RISK ASSESSMENT
DR. ALAN LE SERVE
LEAD CONSULTANT
COSHE
WHAT IS RISK ASSESSMENT?
A risk assessment is simply a careful
examination of your workplaceM1to see
what could cause harm to workers.
You then weigh up whether you have
taken enough precautions to prevent any
harm coming to workers.
If not, what other precautions should you
take?
Slide 2
M1 added: 'place'
Michael, 07/11/2011
WHAT IS THE AIM OF A RISK ASSESSMENT?
The aim of any risk assessment is to make
sure that no one gets injured at work or
becomes ill because of the conditions at
work.
Accidents and ill health at work can ruin
lives and affect your business too if output
is lost.
In some countries you are legally required
to assess the risks in your workplace.
RISK ASSESSMENT – TWO QUESTIONS
The most important things you have to
decide on are:
are:-
1. Is the hazard significant?
2 Have you taken sufficient precautions so
that the risk to workers is low?
M2
Slide 4
M2 changed 'small' to 'low'
Michael, 07/11/2011
DEFINITIONS
HAZARD – means anything that can
cause harm to workers.
RISK – is the chance, high or low, that
somebody will be harmed by the hazard.
WHY DO WE NEED TO BOTHER?
• ILO estimates more than 2.3 million fatalities every year
due to occupational accidents and work-related diseases.
• It is also estimated that more than 337 million workers
sustain injuries and there are over 160 million cases of
work-related diseases.
• Many accidents at work go unreported and most
occupational diseases go undiagnosed, (SMEs and the
informal sector) – there is gross under-reporting.
• It is estimated to cost countries 4% of GDP.
• The cost to workers and their families is incalculable!
SOME HAZARDS ARE OBVIOUS
WORKERS UNLOADING CEMENT FROM THE LOAD IS HEAVIER THAN
THE WORKER
THE HOLD OF A SHIP
POOR HOUSEKEEPING ON
BUILDING SITES AND
INADEQUATE FOOTWEAR =
INJURY AND POSSIBLE
INFECTION.
UNGUARDED MACHINES ARE UNGUARDED MACHINES, DUST,
OBVIOUS WRONG FOOTWEAR, NO PPE
THE RESULTS ARE ALSO OBVIOUS AS SHOWN HERE
SEWING NEEDLE IN THE
NO GUARD
FINGER
WORKER MIXING PESTICIDE WITHOUT PPE
THESE YOUNG WORKERS IN A BRAKE LINING
FACTORY ARE USING ASBESTOS
SOME HAZARDS ARE NOT SO OBVIOUS – SUCH AS
WITH THESE GARMENT WORKERS?
ALL LOOKS OK AT FIRST, BUT THERE IS
DUST, LIGHTING AND ERGONOMIC
HAZARDS, AND UNGUARDED MACHINES
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS SOME WOMEN WORKERS
DETERMINE WHO IS MOST AT RISK ?
The worker who is spot cleaning in a garment factory?
The worker sorting coal?
The textile worker?
The wood worker?
The factory worker?
Or the weaver?
GARMENT WORKER COAL WORKER TEXTILE WORKER
SPOT CLEANING - SHE IS LACKS PERSONAL NO PPE AND COTTON WOOL
SPRAYING TRICHLOROETHYLENE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. IN EAR AS NOISE LEVELS >
WITH NO PPE. HER CLOTHES ARE 85dBA.
SOAKED AND SHE IS PREGNANT.
WOOD WORKER FACTORY WORKER WEAVER
NO GUARD.
NO LOWER BACK SUPPORT.
FOR THESE WELDERS
WHAT ARE THE MAIN HAZARDS
AND WHO IS MOST AT RISK?
WHO’S ROLE IS IT TO IMPROVE OSH?
The inspectorate from the
Ministry/Department of Labour
Management
Workers
In reality everyone has a role to play but, it
must be stressed that it is the employers’
responsibility to provide a safe and healthy
workplace.
WHAT IS THE SITUATION IN THE CARIBBEAN?
• How many workplace accidents are there?
•How many industrial diseases are recorded? In
many countries, most accidents and diseases at
work go unrecorded. Some reasons are:
- obsolete legislation covering few workers;
- lack of awareness by employers and workers;
- too few inspectors; and
-lack of OSH training and equipment.
IN TRUTH, NO ONE KNOWS THE TRUE PICTURE.
AT WORK YOU SHOULD BE:
Healthy
Socially well
Physically fit
Mentally well
PROMOTION PREVENTION PROTECTION
REMEMBER – A HEALTHY AND SAFE WORKER IS
A MORE PRODUCTIVE WORKER!
