Weir Risk Assessment

Protocol Training
SMG Training Pack
OBJECTIVES

To understand the risk assessment

process and terminology

Enable senior management to ensure

that the Weir Group Protocol on Risk
Assessment is properly implemented
Weir Risk Assessment Training

BACKGROUND
There are 3 main types of risk assessments that we use in Weir

Weir Group Protocol WGP 004 Risk Assessment

Gives the requirement to complete general Job Safety Analysis (JSA) / Risk Assessment {2
terms are interchangeable} as well as requirement for POWRA for all field operations as a
minimum.

Weir Group Protocol WGP 007 Lifting Operations

Gives the requirement for a specific Point of Work Lift Risk Assessment for certain categories
of Lifting Operations (POWLRA)

Weir Group Protocol WGP 008 Plant in the Workplace

Gives the requirement for a Plant Risk Assessment to be completed on plant and machinery
risks.

This training pack is concerned with WGP 004 requirements only –

General JSA / Risk Assessment and POWRA
WGP 004 Requirements

Defining & Assessing Risk

JSA / RA & POWRA

Weir Risk Assessment Training

To define risk, we first need to take a look at a few basic terms…

To ensure a safe work environment, you need

to understand the exact definition
of risk and hazard.
Weir Risk Assessment Training

A hazard is anything that has the

potential to cause harm
(these should be reported straight away by the person seeing it)
Weir Risk Assessment Training

Risk is the combination of the

likelihood of a hazardous event occurring, and the
consequence of the event

Risk = Likelihood x Consequence

What is a risk assessment?
An EHS risk assessment (or JSA) is a careful examination of anything in

your workplace that could cause injury, ill health or damage to the

environment and allows a decision to be made on the controls in place /

required to prevent / minimise the harm

Purpose of a JSA/RA
1. To identify, assess and control the hazards and associated
risks for all work – routine and non-routine.

2. To document and implement an action plan to control the

risks before work begins.

3. Forms part of a safe system of work (SSOW).

When should a JSA/RA be
Done?
• All work activities on a site must be risk assessed, the
risk assessment recorded and included in the site’s
overall risk plan.

• Each activity will have a SOP and supporting JSA/RA .

Who should carry out the
JSA/RA?
• The Weir Protocol states that at least two people
conduct the assessment.

• These people must be competent in risk assessment

and have a working knowledge of the process/es and
tasks being assessed.
How are JSA / Risk
Assessments carried out?
A 5 step process
Weir Risk Assessment Training

1. List of work tasks

Location(s)
People
Equipment
Activities
Weir Risk Assessment Training

2. Identify the hazards

What are the hazards?

Who/What might be harmed?
How might they be harmed?
Weir Risk Assessment Training

3. Look at the Consequence and Likelihood

Risk Matrix and Rating P
Weir Risk Assessment Training

4. Evaluate the Risk – Weir Approach

Risk Matrix and Rating P
Weir Risk Assessment Training

5. Record your findings

• The location, activity and equipment being assessed

• Hazards and risk levels

• Risk controls

• Assessor’s details

• Date and time

• Review date
Weir Risk Assessment Training

Job Safety Analysis Template is the record of findings and drives actions for risk
reduction
Weir Risk Assessment Training

Planning Risk Assessment

• Decide on who is going to carry out the risk assessments.

• A team approach involving members of management and shop floor operatives is by far the most
productive format.

• Ensure team members have received adequate training in risk assessment techniques and hazard
identification.

• Decide who implements and monitors control programs.

• Decide on when the risk assessments are going to take place. This will ideally be when all the hazards
that are present during normal operation will be easily visible.

• Ensure the reasons for carrying out risk assessments are understood by all personnel before they take
place.
Weir Risk Assessment Training

Decide What Requires Assessment

• A risk assessment can be conducted on an area, an activity or a specific task within the

activity.

• The level of assessment will depend on the hazards and the legal requirement.

• Prioritise those activities which are perceived to be most hazardous.

Assessments must be:-
Suitable & sufficient

Carried out by competent persons

Reviewed as circumstances change

Better data helps make better judgements

Involve the people it is likely to affect

Conditions may vary from site to site

Controlling risks
How do you reduce risk?
Weir Risk Assessment Training

Controlling Risks

If you want to reduce the risk, you will need to:

• reduce likelihood

• reduce consequence

• reduce both
Weir Risk Assessment Training

For Example - Hand Spraying of solvent based paints with just a visor on for protection
Weir Risk Assessment Training

This activity has the potential for harm through fire causing burns and respiratory damage from inhaling solvent –
So for example it is possible (3) to cause a major injury (4) - rank of 12.
Weir Risk Assessment Training

We can however segregate the operator using engineering controls and use water based paints and bring
down both the consequence (2) and the likelihood (2) as below -

Any risk that remains after controls have been implemented is called residual risk, in this case 4
Controlling Risks –
Hierarchy of Risk Control
How do you decide which
risk control to use?
Weir Risk Assessment Training

To help decide on the risk control there is the hierarchy of risk control from the
Group Protocol – most effective is left hand side and least effective is right hand
side

Previous example used substitution, isolation and engineering controls to reduce

risk

1. Elimination

2. Substitution

3. Isolation

4. Engineering controls

5. Admin Controls

6. PPE
Weir Risk Assessment Training

Risk control decision

A number of factors may affect your risk control decision, such as:
▪ Number of people you are trying to protect

▪ Reliance on behaviour

▪ Maintenance

▪ Cost

▪ Reduction of risk
Point of Work Risk Assessment
– Stop, Think, Act, Review
(POWRA - STAR)
What is a POWRA?
A simple (real time) Risk Assessment carried out
at the Job/Task/Work Place
Purpose of a POWRA
• A final check for the person undertaking the task
that it is safe.
• An opportunity to check that nothing has
changed, i.e. no new or additional hazards have
been introduced.
• To identify any factors not considered in the
JSA/RA.
• Forms part of a safe system of work (SSOW).
When Should a POWRA be
Done?
• Immediately prior to the work/task being
undertaken.
• After any breaks or time spent away from the
task.
• On any new or changed task/location.
• In all Field Operations activities prior to starting
work.
• As circumstances and/or conditions change.
Who should carry out the
POWRA ?
• The person(s) with sufficient knowledge, skills,
training and experience who is/are about to
undertake the work task.
• Where possible, two people should do the
POWRA.
Weir Risk Assessment Training

POWRA Template
Summary

The objectives of this session were:

To understand the risk assessment process and

terminology

Enable senior management to ensure that the Weir

Group Protocol on Risk Assessment is fully
implemented

(Footnote: for lifting operations and plant risk assessments please

refer to separate training packs and the respective protocols)