Republic of the Philippines

Laguna State Polytechnic University

ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

LSPU Self-Paced Learning Module (SLM)

Course AC2 BASIC OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH

Sem/AY Second Semester/2023-2024
Module No. 4
Lesson Title Hazards Identification Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC)
Week
11-13
Duration
Date April 8-28, 2024
Description of This topic will help the students gain a good understanding of hazard identification, risk
the Lesson assessment and control (HIRAC) and how to conduct an assessment, identify risks, and
recommend best-practice solutions.

Learning Outcomes

Intended Students should be able to meet the following intended learning outcomes:
Learning  How to identify occupational health and safety hazards
Outcomes  Gain knowledge on qualitative methodology of risk assessment
 To recommend practical control measures.
Targets/ At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
Objectives  Understand how to conduct risk assessments for activities in a workplace.
 Have confidence to recommend the best solutions to address significant and/or
intolerable risks that exist.
 Use the HIRAC process to develop safe systems of work.

Student Learning Strategies

Online Activities A. Online Discussion via Google Meet

(Synchronous/ You will be directed to attend in a two-hour class discussion on Definition of
Asynchronous) terms, symbols used and types of circuit elements, circuit variables and circuit
parameters. To have access to the online discussion, refer to this link:
____________________.

The online discussion will happen on Tuesday at 07:30 AM - 01:30 NN and on

Wednesday at 7:30 AM – 10:30 AM

(For further instructions, refer to your Google Classroom and see the schedule
of activities for this module)
Some useful links for YouTube lectures:

B. Learning Guide Questions:

1. Will the students develop a concept of risk assessment?

Note: The insight that you will post on online discussion forum using Learning
Management System (LMS) will receive additional scores in class participation.

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: Hazards Identification Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC)
 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Lecture Guide

The fundamental requirement to a safe workplace is to have a robust occupational

health and safety risk assessment process. The hazard/aspects identification,
impact/risk assessment and control (HAIIRAC) procedure helps any company
establish, implement, and maintain documented processes for the continuous
identification of hazards and assessing risks attached. From these processes' outputs,
the appropriate control measures can be implemented. There are risk management
framework that will define a company's current risk management processes and
methodologies, training methods, reporting procedures, hazard identification
procedures, risk assessments, risk appetites, and determining controls. The purpose
of the procedure is to establish, implement and maintain the documented procedures
for the on-going identification of all hazards, the assessments of risks, and the
establishment of the necessary measures of control. There are three steps used to
manage safety and health in the work place..
1 Recognizing and Identifying Hazards/Aspects (Hazard Identification)
2 Impact/Risk Assessment and Prioritization (Risk Assessment)
3 Application of Controls (Risk Control)

1. Steps in Recognizing and Identifying Hazards/Aspects

Recognition - The first step of the HIRAC is to select an area, task or activity. Priority
should be given to areas, tasks or activities assumed to present risks, based on:
 past experience (e.g. accidents, near-misses, complaints)
Offline Activities  concerns expressed by staff
(e-Learning/Self-  requirements of legislation or company policies and procedures (e.g.
Paced) workplace changes)
 requests from the various Safety and Health personnel.

Hazard Identification - Hazards can be grouped under various categories, as listed

below
 Physical hazards
 Biological hazards
 Chemical hazards
 Ergonomic hazards
 Psychological hazards
 Electrical Hazards
 Mechanical Hazards

Identifying hazards in a workplace can be done by inspection or by investigation.

Inspection is a proactive identification (before incidents happen) includes walking

around the premise:
a. Observing how work tasks are being performed
b. Assessing the equipment workers are using, and considering how that
equipment is being used
c. Analysing the design and layout of the work areas

Investigation is a reactive identification (after incidents happen). This is done to

prevent accidents or near-misses re-occurrence.
2. Impact/Risk Assessment and Prioritization

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: Hazards Identification Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC)
 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

As OSH personnel, you need to conduct a systematic risk assessment to help you
identify the hazards that exist in your workplace, and how they may put your co-
workers at risk. To determine if you’ve done enough to protect your workers, it helps
to use a rating system as part of your risk assessment.

