards and the work is done the same way at all sites, a single hazard assessment, applicable to all work sites, is acceptable. The employer must ensure that there are no unusual circumstances present at any of the work sites that differ significantly from the others.
(OHS Explanation Guide – found at www.worksafely.org )
Mobile Work Sites
For work where an employer may send workers out to different sites several times a day, such as for service or repair work, a general written hazard assessment, instead of an assessment at each site, may be done on the tasks that workers will be doing and the respective control measures identified. One of the hazards identified may be “working in an unfamiliar area” and the appropriate control may be “talk to the owner of the site and be familiar with the hazards around the work area before performing the work.”
WHAT IS A HAZARD?
WHAT IS A HAZARD?
A hazard is any situation, condition or thing that may be dangerous to the safety or health of workers. Basically, it is anything that can cause an injury or illness.
Some hazards can be acute – they have an immediate effect, such as being hit by a truck.
Other hazards are considered chronic – repeated exposures, over time, can eventually cause an effect, such as hearing loss after repeated overexposure to noise.
Hazards may be grouped into five categories, as shown in the following table. Each of these hazard categories is discussed in greater depth in later chapters.
Hazards may be grouped into five categories, as shown in the following table. Each of these hazard categories is discussed in greater depth in later chapters.
Physical
Physical
slipping and tripping
caught in moving parts of machinery
falls from heights; e.g., roofs, scaffolds
pressure systems; e.g., boilers, compressed gas cylinders
fire/explosion
electricity; e.g., overhead/underground powerlines, electrical cords, wiring
noise and vibration
lighting
temperature extremes
radiation
Chemical
Chemical
liquids; e.g., battery acid, cleaners, solvents
dusts; e.g., wood dust, asbestos, silica (from sandblasting)
fumes; e.g., welding, soldering
mists and vapours; e.g., from spray painting, pesticide spraying
gases; e.g., carbon monoxide from engine exhaust, propane
Biological
Biological
viruses and bacteria (e.g., west nile virus, SARs, hepatitus) from blood and body fluids of humans or animals
moulds and fungi found in nature;
Psychosocial
Psychosocial
working conditions
stress
impairment
fatigue
violence
Ergonomics
Ergonomics
lifting and carrying; i.e., overexertion
awkward postures; e.g., stretching, reaching, twisting, hunching
repetitive motions (overuse); e.g., data entry, operating heavy equipment
WHAT IS A HAZARD ASSESSMENT?
WHAT IS A HAZARD ASSESSMENT?
Assessing hazards means taking a careful look at the different activities that workers do and asking, What could go wrong? You are trying to find out about anything that could harm workers at the work site. The purpose of hazard assessment is to prevent work-related injury or illness to workers.
In its simplest form, a hazard assessment answers the question, What if…
In its simplest form, a hazard assessment answers the question, What if…
- I don’t put a guardrail around that elevated work platform?
- I don’t enforce the wearing of seat belts in all company vehicles?
- I don’t have our workers wear eye protection while grinding?
- I don’t have workers test the atmosphere before entering a vessel?
- One of our workers becomes injured or dies because…?
WHY CONDUCT A HAZARD ASSESSMENT?
WHY CONDUCT A HAZARD ASSESSMENT?
Benefits of performing a hazard assessment may include:
learning what could harm workers
finding better and safer ways to do the job
identifying the need for worker training
identifying poor or missing procedures
increasing workers’ involvement of workplace health and safety
having a useful tool when investigating an incident.
HOW TO CONDUCT A HAZARD ASSESSMENT
HOW TO CONDUCT A HAZARD ASSESSMENT
There are a number of ways to find hazards in the workplace, including:
walk around and look at your workplace and at how work is done, ask your workers what they consider unsafe
think about what could possibly go wrong (don’t overlook the things that people may have worked around for years) and ask yourself, What if….?
review any information you may have on a particular piece of equipment (manufacturer’s specifications) or chemical (i.e., Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)) to see what it says about safety precautions
review previous incidents, including near misses
talk to others in similar industries to find out what issues they have identified or incidents they have had.
Watch the following video for more information on Conducting a Hazard Assessment.
Source: Employment AlbertaWatch the following video for more information on Conducting a Hazard Assessment.
More formal processes for conducting a hazard assessment may include:
task or job hazard analysis – breaking jobs down into tasks and identifying the hazards involved with each task
process analysis – following a process from start to finish and identifying the hazards involved at each stage.
QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN LOOKING FOR HAZARDS
QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN LOOKING FOR HAZARDS
What is your work environment? For example, does the work take place in a building, office, yard, laboratory, trench, roof or delivery van? What are the hazards with work in this environment?
How suitable are the things you use for the task? Are they easily accessible?
How might people be hurt directly by equipment, machinery and tools?
How might people be hurt indirectly through noise, fumes or radiation?
How might people be hurt by using chemicals and/or other materials, such as paints, solvents, fuels, toner, oils, plastics, acids, pesticides, gases, biological samples and wastes?
Are workers using equipment and materials correctly?
There are several different styles or types of forms available to perform hazard assessments or you can make up your own. The important thing is that the process works for your workplace and enables you to capture all the hazards.
Use Brightspace to complete 2.2 Element 2: Hazard Identification
Use Brightspace to complete 2.2 Element 2: Hazard Identification
Remember, this is an assignment completed using the Quiz tool. There is no password, and you are allowed to use the Google site to answer the questions. The assignment will be scored immediately upon submission.
To access the Quiz tool, select the Assessments > Quizzes menu.
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