National Association of

Safety Professionals
NASP
RISK ASSESSMENT
 Risk Assessment
Risk assessment is the process of
identifying and evaluating a hazard to
determine the level of action required to
reduce a risk to an acceptable level.
It is nothing more than a careful
examination of what in the workplace
could cause harm to people, so that we
can weigh-up whether the department has
taken enough precautions or are required
to take additional precautions, to prevent
harm occurring.
What is a Hazard?
A Hazard is
anything that
has the potential
to cause harm,
e.g. chemicals,
electricity,
working up a
ladder.
Using a crane,
forklift …….
 What is a Risk?
The Risk is the likelihood that the hazard will
cause harm and the severity of the consequence.
For Example:
If you are cleaning the oven with corrosive
cleaner without using gloves or apron there is a
great risk of being harmed.
If you wear all protective clothing and gloves and
adhere to all safety precautions the risk is low.
If you change the chemical to a safer type and
adhere to all precautions the risk will be even
lower.
 Risk Assessment In Practice
Five Steps to Risk Assessment:
1. Look for the hazards.
2. Decide who might be harmed and how
3. Evaluate the risks and decide whether
the existing precautions are adequate or
whether more should be done.
4. Record your findings.
5. Review your assessment and revise it if
necessary.
 1. Hazard Identification
Walk around the workplace and look
afresh at what could reasonably be
expected to cause harm.
Previous Accident Reports.
Brainstorming
Knowledge of Employees
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
Manufacturers Instruction Books
Ask, “What If ….?”
 Continue
The following are examples of
plant, equipment or activities
that are usually associated with
a hazard:
Work at heights, and access to/from it
(roofwork, ladders, scaffolds).
Work below ground level and in confined
spaces (tanks, ducts, trenches)
Manual handling of loads.
Work with electricity (portable tools,
extension leads)
Hazardous chemical substances.
 Continue
Display screen equipment.
Ionizing, non - ionizing and laser radiation
Pressure vessels / vacuum works
Flammable liquid and gases
Machinery and plant (machinery requiring
guarding).
Grinding/milling machines
Woodworking machines.
Portable power tools.
Noise
Vehicles (forklift, cranes)
Disposal of special wastes.
 List of Hazards
Slipping/tripping Electricity (poor
hazards (poorly wiring)
maintained floors or
stairs).
Ejection of
material (from
Fume (from
welding) plastic moulding)
Dust (from Chemicals
grinding) (battery acids)
Manual handling Pressure systems
Poor lighting (steam boilers).
Temperature
2- Who Might Be Harmed and
How
Generally it will be staff occupying
the workplace.
Attention must be paid to:
Visitors
Contractors
Cleaning staff
Maintenance staff
Inexperienced staff
 3- Assessment of the Risk
For the hazards listed, do the
precautions already taken:
1. Meet the standards set by the legal
requirement?
2. Comply with a recognized industry
standard?
3. Represent good practice?
4. Reduce risk as far as reasonably
practicable?
 Consequences
(Slightly Harmful – Harmful –
Extremely Harmful)
 Example – Working at Height
If these three workers fell down
these heights, the consequences
will be different
 Likelihood (Probability)
Highly unlikely – Unlikely - Likely
 Example – Working at Height
The probability of falling off an edge is more
likely the closer you are working to it
 Risk
Consequences X Probability
Consequences Slightly Harmful Extremely
Harmful (1) (2) Harmful (3)
Probability
Highly Unlikely
(1) 1 2 3
Unlikely (2)
2 4 6
Likely (3)
3 6 9
 4- Recording of Assessment
Findings
Formal written record.
Any suitable form.
Where the risk is considered to be low,
either from experience or from the
calculation of risk rating, this must be
stated in the form and no further action is
then required.
If the risk is deemed to be medium or high,
the further action needed to control that
risk must be clearly stated on the risk
assessment form.
 Risk Control
Risk Action and Timescale
Level
1 No action is required and no documentary records
to be kept.
No Additional controls are required.
2
Consideration may be given to a more cost-
effective solution or improvement that imposes no
additional cost burden.
Monitoring is required to ensure that the controls
are maintained.