WHAT TYPE OF HAZARDS ARE FOUND AT WORK?
Mechanical (machines, layout,
Physical (noise, vibration,
housekeeping, etc) light, temperature, radiation,
etc)
Ergonomic
Chemical (dusts, (Sitting, standing,
fumes, vapours, lifting, etc.)
etc)
Psycho-social (stress,
Biological (bacteria, etc)
viruses, etc)
HOW TO ASSESS THE RISKS IN YOUR
WORKPLACE
There are five steps:
1. Look for hazards.
2. Decide who might be harmed and how.
3. Evaluate the risks and decide whether
the existing precautions are adequate or
whether more should be done.
4. Record your findings.
5. Review how successful the assessment is
and revise if necessary.
STEP 1 – LOOK FOR HAZARDS
Walk around the workplace and see what
are the potential dangers that can harm
workers.
Ignore the trivial and concentrate on the
most serious hazards which could result in
major injury or affect several workers.
It is good if managers and workers’
representatives do this together – ask
workers what they think and if they have
noted any problems.
Obtain manufacturers’ instructions and
MSDSs if possible.
STEP 2 – DECIDE WHO MIGHT BE
HARMED AND HOW
Young workers, new workers/trainees,
M3
expectant mothers, etc. are usually most
at risk.
Cleaners, visitors, maintenance workers
who are not in the workplace all the time.
Members of the public.
Slide 20
M3 Changed: 'at risk most' to 'most at risk'
Michael, 07/11/2011
STEP 3 - EVALUATE THE RISKS
Consider each hazard in turn and decide
on the significant ones.
For each hazard, you then have to decide
whether the risk is high, medium or low.
Consider if you can get rid of the hazard
altogether or eliminate it totally.
If you cannot eliminate the hazard totally,
what is the best way to control the risk so
that workers would not be harmed.
SIMPLE RISK ESTIMATION
The effect of a hazard may be rated:
3 Major – death or major injury;
2 Serious – injuries cause worker to be off
work for 3+ days; and
1 Slight – all other injuries – not serious.
Little time off work.
The likelihood of harm may be rated:
3 High – where it is certain or near certain
that harm will occur;
2 Medium – where harm will occur
frequently; and
1 Low – where harm will seldom occur.
RISK = HAZARD X LIKELIHOOD OF
SEVERITY OCCURENCE
Where more workers are involved, multiply
by that number. The higher the number
the greater the risk.
CONTROLLING RISKS
If you cannot completely eliminate the risk or
put in a safer substitute, then:
try to control the hazard at source such as
with machine guards. If not, try to place
barriers along the route to prevent the
hazard reaching the worker. These are
types of engineering controls;
organize work to reduce exposure to the
hazard. These are known as administrative
controls;
issue personal protective equipment; and
provide proper washing and first aid
facilities.
METHODS OF CONTROL
SOURCE WORKER
PATH
The most effective way of controlling hazards
is at source. However, PPE is often selected
as it is the cheapest alternative.
IF YOU DO USE PPE
make sure it is the best available;
make sure that it is the correct PPE for the
hazard;
make sure that the PPE is well
maintained; and
make sure workers know how to use it
correctly.
STEP 4 – RECORD YOUR FINDINGS
It is very important to record your
findings. In that way you know what has
been done or what needs to be done!
For example: Machine guarding – all
guards found to be secure and in good
condition - none are missing, or
Fume from welding – local exhaust
ventilation provided and regularly
checked.
Use a checklist (e.g. machine guarding).
Do workers know how to switch off the machine in case of
emergency? Are ON/OFF and cut-off emergency switches clearly
marked?
Are all workers trained to use the machines safely prior to
operation?
Are robust, fixed guards attached to dangerous moving parts of
machines and power transmission equipment?
Are these machine guards and other protective devices regularly
checked and maintained by a qualified person?
Have any of the machine guards been removed or are missing?
Is the area around the machine clean, tidy and free from
obstruction?
Are supervisors informed if machines are not working properly?
Do any workers have dangling chains, loose clothing, gloves, rings
or long hair which could get caught in moving parts of machines?
Are workers wearing appropriate PPE when working with such
machines?
STEP 5 – REVIEW AND REVISE
In all workplaces, changes are made over
time, for example new machinery or work
processes are introduced. These could
lead to new hazards.
Therefore it is essential to regularly review
and revise your risk assessments.
HERE IS A RISK ASSESSMENT FLOW
CHART FOR A FIRE HAZARD.