For each hazard, you need to be clear about the groups of people who might be
harmed. This will help you identify the best way of controlling the risk. Be sure to ask
your co-workers if there are any groups you may have missed. Here are some things
to keep in mind:
 Certain groups of workers may have specific requirements according to the
OSH Regulation. These groups may include new and young workers,
temporary workers, contractors, and those working alone.
 Make sure you have included notifications and training for people who might
not be in the workplace all the time, such as visitors, contractors, or
maintenance workers.
 Take members of the public into consideration if they could be hurt by your
activities.
 If you share your workplace with another business, consider how your work
affects the workers from that business (and vice versa).

Risk Assessment - Risk assessments are based on two key factors:

 the consequence of any injury/illness resulting from the hazard, and
 the likelihood that the injury/illness will actually occur.

Part of the risk assessment is determining the level of risk that hazards pose to
workers. Rate the risks as high, medium, or low. This helps OSH personnel to decide
which risks are most serious and should be dealt with first. Use this risk matrix table
to help determine level of risk:

Consequence
Minor(1) Low(2) Medium(3) High(4) Catastrophic(5)

Example of With With

Risk Matrix Short term Long term fatality fatalities
Table First aid Hospitalizat Hospitalizati and/or and/or
treatment ion and/or on and/or serious serious
surgery surgery permanent permanent
injury injuries
Almost
Medium High High Extreme Extreme
certain(5)
Likelihood

Likely(4) Medium Medium High High Extreme

Possible(3) Low Medium Medium High High
Unlikely(2) Low Medium Medium Medium High
Rare(1) Low Low Low Medium Medium

Likelihood
Almost Expected to occur regularly under normal situation. More than 90%
certain(5) chance of happening

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: Hazards Identification Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC)
 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Expected to occur at some time. About 50% - 90% chance of

Likely(4)
happening
Possible(3) May occur at some time. Between 10% - 50% chance of happening
Not likely to occur under normal situation. Between 3%-10% chance
Unlikely(2)
to happen.
Could happen, but probably not to happen. Less than 3% chance to
Rare(1)
happen.

Consequence Level
Minor Low Medium High Catastrophic
Risk Type
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Temporary Temporary Reversible Irreversible Irreversible
discomfort alterations impact on impact on impact on
(no (no significant health (with health (with health (with
significant man-hour man-hour loss of life) multiple loss
man-hour loss) loss) of life)
Health Risk loss)
Less than Php 501 000 Php 5.1 Php 51 More than
Php 500, up to Php 5 Million up to Million up to Php 500
000 cost of Million cost of Php 50 Php 500 Million cost
damages damages Million cost Million cost of damages
of damages of damages
First Aid Medical Leave of Permanent Multiple
Treatment (no absent disability or permanent
significant (absent for 3 death disability or
man-hour days or Multiple
loss) more) Death
Safety Risk
Less than Php 501 000 Php 5.1 Php 51 More than
Php 500, up to Php 5 Million up to Million up to Php 500
000 cost of Million cost of Php 50 Php 500 Million cost
damages damages Million cost Million cost of damages
of damages of damages

3. Application of Risk Controls - For each hazard, identifies the variables

surrounding the accidents that you can control to eliminate these dangers. Hazards
with lighter consequences may only have one controllable variable, but you must
identify as many governable factors as possible for the larger-scale risksilizing a
combination of strategies to eradicate problems surrounding the controllable factors is
the most effective way to curb the dangers associated with each risky aspect of the
environment.

