How to assess the risks in the

workplace.
What you should do.
 Risk Assessment.
• When thinking about your risk assessment, remember:
• TYPES OF HAZARDS: CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL,
ERGONOMIC, PSYCHO-SOCIAL

• a hazard is anything that may cause harm,

– such as chemicals, electricity, working from ladders
• the risk is the chance, high or low, that someone could
be harmed by these and other hazards, together with an
indication of how serious the harm could be.
 Workplace Issues.
• Ventilation: / 5l/s/person for mechanical
systems
Temperature: 16-30oC (13oC for physical
work)
Windows: Glass below shoulder height –
safety glass
Cleanliness:Working Space: 11m3
Seating: Ergonomic and adjustable
 Cont’d
• Traffic Routes: corridor width, stairs.
Welfare Facilities:
Toilets –
Privacy/Ventilation/lighting/cleanliness/location/qu
antity
Washing facilities
Drinking water
Accommodation for clothing
Rest Facilities
 WORK EQUIPMENT
• 1. Suitable for the purpose
2. Installed, located and used so as to reduce
the risk to operators & others
3. Substances – safe supply and/or removal
4. Maintained
5. Inspected by competent persons
6. Information, instruction and training
 Step 1
Identify the hazards
• Walk around
• Ask your employees or their representatives what they think
• Visit the HSE website OSHA website or OSHA TT website
• If you are a member of a trade association, contact them
• Check manufacturers’ instructions or data sheets for chemicals and
equipment as they can be very helpful in spelling out the hazards and
putting them in their true perspective.
• Have a look back at your accident and ill-health records – these often
help to identify the less obvious hazards.
• Remember to think about long-term hazards to health (eg high levels of
noise or exposure to harmful substances) as well as safety hazards
 Locating Hazards

• look at all aspects of the work,

• include non-routine activities such as
maintenance, repair, or cleaning,
• look at accident / incident / near-miss records,
• include people who work "off site" either at
home, on other job sites, drivers, teleworkers,
with clients, etc.,
 Locating hazards cont’d
• look at the way the work is organized or
"done" (include experience and age of people
doing the work, systems being used, etc.)
• look at foreseeable unusual conditions (for
example: possible impact on hazard control
procedures that may be unavailable in an
emergency situation, power outage, etc.)
• examine risks to visitors or the public,
• include an assessment of groups that may
have a different level of risk such as young or
inexperienced workers, persons with
disabilities, or new or expectant mothers.
 Research Hazards
• product information / manufacturer
documentation,
• past experience (workers, etc),
• legislated requirements and/or applicable
standards,
• industry codes of practice / best practices,
• health and safety material about the hazard
such as material safety data sheets (MSDSs),
or other manufacturer information,
• information from reputable organizations,
 Research
• results of testing (atmospheric, air sampling of
workplace, biological, etc), the expertise of a
occupational health and safety professional.
• Information about previous injuries, illnesses,
"near misses", accident reports, etc.
• Remember to include factors that contribute to
the level of risk such as the:
work environment (layout, condition, etc.),
capability, skill, experience of workers who do
the work, systems of work being used, or range
of foreseeable conditions.
 Step 2
Decide who might be harmed and how
• some workers have particular requirements, eg new and young
workers, new or expectant mothers and people with disabilities
may be at particular risk.
• Extra thought will be needed for some hazards; cleaners,
visitors, contractors, maintenance workers etc, who may not be
in the workplace all the time;
• members of the public, if they could be hurt by your activities;
• if you share your workplace, you will need to think about how
your work affects others present, as well as how their work
affects your staff – talk to them; and
• ask your staff if they can think of anyone you may have missed .
 Step 3
Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions
• Can I get rid of the hazard altogether?
• If not, how can I control the risks so that harm is unlikely?
• When controlling risks, apply the principles below, if possible in the
following order:
• try a less risky option (eg switch to using a less hazardous chemical);
• prevent access to the hazard (eg by guarding);
• organise work to reduce exposure to the hazard (eg put barriers between
pedestrians and traffic);
• issue personal protective equipment (eg clothing, footwear, goggles etc);
and
• provide welfare facilities (eg first aid and washing facilities for removal of
contamination).
 Prioritize risks
• percentage of workforce exposed,
• frequency of exposure,
• degree of harm likely to result from the
exposure,
• probability of occurrence.
 Step 4
Record your findings and implement them
• We do not expect a risk assessment to be perfect, but it must be suitable
and sufficient.
• You need to be able to show that:
• a proper check was made;
• you asked who might be affected;
• you dealt with all the significant hazards, taking into account the number
of people who could be involved;
• the precautions are reasonable,
• and the remaining risk is low; and
• you involved your staff or their representatives in the process.
 Step 5
Review your risk assessment and update if necessary
• Every year or so
• formally review where you are, to make sure you are still improving, or at
least not sliding back.
• Look at your risk assessment again. Have there been any changes?
• Are theree improvements you still need to make?
• Have your workers spotted a problem?
• Have you learnt anything from accidents or near misses?
• Make sure your risk assessment stays up to date.
 Monitor and Review
• the start of a new project,
• a change in the work process or flow,
• a change or addition to tools, equipment, machinery
(including locations or the way they are used),
• new employees,
• moving to a new building or work area,
• introduction of new chemicals or substances,
• when new information becomes available about a
current product.
 Documentation Required
• level of risk involved,
• legislated requirements, and/or
• requirements of any management systems
that may be in place.
 What do the records show
• conducted a good hazard review,
• determined the risks of those hazards,
• implemented control measures suitable for
the risk,
• reviewed and monitored all hazards in the
workplace.
 Components of Hazard Control
• elimination (including substitution),
• engineering controls,
• administrative controls,
• personal protective equipment.
 Hierarchy of Control of Hazards
Mitigation.
Engineering Controls
 DESIGN. Try to ensure that hazards are 'designed out' when
new materials, equipment and work systems are being
planned for the workplace.
 REMOVE the hazard or SUBSTITUTE less hazardous materials,
equipment or substances.
 ADOPT A SAFER PROCESS. Alterations to tools, equipment or
work systems can often make them much safer.
 ENCLOSE OR ISOLATE THE HAZARD through the use of guards
or remote handling techniques.
 PROVIDE EFFECTIVE VENTILATION through local or general
exhaust ventilation systems.
 Controls cont’d
 Administrative Controls
 ESTABLISH appropriate ADMINISTRATIVEPROCEDURES such
as:
– job rotation to reduce exposure or boredom, or timing the
job so that fewer workers are exposed
– routine maintenance and housekeeping procedures
– training on hazards and correct work procedures.
 Personal Protective Equipment
PROVIDE suitable and properly maintained PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) and training in its use.
Hazard Identification Tools
The professionals choice
• HAZAN & HAZOP
• Fault Tree Analysis
• Event Tree Analysis
• Failure Mode Effect Analysis
Hazards Associated with Electricity
• Electric Shock
• Electric Burns
• Electrical Fires and Explosions
• Arcing
• Portable Electrical Equipment
• Secondary Hazards
 Electrical Shock and Burns
• Reaction to flow of current
• Usually person is route to earth for live conductor
• Pain and in severe cases burning
• Effect dependent on size of current which
depends on voltage and resistance
• Effect depends on pathway, frequency of current,
length of contact and size of current (duration of
contact and resistance 100 000ohms reduced by
factor of 100 when
 Treatment of Electrical Shock
• Low Voltage Shock, Raise an alarm; call for help
• Switch off power if possible
• Call for an ambulance
• If you cannot switch off power then remove from
conductor using an insulator
• CPR
• Treat burns
• If person regains consciousness; treat for shock
• Stay with person
 High Voltage