3-4 Efforts should be made to reduce the risk, but the

costs of prevention should be carefully measured
and limited.
Risk prevention measures should be implemented
within a defined time period.
 Risk Control
6 Work should not be started until the
risk has been removed.
Considerable resources may have to
be allocated to reduce the risk.
Where the risk involves work in
progress, urgent action should be
taken.
9 Work should not be started or
continued until the risk has been
reduced.
If it is not possible to reduce risk
even with unlimited resources, work
has to remain prohibited.
 Example
The task of shredding documents in a paper
shredder.
1. Begin with identifying hazards:
Entanglement: (being drawn into the
document shredder.)
Contact with moving parts
Overheating leading to fire
 Consequences
Slightly Harmful (1)
Harmful (2)
Extremely Harmful (3) XXXXXX
 Probability
Highly Unlikely (1) XXXXXX
Unlikely (2)
Likely (3)
 Risk
Consequences X Probability
Consequences Slightly Harmful Extremely
Harmful (1) (2) Harmful (3)
Probability
Highly Unlikely
1 2
(1)
3
Unlikely (2)
2 4 6
Likely (3)
3 6 9
 Risk Control
Risk Level Action and Timescale

Efforts should be made to reduce the

risk, but the costs of prevention should
be carefully measured and limited;

3
Risk prevention measures should be
implemented within a defined time
period;
Where the risk is associated with
extremely harmful consequences,
further assessment may be necessary
to establish more precisely the
likelihood of harm as a basis for
determining the need for improved
control measures.
 Risk Control
When a risk assessment has
identified a hazard as having
unacceptable risks we have to put in
place control measures to eliminate
the risk or reduce the risk to an
acceptable level.
 HIERARCHY OF CONTROL
1. Elimination
2. Substitution
3. Isolation
4. Engineering Control
5. Administrative Control
6. Provide Personal Safety
Devices.
 1. Elimination
The most satisfactory method of
dealing with a hazard is to eliminate it.
Transporting an explosive called Anfo
(ammonium nitrate + diesel oil).
Both are safe in isolation but when
mixed they become unstable.
The dangers of long distance transport
can be eliminated by not mixing them
until they are on site.
 2- Substitution
Substituting dangerous process or
substance with one that is not as
dangerous.
Water based paints rather than those
contain lead.
 3- Isolation
Separate or isolate the hazard from
people
A guard is placed over a piece of
moving machinery.
A fence with gate around machines.
 4- Engineering Control
Fixing local ventilation system to
remove harmful fumes.
Fixing dust collector with proper
filters.
Fixing proper shock absorber to
reduce noise.
Ilumination / A/C
 5- Administration Control
Modification of the likelihood of an
accident happening.
Reducing the number of people
exposed to the danger and providing
training to those people who are
exposed to the hazard.
Training of electricians (licensed).
Danger signs, written safety systems
of work.
 6- Personal Protective
Equipment
To be considered only when all other
control methods are impractical.
 5- Monitoring and Review
To review the assessment periodically.
The introduction of new machines,
substances or people into the work place
may introduce new risks or change the
category of an existing risk from low to
medium or high.
Only when there is a significant change.
Manual Handling
Workplace & Equipment
Control of Load
Control of Work Environment
 Example
Degreasing tank with caustic
Hazard Risk Controls

Caustic Burn to skin and 1. Safe system of work

eye detailing:
Burning of internal Method of cleaning
organs after Disposal
ingestion Emergency first aid
Spillage
Storage
2. Training for all operators in
each of the safe systems of
work detailed above and
hazards and risks of using
caustic.
Hazard Risk Controls

3. Face visor, rubber gloves, apron,

overalls and safety shoes to be
used.
4. Storage facilities for personal
protective equipment close to
operation.
5. Shower located within 100 feet
of process
6. Secure storage area for caustic.
Labelled with hazard warning
labels.
Supervisor to ensure compliance
with above.
 Example – Fork lift trucks
Hazard Risk Controls

Fork lift Travelling vehicle 1. Training program: All drivers

trucks Crushing to pass approved course with
certificate. Regular updates
Cuts
2. To match vehicle to task.
Safe working loads etc.
Overturning
3. Survey of layout of factory,
vehicle
to ensure correct signs,
Crushing mirrors, walkways, traffic
Cuts system etc.
Load type injury 4. Maintenance: regular
maintenance by competent
mechanics to be initiated
Hazard Risk Controls

Vehicle 5. Storage. Fleets to be

secured when not in use at
Acid burns night. Demarcated area,
Crushing security of keys, forks
by forks down etc.
Carbon 6. Awareness program for
pedestrians: all to be made
monoxide
aware of dangers.
poisoning
7. Daily checks and/or fault
identification: “Do not use
notices” to be used.
 Example
Every week, two workers are required to clean
the public toilet blocks in the local park.
To do this they take a truck, which has a small
pressure pump and hose stored on the back of it.
They drive the truck to the front of the toilet
block, lift the pump off the truck, carry it into the
toilets, attach the hose to the tap and clean the
block with high pressure water.
When they have finished, they carry the pump out
to the truck and reload it onto the back of the
truck and go to the next park with a toilet block.
 Hazards
The pump is heavy and awkward to
lift. (Manual Handling)
When they are using the hose in the
toilet block the noise is too high.
(Noise)
 Risk
Muscle strain
Back injuries

Hearing loss
 Control
Change work practices by increasing
length of hose to eliminate the need
to lift the pump.

