Health and Safety Risk Assessment Method
The 5 steps to risk assessment are:
a) Determine work activities
b) Identify hazards
c) Identify current risk controls
d) Assess the risk
e) Specify actions to reduce the risk
Risk assessment should be conducted by competent people with practical knowledge of the work activities. Risk
assessment should be conducted by small teams of individuals who have been trained in the risk assessment
methodology. The teams will need access to OHS specialists to conduct the assessment.
3 a. Determine work activities
Work activities are listed in a workshop session by considering normal every-day activities and other non-routine
activities such as infrequent maintenance tasks, contractor activities and home-working. It is important to consider
different operational modes of the activity i.e. normal use, change over or CIP. Work activities can be classified in three
ways:
a. Geographical areas
b. Stages in the production process
c. A combination of a. and b. above
To obtain the necessary level of detail for risk assessment it will be necessary to decompose activities into tasks, see
example below.
Process / Area: Bottling line
Activity: Automatic labeling machine
Tasks: Replenish labels
Bottle size change-over
Conduct Autonomous Maintenance
Replenish liquid glue
Relieve blockages
Operate machine
Clean machine & parts
In order to identify the hazards associated with a task those conducting the risk assessment should have an
understanding of the following:
- The duration, frequency
- Scope for hazardous interaction with other activities
- Who carries out the tasks
- Others who are affected by the task (maintenance, cleaners, contractors)
- Existing procedures relating to execution of the task
- Permit-to work systems in place
- Manufacturers instructions (in the case of work equipment)
- Substances / Chemicals used
- The weight / size / shape of materials manually handled during the task
- Accident / incident records relating to the task
For certain unplanned tasks e.g. the repair of a burst pipe, it is unlikely that this task would have been risk assessed
using this methodology as its occurrence would not have been anticipated by the risk assessment team. These
activities are risk assessed in a different manner. If the task is being completed by a contractor it should be risk
assessed in the task specific method statement prepared by the contractor prior to commencement of works. In other
instances a permit to work checklist forms the basis of a risk assessment.
238 Mabini Street Dubinan East, Santiago City
Landline No. (078) 305-2504
Email - carlsonelectrical2015@[Link]
3 b. Identify Hazards
Identify the hazards associated with each task. When identifying the hazards consider the following:
Is there a source of harm?
Who or what could be harmed?
How could harm occur?
Consider the following physical, chemical, biological & psychological hazards (not exhaustive):
PHYSICAL
Slippery or uneven ground leading to slips / falls
Work at heights leading to falls
Equipment falling from a height causing injury
Inadequate space e.g. low headroom leading to head injury
Poor ergonomics leading to RSI
Manual handling leading to back injury
Moving parts causing trapping /entanglement injuries
Hot surfaces or substances causing burns e.g. glue / steam
Poor housekeeping leading to fire
Ionizing radiation leading to health effects
Violence to staff
Harmful energy sources e.g. electricity, pneumatic energy, compressed air, hydraulic energy
Noise leading to hearing defects
Confined spaces with hazardous atmospheres
BIOLOGICAL
Inhalation, ingestion or contact with bodily fluids causing illness
CHEMICAL
Inhalation, ingestion, contact with a chemical which causes injury
PSYCHOLOGICAL
Workplace stress leading to health issues
Physical violence leading to injury
The list above is by no way exhaustive and should only be used to guide thinking. Care must be taken to ensure all
other hazardous scenarios are documented.
3 c. Identify current risk controls
For each identified hazard existing control measures should be specified.
3 d. Determine the Risk
Risk is determined by estimating the potential severity of harm and the likelihood harm will occur for a given hazard. To
estimate the severity of harm consider:
How the person is likely to be affected?
What harm will result?
Severity of harm is categorized into the following levels, see table overleaf:
238 Mabini Street Dubinan East, Santiago City
Landline No. (078) 305-2504
Email - carlsonelectrical2015@[Link]
Harm Category Low Medium High
Health Nuisance and irritation, Partial hearing loss, Acute fatal diseases,
temporary ill health dermatitis, asthma, severe life shortening
leading WRULD, diseases, permanent
to discomfort ill health leading to substantial disability
permanent minor
disability
Safety Superficial injuries, Lacerations, burns, Fatal injuries,
minor concussion, serious amputations, multiple
cuts and bruises, eye sprains, minor fractures injuries, major fractures
irritation from dust
Next consider the likelihood that a hazardous event actually results in harm.
Likelihood is categorized into the following levels:
Likelihood of Harm Low Medium High
Category
Typical Occurrence Typically experienced Typically experienced Typically experienced at
once during the lifetime once every five years by least once every six
of an individual an individual months by an individual
Risk level is estimated using the business risk footprint below.
(D) medium (G) high (I) CR
IT
IC
HIGH AL
SEVERITY
(B) low (E) medium (H) high
MEDIUM
(A) low (C) low (F) medium
LOW
LIKELIHOOD
LOW MEDIUM HIGH
238 Mabini Street Dubinan East, Santiago City
Landline No. (078) 305-2504
Email - carlsonelectrical2015@[Link]
3 e. Specify Control Measures
Control measures are specified for each hazard along with owners and completion dates. Control measures should
reduce the hazard to an acceptable risk level.
The table below should be considered in determining the level of action required to mitigate a given hazard.
Risk Level MATRIX SECTOR ACTION REQUIRED
LOW A, B, C No additional controls required unless they can be
implemented with minimal effort in terms of cost and
human resource. Actions to mitigate these hazards
are low priority.
MEDIUM D, E, F Action is required to move this hazard to a lower risk
level. These actions should be progressed within
one month.
HIGH G, H, I Substantial efforts should be made to reduce the risk.
Consideration should be given to suspending the
activity until additional controls have been
implemented. These actions
should be progressed within one week.
Archie G. Bugarin RME
General Manager
Carlson Electrical Supplies & services
238 Mabini Street Dubinan East, Santiago City
Landline No. (078) 305-2504
Email - carlsonelectrical2015@[Link]