• Call for Help and Stay at least 18 m, 60 feet

away, this current can arc
 Fire involving Electricity
• Short circuits – electrical equipment or cables are
susceptible to damage by water leaks or mechanical
damage. Twisted or bent cables can also cause
breakdowns in insulation materials, inspection boxes
and cable boxes (should be vacuumed)
• Overheating of cables and equipment – overloading o
cables, current affects the fuse required for equipmen
mechanical breakdown or wear of an electric motor
and the driven machinery. Loose cable connections,
cables being bunched. Ventilation is required
 Electrical Fires
• Ignition of flammable gases and vapors- sparks
are normal but can ignite substances around
• Ignition of combustible substances by static
electrical discharges
• Where fire occurs isolate power supply if not
possible treat fire in a way that will not cause
additional danger- non conducting agent,
watch for reignition
 Static Electricity
• This is the buildup of electrons on weak electrical
conductors or insulating materials. Can be
gaseous, liquid or solid and may include
flammable liquids, powders,plastic films and
granules. Can also be caused by the rapid
separation of highly insulated materials by
friction or by transfer from one highly charged
material to another in an electric field by induced
• Can cause serious electric shock or ignition
• Lightning is static electricity
 Selection of Suitable Equipment
• Flammable, explosive and damp atmospheres,
adverse weather conditions
• High or low temperatures
• Dirty or corrosive processes
• Vegetation or animals
• Installation with standard; can be isolated,
• Earthed safely
 Protection Systems
• Fuse – melts when rated current is exceeded
breaks circuit. No an effective protector
against electrical shock
• Circuit breaker operates by a switching effect.
• Insulation – covers conductor, breakdown can
cause shock,fire, explosion or instrument
damage
 Protection Systems
• Isolation – creates barrier between equipment
and electrical supply
• Reduced low voltage systems- reduces voltage
available to person not to equipment
• Residual current devices- cut off flow to device
very quickly if there is a a difference of a few
mAmps between what is passing through live
and neutral conductors. This can protect against
fires
Types of radiation.
 Biological Effects of Radiation

• Genetic – effects that occur in the

reproductive cells and can be inherited
• Somatic – effects that result from damage to
the cells in the body and are observed in the
person who has been affected
– Acute
– chronic
 Comprehensive radiation
programme should take into
account
• Tissue or organ exposed
• Age of exposed person
• Amount and duration of exposure
• Type of radiation (alpha, beta, gamma
 Unsafe Procedures
• Unauthorized uses or users of radioactive
materials
• Using materials in unapproved areas
• Improperly storing or transporting materials
• Inadequate shielding
• Failing to use appropriate safety clothing
• Using volatile materials in areas other than
approved hoods
 Protection against radiation
hazards
• Internal contamination hazards
– Inhalation – use of enclosure or respiratory
control programme
– Ingestion – washing hands, prohibit or
consumption of food, disposable gloves, labelling
– Absorption- gloves
– Puncture
• Time – Dose = Time x Dose Rate
• Distance – intensity of radiation decreases with an
increase in the distance between the source of
radiation and the person
• Shielding – if enough matter is placed in front of the
radiation beam, it can be absorbed to the point
indistinguishable from background
– Dependant on type and intensity of radiation, desired
exposure outside the shielded area, cost-benefit ratio and
physical constraints of the area.
• Bypassing interlocks; consuming food in areas
where radioactive materials are used or
stored
• Failing to label the equipment or “use” areas
clearly to warn others of the presence of
radioactive materials or radiation