Overview
Risk management has become part of lots of management systems. The information security management system, for example, uses risk management to assess the risks associated with the audit findings of the information security management system.
In the same way, the occupational safety and health management system use risk management to assess the risk associated with hazards.
This gives the frame for the process in Occupational safety and health:
- Identifying hazards
- Assessing associated risks
- Taking action to mitigate risks
- Monitoring the effectiveness
Identifying hazards
A hazard is anything that is a threat to health and safety in an organization.
Therefore it is linked to the organization’s people and it immediately becomes clear that everybody has to contribute to finding hazards in their workplace. In some countries, it is a legal requirement that employers have to consult their employees.
A hazard is not just linked to technical equipment or material used at a workplace but must include processes and procedures that determine the work at the workplace.
Sources for hazard identification can be:
- Past incidents and accidents
- Input by employees
- Examining workplaces or work areas
- Review of safety instruction for equipment and materials
- Any creative thinking, such as brainstorming
- Advice from legislation, standards, checklists or external consultants.
Control risks
To determine the most appropriate controls for the learning environment, it is important to consider the hazards and characteristics of the workgroup. The choice of controls is governed by a general principle, though. The hierarchy of controls, or the safety decision hierarchy, is used to describe this concept. This is the golden rule when it comes to protecting yourself and your loved ones. It outlines the most popular methods for reducing risk as follows:
Most of the time, a combination of the alternatives in the hierarchy is the most effective way to reduce risk. As we move down this list, there are fewer possibilities and the controls become less dependable. Personal protective equipment is always considered to control the last resort.
| Eliminate | Remove the risk | Eliminate the risk, e.g., cease using/doing a specific the task, process, substance, or equipment |
| Substitute | Substitute the hazard | Use a device, substance, method, process, place, or person that is less harmful or hazardous |
| Isolation | Separate the risk | Isolating the hazard from the person-environment or business |
| Engineering Controls | Design | Design out or Modify |
| Adopt a safer process | Can it be done another way | |
| Enclose or isolate | Use guards, close off, move away | |
| Ventilation | Provide adequate ventilation | |
| Administrative Controls | Safe work procedures | Correct work procedures |
| Information | Provide appropriate information about risks | |
| Job rotation | Relieve stress/boredom; reduce exposure of individuals | |
| Training/ Induction | Know the dangers. How to do work correctly | |
| Personal Protective Equipment | Provide and/or use Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment PPE | Using appropriately designed, maintained and properly fitting equipment when all of the above control processes are not practicable. Must also provide instruction on correct fitting, use and maintenance. |
