required by the WHS regulations for specific hazards It is also important to use the risk management approach when designing and planning products, processes or places used for work, because it is often easier and more effective to eliminate hazards before they are introduced into a workplace by incorporating safety features at the design stage. 2. STEP 1 – HOW TO IDENTIFY HAZARDS Identifying hazards in the workplace involves finding things and situations that could potentially cause harm to people. Hazards generally arise from the following aspects of work and their interaction: physical work environment equipment, materials and substances used work tasks and how they are performed work design and management Table 1 below lists some common types of workplace hazards. Some hazards are part of the work process, such as mechanical hazards, noise or toxic properties of substances. Other hazards result from equipment or machine failures and misuse, chemical spills and structural failures. A piece of plant, substance or a work process may have many different hazards. Each of these hazards needs to be identified. For example, a production line may have dangerous moving parts, noise, hazards associated with manual tasks and psychological hazards due to the pace of work. Table 1 Examples of common hazards Hazard Potential harm Manual tasks Overexertion or repetitive movement can cause muscular strain Gravity Falling objects, falls, slips and trips of people can cause fractures, bruises, lacerations, dislocations, concussion, permanent injuries or death Electricity Potential ignition source. Exposure to live electrical wires can cause shock, burns or death from electrocution Machinery and equipment Being hit by moving vehicles, or being caught by moving parts of machinery can cause fractures, bruises, lacerations, dislocations, permanent injuries or death Hazardous chemicals Chemicals (such as acids, hydrocarbons, heavy metals) and dusts (such as asbestos and silica) can cause respiratory illnesses, cancers or dermatitis Extreme temperatures Heat can cause burns, heat stroke or fatigue Cold can cause hypothermia or frost bite Noise Exposure to loud noise can cause permanent hearing damage Radiation Ultra violet, welding arc flashes, micro waves and lasers
Table 2 contains further questions that can help you estimate likelihood. You can rate the likelihood as one of the following: Certain to occur - expected to occur in most circumstances Very likely - will probably occur in most circumstances Possible – might occur occasionally Unlikely – could happen at some time Rare – may happen only in exceptional circumstances The level of risk will increase as the likelihood of harm and its severity increases. Table 2 Questions to ask in determining likelihood Explanation and examples How often are people exposed to the hazard? A hazard may exist all of the time or it may only exist occasionally. The more often a hazard is present, the greater the likelihood it will result in harm. For example: Meshing gears in an enclosed gearbox can cause crushing only if the gearbox is open during maintenance, and therefore the potential for harm will not occur very often. Continuously lifting heavy boxes has the potential to cause harm whenever the work is done. How long might people be exposed to the hazard? The longer that someone is exposed to a hazard, the greater the likelihood that harm may result. For example: The longer a person is exposed to noisy work, the more likely it is that they will suffer hearing loss. How effective are current controls in reducing risk? In most cases the risks being assessed will already be subject to some control measures. The likelihood of harm resulting from the risk will depend upon how adequate and effective the current measures are. For example: Traffic management controls have been implemented in a warehouse to separate moving forklifts from pedestrians by using signs and painted lines on the floor. These controls may need to be upgraded to include physical barriers. Could any changes in your organisation increase the likelihood? The demand for goods or services in many organisations varies throughout the year. Changes in demand may be seasonal, depend on environmental conditions or be affected by market fluctuations that are driven by a range of events. Meeting increased demand may cause unusual loads on people, plant and equipment and systems of work. Failures may be more likely. For example: Inner city restaurants and bistros are very busy in the period prior to Christmas, placing extra demands on kitchen and serving staff. The increase in volume of food to be prepared and serving a larger number of patrons increases the potential for human error and the
APPENDIX B – RISK REGISTER Location: Date: Hazard What is the harm that the hazard could cause? What is the likelihood that the harm would occur? What is the level of risk? How effective are the current controls? What further controls are required? How will the controls be implemented? Action by Due Date When Completed