Change work practices by increasing

lenth of hose to reduce the noise
level inside the toilet block.
Hazard Risk Controls

Manual Muscle Strain Change work practices by increasing

Handling Back injuries length of hose to eliminate the
need to lift pump.

Noise Change work practices by increasing

Hearing loss
length of hose to reduce the
noise level inside the toilet
block.
Control of Substances
Hazardous to Health

COSHH
Guidance on the Procedure for Carrying out
an Assessment in order to comply with the
COSHH Regulations
1. Categorization:
1.1: Chemicals used in a laboratory or
similar location.
1.2: Proprietary materials such as
cleaning fluids, adhesives, paints.
1.3: Biological Agents.
 Assessment of Chemicals
1. Hazard Evaluation:
For the purposes of assessment
all substances should be assigned one
of the hazard categories listed in table
1.
Substances of unknown toxicity
should normally be categorized as of
high or extreme hazard.
 Table 1
Hazard Category Examples
Extreme Hazard Human carcinogens
Respiratory sensitizers

High Hazard Other carcinogens

Volatile substances where the
saturated vapor pressure (in ppm)
divided by its MEL is greater than
100 but less than 1000

Medium Hazard Volatile substances where the

saturated vapor pressure (in ppm)
divided by its MEL is 100 or less.

Low Hazard Substances with OES > 500 ppm

 Definition
MEL : Maximum Exposure Limit

OES : Occupational Exposure

Standard (8hr TWA)

CHIP: Chemicals Hazard

Information and Packaging for
supply.
 2- Exposure Estimation
Score 1 10 100
A Quantity of Less than 1g 1-100g More than 100 g
substance
B Physical Dense solid, non- Dusty solids, Gases, highly volatile
characteristics of volatile liquids, freeze dried solids, liquids, aerosols,
substance no skin volatile liquids, low substances that are
absorption skin absorption easily absorbed through
the skin
C characteristics Predominantly Partially open No physical barrier, any
of operation enclosed system, system, low operation where chance
low chance of chance of mishap of mishap is medium or
mishap high (includes the
dispensing of chemicals)

AXBXC 102 OR LESS Low exposure

potential
AXBXC 103 OR 104 Medium exposur
potential
5 6 High exp. Pot.
 3- Risk Assessment
The assessment of risk combines the
estimates of hazard and exposure
leading to an overall classification of
the activity as: HIGH, MEDIUM, OR
LOW RISK
Table 3 can be used to classify the
risk and hence the level of
containment required.
 Example
The work to be undertaken is to
determine whether a substance is soluble
in diethyl ether by attempting to dissolve
it in 1.5 cm3 of diethyl ether in a test tube
at room temperature.
The substance to be dissolved has been
assessed as a low risk.
Saturated Vapor Pressure (SVP) of
Diethyl Ether = 400 mm Hg at 18º.
Occupational Exposure Standard (OES) of
Diethyl Ether = 400 ppm
 Solution
(SVP) in ppm = 400 x 106 = 526315
760

SVP = 526315 = 1316

OES 400

Therefore from table 1 Diethyl Ether is

categorized as extreme hazard.
 Exposure Estimation
Using table 2, the quantity of Diethyl
Ether to be used is 1.5 cm3 giving a value
for A of 10
Diethyl Ether is highly volatile liquid
giving a value for B of 100.
Use of the test tube can be described as
a partially open system with low chance
of mishap giving a value for C of 10.
The total score of AXBXC = 104 which
gives a medium exposure potential..
 Risk Assessment Using Table3
The use of substances that are
categorized as being extreme hazards
always requires the use of a fume
cupboard which appears overcautious for
the use of only 1.5 cm3 of Diethyl Ether.
Since STEL of Diethyl Ether is 550 ppm to
create such amount the quantity of ether
needed is about 214 cm3 (100 m3 lab).
In this case the use of only 1.5 cm3 would
make it impossible to reach the STEL and
therefore the work may carried out on
the lab bench.
 Control Measures – Table 4
Low Risk Open bench work is
acceptable
Medium Risk Work must be carried out
in a fume cupboard
High Risk A special facility eg. A
glove box should be
considered.