Risk Control Hierarchy:

The hierarchy of risk control (also known as the hierarchy of hazard control) is a
system or framework used to minimise, mitigate and eliminate exposure to hazards.
The hierarchy is typically referenced and implemented in industrial workplace like
manufacturing, construction, oil and gas, mining etc., where incident rates are typically
higher and hazards more common. The risk control hierarchy ranks risk control
measures in decreasing order of effectiveness. Risk control measures should always
aim as high in the list as practicable. Control of any given risk generally involves
several measures drawn from the various options (except if the hazard is eliminated).
The hierarchy of risk control represented as a different shape; you may see 4 or 5
layers to the pyramid rather than 6; and you may see some stages called slightly

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: Hazards Identification Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC)
 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

different things. The structure of the pyramid tells any person which control measure
is most effective (in almost every situation), and which should be chosen first. The
hierarchy of risk control pyramid has six (6) levels of control measures:

A. Elimination of hazard: Eliminating the risk completely is the best control possible,
because the hazard 'does not exist' anymore and can not cause any harm. Examples
include the proper disposal of redundant items of equipment that contain substances
such as asbestos or PCBs, the removal of excess quantities of chemical accumulated
over time in a laboratory, etc. The elimination of hazards is 100% effective.
B. Substitution of hazard: Substitution is the second best 'option' when it comes to
the hierarchy of risk control. Substitution involves replacing the risk, hazard or
method with a different one which doesn't include risk (or as much risk). examples
include the replacement of solvent-based printing inks with waterbased ones, of
asbestos insulation or fire-proofing with synthetic fibres or rockwool, the use of
titanium dioxide white pigment instead of lead white, etc. The effectiveness of
substitution is wholly dependent on the choice of replacement.
C. Isolation of hazard - Isolation comes after substitution, and involves separating the
risk from people - or as many people as possible.
D. Engineering controls: Engineering controls involve making engineering changes to
the risk or situation, such as an adjustment or alteration to a machine or landscape.
E. Administrative controls: Administrative controls typically lessen risk by helping
make people more aware of the hazard, this include training and education, job
rotation to share the load created by demanding tasks, planning, scheduling certain
jobs outside normal working hours to reduce general exposure (e.g. planning
demolition and building works during summer recess), early reporting of signs and
symptoms, instructions and warnings, etc. Administrative control measures typically
require significant resources to be maintained over long periods of time for continuing
levels of effectiveness.
F. Personal protective equipment (PPE): PPE is the lowest (weakest) in the
hierarchy of risk controls, and includes wearing and relying on any type of personal
protective equipment. This is often counterintuitive, as many people see PPE as the
first line of safety defence - while it is actually the defence of last resort this includes
safety glasses and goggles, earmuffs and earplugs, hard hats, toe-capped footwear,
gloves, respiratory protection, aprons, etc.

https://tapintosafety.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Hierarchy_Pyramid.jpg

Recap:

Duties and Responsibilities

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: Hazards Identification Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC)
 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

The duties and responsibilities confined in the company's Safety and Health System
for hazard identification and risk assessments will be on the Safety and Health
Manager and the Functional Team members.

Definitions

Site – The work area that is covered by your company’s Environmental, Safety and
Health (ESH) system
Hazard – A source of potential harm to humans or a cause of ill health or anything that
can cause injury, illness, property damage or loss of material.
Risk –The likelihood of a situation causing a hazardous event. The chance or
probability that a person will be harmed or experience an adverse health effect if
exposed to a hazard.
Normal – A situation that occurs when planned activities are carried out through
controlled processes.
Abnormal – A situation that occurs when activities deviate from the controlled
process.
Emergency – A situation that occurs from an undesirable or unforeseen event and has
the potential to escalate to an uncontrollable situation.
Routine – Controlled activities that are carried out daily.
Non-routine – Activities that are carried out on occasion, such as maintenance.
Visitor – A non-employee of the company that visits the site.
Risk assessment – The entire process of risk assessment and the defining of the
potential severity of the risk, whether it would be tolerable or intolerable.
Acceptable risk – Risk that is accepted by the company to be tolerable and will not
cause harm.

The Top Hazards In The Workplace

 Noise
 Fire hazards
 Slips, trips, and falls
 Physical hazards
 Chemical hazards
 Ergonomic hazards
 Biological hazards
 Asbestos
 Electrical hazards
 Working in a confined space

Risk Assessment process;

Human factor – Stress, fatigue, illness
Ergonomics – Work place furniture, posture, seated hours
Adverse conditions – Emergencies, non-routine, routine
Maintenance – Plant maintenance and shutdown activities
Housekeeping – Plant and process
Material handling – Manual or mechanical
Hazardous substance – Working with chemicals, toxins, hot metals
Legal accountability – risks on account of statutory requirements

Performance Tasks

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: Hazards Identification Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC)
 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

PT 4: Risk Assessment and Control

Risk assessment activity
Work in small groups. Conduct a risk assessment.

