Step 1: Identify the hazards/risky activities; Step 2: Decide who might be harmed and how; Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions; Step 4: Record your findings in a Risk Assessment and management plan, and implement them; Step 5: Review your assessment and update if necessary.
A manager is carrying out a risk assessment among drillers in an underground gold mine. The drillers use pneumatic jackhammers. After some years in this mine several of the drillers developed lung problems, and the owner realizes that safety and health practices need to be improved in this regard.
The simplest way to consider the consequences and the likelihood of a risk that has been identified is to use a 2 x 2 risk matrix (Figure 2-1). This matrix is also called a "risk level matrix and a "decision matrix".
A risk assessment is a process to identify potential hazards and analyze what could happen if a hazard occurs. A business impact analysis (BIA) is the process for determining the potential impacts resulting from the interruption of time sensitive or critical business processes. There are numerous hazards to consider.
The risk assessment document is a record of significant findings from your risk assessment process (that you have just done!). How you write your risk assessment is up to you, but you need to include all the necessary information about the hazards and how to control the risk.
Examples of uncertainty-based risks include: damage by fire, flood or other natural disasters. unexpected financial loss due to an economic downturn, or bankruptcy of other businesses that owe you money. loss of important suppliers or customers.
The key requirement for a good risk statement is that it clearly identifies the event or condition, the consequences on program objectives, and cause (if known). Disciplined use of structured formats can help in describing a risk, produce more effective risk statements, and avoid weak statements that lead to confusion.
A risk assessment checklist ensures you've evaluated every area of your business when preparing to conduct a risk assessment. With a checklist, you can be sure you have considered risk from every direction and have all the information to allow your company to ultimately develop a risk management plan.
Who is responsible for the completion of risk assessments? It is the responsibility of the employer (or self-employed person) to carry out the risk assessment at work or to appoint someone with the relevant knowledge, experience and skills to do so.
Identifying and locating potential hazards is the first step in a risk assessment. Several different types of hazards should be considered. Physical risks include tripping or falling in the workplace, sustaining injuries when lifting heavy materials or working with dangerous machinery.
ergonomic - repetitive movements, improper set up of workstation, etc., physical - radiation, magnetic fields, pressure extremes (high pressure or vacuum), noise, etc., psychosocial - stress, violence, etc., safety - slipping/tripping hazards, inappropriate machine guarding, equipment malfunctions or breakdowns.
The five steps in risk assessment are identifying hazards in the workplace, identifying who might be harmed by the hazards, taking all reasonable steps to eliminate or reduce the risks, recording your findings, and reviewing and updating your risk assessment regularly.
identify what could cause injury or illness in your business (hazards) decide how likely it is that someone could be harmed and how seriously (the risk) take action to eliminate the hazard, or if this isn't possible, control the risk.
Step 2 - Get organised. The 4 C's - Competence, Control, Co-operation and Communication are a useful aid to getting organised.
Health and safety professionals, such as occupational health and safety officers or consultants, can provide expert guidance and support in risk assessment. They possess the knowledge and expertise to help employers and employees identify potential hazards and risks and develop effective control measures.
The purpose of risk assessments is ultimately to improve workplace health and safety. But to achieve this, the risk assessment process needs to identify workplace hazards and reduce or eliminate the risks they pose.