THC 102 – RISK MANAGEMENT AS APPLIED TO SAFETY, SECURITY AND SANITATION

PRELIMINARY LESSONS
LESSON 1 - INTRODUCTION TO RISK MANAGEMENT
Competencies:
1. Define Risk and Risk Management
2. Analyze Risk.
3. Analyze the Importance of Risk Management
4. Determine the Steps in Risk Management Process.
5. Identify the 5 benefits of Conducting Risk Assessment
WHAT IS RISK?

- A probability or threat of damage, injury, liability, loss, or any other

negative occurrence that is caused by external or internal vulnerabilities,
and that may be avoided through preemptive action.

- The potential of gaining or losing something of value.

RISK MANAGEMENT refers to the identification, evaluation, and

prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application
of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability or impact of
unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities.

ANALYSIS

- is a detailed examination of anything complex in order to understand its nature or to determine its essential
features: a thorough study; doing a careful analysis of the problem.

RISK ANALYSIS

- is the review of the risks associated with a particular event or action. It is applied to projects, information
technology, security issues and any action where risks may be analyzed on a quantitative and qualitative basis.

FIVE RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS STEPS

Step 1: Identify the risk

You must first identify the possible threats that you face.

Step 2: Analyze the risk

 Identify the risks.

 Decide who might be harmed and how.
 Evaluate the risks and decide on control measures.
 Record your findings.
 Review your assessment and update as and when necessary.
Step 3: Evaluate or rank the risk

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 Determine the significance of risks to the school and then to decide whether to accept a specific risk or take
action to prevent or minimize it.
 Evaluate risks by ranking them once identified.
This can be done by considering the consequence and probability of each risk.

Step 4: Treat the Risk

 Develop a range of options for mitigating the risk, assessing those options, and then preparing and
implementing action plans.
 Address the highest rated risk as a matter of urgency.
Step 5: Monitor and Review the risk

 Review risks identified in the firm’s risk register regularly.

 Document any actions or events that change the status of a risk.
 Change to a risk evaluation as a result of improvements in controls.

FIVE BENEFITS OF CONDUCTING RISK ASSESSMENT

1. Recognize and control hazards in your workplace.

 Identify the hazard by carrying out a workplace risk assessment.
 Determine how employees might be at risk.
 Evaluate the risks.
 Record and review hazards at least annually, or earlier if something changes.
2. Create awareness among your employees and use it as a training tool as well.
Conduct drills, training, and inspections, work procedures, employee fitness, planned maintenance of
equipment and structures, and ensuring sufficient and competent supervision.

3. Set risk management standards, based on acceptable safe practices and legal requirements.

4. Reduce incidents in the workplace.

5. Save costs by being proactive instead of reactive.

MOST COMMON RISKS ENCOUNTERED AT HOME

RISKS HOW TO TREAT THE RISK?

FALLS 1. Stabilize staircases (handrails)

2. Round up toys
3. Check windows
4. Never leave toddlers unattended

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 FIRE 1. Smoke alarm
2. Check LPG
3. Monitor candles
4. Unplug appliances
5. Purchase fire extinguisher
CHOKING 1. Inspect toys
2. Keep danger out of reach
3. Monitor playtime
CUTS 1. Store kitchen supplies properly.
2. Put away sharp tools
BURNS 1. Cool the burn. Hold the burned area under cool
(not cold) running water or apply a cool, wet
compress until the pain eases.
3. Remove rings or other tight items.
4. Don't break blisters.
5. Apply ointment
6. Take a pain reliever.
7. Consider a tetanus shot
POISONING 1. Store medications properly
2. Keep paint out of reach
3. Make sure chemicals are secure
4. Put away personal products
5. Lock up detergents
ASPHYXIATION/ 1. Put chords away
2. Trim or remove window chords
SUFFOCATION 3. Wrap them up
4. Never tie a pacifier around baby’s neck
5. Don’t hang bags or purses on a crib
6. Always remove infant’s bib after meal

MOST COMMON RISKS IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

1. SPOILAGE
 Food waste can certainly make or break a restaurant or hospitality
business. It is necessary to have an efficient way to prevent food
spoilage by taking control of your inventory. Implement these simple
steps to reduce food waste and manage inventory for increased
profit margins and in order to prevent potential insurance claims.

2. PESTS
 Running a hospitality business can be highly stressful—while you are consistently striving to delight your
customers in every way, the biggest threat facing every restaurant, hotel, nightclub, and cruise line is a pest
infestation.
 Pest control services should be fully-equipped with the latest devices and best industry practices to keep
your facility pest-free and prevent future infestations.

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 Pest infestations can put both public health and your reputation at risk. Pest control services ensure that your
facility adheres to the highest levels of hygiene and sanitation and is fully prepared for all third-party
audits.

3. LIQUOR LIABILITY
 Serving liquor is risky business. Like all businesses that serve alcohol, the hospitality industry must be
concerned about these trends and their liquor liability exposure. So, what does a hotel do in the face of
such alarming statistics?
 As individuals, we weigh the risks and benefits of alcohol use, and businesses must do the same for alcohol-
related amenities. But with training for your staff, clear protocols and a few key business decisions, you can
reduce the potential for alcohol-related incidents and claims, in turn protecting guests, staff and your
business.
4. THEFT
 Hotels are by nature filled with potential opportunities for thieves to steal
from guests and the house alike. Guest rooms are often filled with valuable
items and technology. Expensive fixtures and amenities like flat-screen
TV's and computers can be found in every room.
 Let your guests know that this system is in place by leaving signs both in
your rooms and at the front desk. On these signs, also let them know how
you track your items. This will make them aware of not only that they will be
charged for taking hotel properties, but how you verify that they did indeed
take it. This is essential to prevent them from claiming that they didn’t take
the items if they did in fact take them.
Data breach, workplace violence, workers’ compensation and a whole lot more can put the hospitality
industry at risk. An effective risk management strategy is essential for members of the hospitality industry.