Task:
1 Choose an industry or type of workplace (manufacturing, food chain, convenience shop,
hairdressing salon, etc.)
2 Make a list of hazards that may be present in that workplace (slippery floors from spilt water, oil
etc; uneven floors from changing floor level)
3 Choose atleast 3 hazards and list them on your Worksheet.
4 Read the Information Sheet and the relevant information.
5 Use the Risk Assessment Chart to assess the risk.
6 Write down ways to control the hazards on the Worksheet.

Worksheet
Spot the Hazard Assess the Risk Make the Changes
A Hazard is anything that could Work out how likely it is that the Eliminate, substitute, isolate, add
hurt you or someone else hazard will hurt someone and how safeguards, use safest way, use
badly they could be hurt protective equipment
List the hazards Describe the risks Suggest ways to control the risks
  
  
  

Information Sheet
TO CARRY OUT A BASIC RISK ASSESSMENT. FOLLOW THE FOUR STEPS

STEP 1: INFORMATION WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU HAVE ON EACH

Gather information about each hazard identified. HAZARD?

STEP 2: LIKELIHOOD WHO WILL BE EXPOSED TO THE HAZARD AND

Think about how many young people are likely to be FOR HOW LONG?
exposed to each hazard and for how long.
You need to take into account the different
situations/conditions that may exist in your workplace
that may increase the likelihood, such as a change to
operations, inspection, cleaning, maintenance, servicing
and repair, new or inexperienced staff.

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: Hazards Identification Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC)
 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

STEP 3: CONSEQUENCES WHAT WILL THE CONSEQUENCES BE IF THE

Use the information to assess the consequences of each HAZARD TO HEALTH ACTUALLY CAUSES AN
hazard. INJURY OR HARM TO HEALTH?
 Fatality
 Major injuries (significant long term effects)
 Minor injuries (usually requiring several days off
work)
 Negligible injuries (maybe first aid)
STEP 4: RATING THE RISK HOW DO YOU RATE THIS RISK?
Use the risk table on the next page to work out the risk
associated with each hazard.

Risk Assessment Chart

CONSEQUENCE of any injuries or harm to health

Minor(1) Low(2) Medium(3) High(4) Catastrophic(5)
With fatality
RISK RATING TABLE With fatalities
Short term Long term and/or
First aid and/or serious
Hospitalization Hospitalization serious
treatment permanent
and/or surgery and/or surgery permanent
injuries
injury

Almost
Medium High High Extreme Extreme
certain(5)
LIKELIHOOD of Injury or Harm to health

Likely(4) Medium Medium High High Extreme

Possible(3) Low Medium Medium High High

Unlikely(2) Low Medium Medium Medium High

Rare(1) Low Low Low Medium Medium

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: Hazards Identification Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC)
 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

RUBRICS FOR DISCUSSION POSTINGS

Answer to Guide Question Fair Good Excellent Score
The answer shows a deep understanding of the ideas in the course
5 7 10
materials.
They reflect an incisive analysis of theory, practice and personal
5 7 10
experience.
They are well supported by valid arguments, appropriate
5 7 10
examples/illustrations/details and/or relevant personal experiences.
Reaction/Comments
The reactions/comments reflect understanding and analysis of the
1 3 5
Discussion Board postings concerned.
They are reasonable and well supported by theory/practice/ personal
1 3 5
experience/logical examples/illustrations.
Timeliness
The postings are timely/up-to-date (i.e., contributed within the
1 3 5
assigned schedule/time frame).
Organization and Mechanics
The postings are organized, clear, concise, and grammatically correct. 1 3 5
TOTAL /50

Learning Resources

Bibliography
Reese, C. D. (2017). Occupational Safety and Health. New York, USA: CRC Press.

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LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: Hazards Identification Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC)