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Learning Objectives:
At the end of this INFORMATION SHEET, the students/trainees must be able to:
Differentiate hazards and risk in the workplace.
Identify the different hazards exist in the workplace.
Recite the ways on how to control hazards.
Hazard, Risk & Safety - Understanding Risk Assessment, Management and Perception: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZmNZi8bon8
What is a hazard?
Hazard is part of the process used to evaluate if any particular situation, item, thing, etc. may have the potential to cause harm.
Risk is the chance or probability that a person will be harmed or experience an adverse health effect if exposed to a hazard. It may also apply to situations with property or equipment loss, or harmful effects on the environment.
The term often used to describe the full process is risk assessment:
Identify hazards and risk factors that have the potential to cause harm (hazard identification).
Analyze and evaluate the risk associated with that hazard (risk analysis, and risk evaluation).
Determine appropriate ways to eliminate the hazard, or control the risk when the hazard cannot be eliminated (risk control).
Overall, the goal of hazard identification is to find and record possible hazards that may be present in your workplace. It may help to work as a team and include both people familiar with the work area, as well as people who are not – this way you have both the experienced and fresh eye to conduct the inspection.
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/risk_assessment.html
Identify the Hazard
A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause harm. It could be a piece of equipment, a chemical substance, the work environment or a way of doing a task.
The first step in risk management is to look for any hazards that could cause injury to staff or the public. If everyone in the workplace is aware of OHS issues, hazard identification is a more efficient process. Ask your team what they see as hazards in their work areas.
There are seven major hazard identification methods:
Safety audits
Workplace inspections
Incident investigations
Team consultation
Injury and illness records
Health and environmental monitoring
Complaints and observation
Wherever possible, all workplace hazards should be identified and then reported to the safety committee.
Assess the Risk
Assess the Risk
Identifying and assessing hazards is the first step towards removing or modifying them.
The most important step is to identify the process that should be taken to control it as quickly as possible.
Risk is the possibility that a hazard will cause harm. When a hazard has been identified you must assess its potential to cause injury and/or financial loss. The greater the possibility of injury, the higher the risk is said to be.
When assessing risk consider:
the severity of the potential injury or loss
how many people are exposed
in what way are they exposed
how often and for how long are they exposed the intensity of the exposure
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/hazard_identification.html
What types of hazards?
What types of hazards?
Picture indicates in different kinds of biological hazards attempts in human body.
Source: Pinterest
A common way to classify hazards is by category:
Biological - bacteria, viruses, insects, plants, birds, animals, and humans, etc.,
These sources can cause a variety of health effects ranging from skin irritation and allergies to infections (e.g., tuberculosis, AIDS), cancer and so on.
Chemical - depends on the physical, chemical and toxic properties of the chemical.
Pictures represent the proper and improper lifting of box.
Source: sites.google.com
Ergonomic - repetitive movements, improper set up of workstation, etc.,
- This section covers situations such as lifting, lighting, office/desk set up, etc. that may contribute to injury.
Picture represents different forms of physical hazards.
Source: lieserlawfirm.com
Physical – radiation, magnetic fields, temperature extremes, pressure extremes (high pressure or vacuum), noise, etc.,
Pictures represent psychosocial problem.
Source: hospeem.org
Psychosocial – stress, violence, prevention, bullying, mental health, aging workers.
Picture represent overload
Source: onealphaelectrical.com
Electrical - An electrical hazard is a dangerous condition where a worker can or does make electrical contact with energized equipment or a conductor. From that contact, the person may sustain an injury from shock, and there is a potential for the worker to receive an arc flash (electrical explosion) burn, thermal burn or blast injury.
Ways to Control Hazards
1. Use personal protective equipment
2. Implement engineering controls that includes modifications in process, enclosure or isolation of emission and ventilation.
3. Implementation of administrative controls that involves work schedule, policies and practices, including education and training, good housekeeping and emergency preparedness.
4. Eliminate or remove of hazards from the workplace.
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