Risk management helps employees to identify, analyze, assess, and hopefully, avoid or mitigate risks
coming from a variety of sources, such as financial upset, legal ramifications, accidents, natural disasters, data
or cyber-security breaches, and many more.

COMMON RISKS ENCOUNTERED IN THE WORKPLACE

There are many potential risks to a person's health and safety at work which can vary greatly, depending
upon the environment in which the work takes place. The key for all employers is to undertake a thorough Risk
Assessment of their own working environment - a careful examination into what could cause harm to people in
the workplace.
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 Here are a number of health and safety issues that employers should make contingencies for:

1. SLIPS AND TRIPS

 The most common form of injury or accident at work in which resulting
falls can be serious. It's a particularly important subject, especially if
members of the public use your premises.
 The estimated cost to employers of all these injuries is over 300 million
a year and effective solutions are often simple, cheap and lead to other
benefits.
2. HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
 These can include chemicals that people make or work with directly and also dust, fumes and bacteria which
can be present in the workplace.
 Exposure can occur by breathing them in, contact with the skin, splashing them into your eyes and
swallowing them. If exposure is not prevented or properly controlled, serious illness and even death can
result.
3. WORKING AT HEIGHT
 Falls from a height account for around 70 fatalities and 4000 major injuries in the workplace each year. One
of the main causes is falling from ladders.
 To prevent falls from height, you should consider the risks to all your workers, ensure they are trained and
that they have suitable and safe equipment for the tasks and are properly managed and supervised.
 You should also ensure that sufficient protection measures (e.g. suitable and sufficient personal protective
equipment and clothing) are in place while they are working at height.
4. SPRAINS, STRAINS AND PAINS
 Many people hurt their back, arms, hands or feet lifting everyday loads and not just when the loads are too
heavy. These can cause muscular aches and pains which may only be temporary but, if not properly
managed, and the early symptoms aren't recognized or treated, they can progress to a chronic and disabling
disorder. /
 Most cases can be avoided by providing suitable lifting equipment that is regularly maintained and by offering
training on both Manual Handling and using the lifting equipment safely.

5. COMPUTERS AND OTHER VISUAL DISPLAY UNITS (VDUs)

 Using a computer or any other kind of VDU can give rise to back problems,
repetitive strain injury or other muscular-skeletal disorders. These health
problems may become serious if no action is taken.
 They can be caused by the poor design of work stations and associated
equipment such as chairs, insufficient space, and lack of training or not taking
breaks from display screen work.
6. EXCESSIVE NOISE
 High levels of noise at work can cause hearing loss. It can accumulate over
many years and young people can be damaged just as easily as older
members of the workforce.
 It can cause sufferers to be unable to engage in conversation with colleagues and friends which can result
in feelings of isolation.
7. VIBRATION
 Vibration from working with hand-held power tools, equipment or processes can damage the upper limbs
causing 'hand-arm vibration syndrome - a painful, irreversible condition which includes 'vibration white

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 finger' and the effects can be impaired blood circulation, damage to the nerves and muscles and the inability
to be able to grip things easily.
8. ELECTRICAL RISKS
 Most electrical deaths at work are caused by contact with underground or
overhead power cables but electric shocks from faulty equipment can also have
other repercussive effects such as falling from ladders or other platforms.
 Poorly maintained and faulty electrical appliances can also result in the outbreak
of fire which can result in the death or injury of others.
9. WORK EQUIPMENT
 Any equipment used at work must be right for the job and safe to use. It should
also be well maintained and inspected regularly.
 Training employees to use the equipment correctly is also important. Many
serious and, sometimes, fatal, accidents occur each day because equipment is
old or faulty or the operator hasn't been trained to use it correctly or has
neglected to follow the manufacturer's guidelines in how to use it properly.
10. RISKS FROM TRANSPORT
 Every year, about 70 people are killed and over 2500 seriously injured connected to transport in the
workplace. Since the operating conditions are different and there is a confined space in which to operate,
there is often more danger from vehicles within the workplace than there is on the open road.
11. OTHER RISKS
 Pressure systems such as boilers, compressors, working with flammable materials like petrol and paint
thinners, working with various kinds of radiation, such as X-ray equipment are other areas that can cause
potential serious damage to employees.

Prevention is better than Cure

No place of work can always be completely safe all the time and whilst some work places present greater
risks than others, nowhere is immune to the possibility of an accident or even death.

All work places share the ability to carry out risk assessment processes and to take all precautionary steps
to ensure the safety of the workforce. It is a group collective effort that includes each and every member of the
workforce.

Employers should always ensure they do the following:

 Provide adequate control of the health and safety risks

 Consult with employees on matters affecting their health and safety
 Provide and maintain safe plant and equipment
 Ensure safe handling and use of substances
 Provide information, instruction, supervision and training so that employees are competent to carry out
their role
 Review and revise all these policies regularly
POTENTIAL RISK TREATMENTS

Once risks have been identified and assessed, all techniques to manage the risk fall into one or more of
these four major categories:

1. Risk Avoidance
- It refers to the elimination of hazards, activities, and exposures that can negatively affect an organization's
assets.

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2. Risk Reduction
-It involves reducing the severity of the loss or the likelihood of
the loss from occurring.

3. Risk Sharing
- It is briefly defined as "sharing with another party the
burden of loss or the benefit of gain”.

4. Risk Retention
- It is a company's decision to take responsibility for a
particular risk it faces.

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