Risk assessment and hazard identification

Introduction to Risk Assessment and Hazard Identification

• The concepts of risk assessment and hazard identification are crucial for maintaining a safe engineering environment.
• Risk refers to the chance or probability that a person will be harmed or experience an adverse health effect if exposed to a hazard.
• A hazard is anything that can cause harm, such as chemicals, electricity, working from ladders, or an open drawer.
• Understanding these terms and their application is key in identifying and controlling risks in engineering workspaces.

The Importance of Risk Assessment

• A risk assessment is a systematic process used to identify potential hazards and evaluate related risks.
• Through risk assessment, one is able to analyse and evaluate the risks associated with identified hazards, which then allows the adoption of preventative measures.
• It’s a legal requirement under UK law for employers to perform regular risk assessments in workplaces.
• A risk assessment improves the understanding of operations, identifies who may be at risk, determines if existing control measures are adequate, and if more should be done.

Steps in a Risk Assessment

• The first step in any risk assessment is to identify the hazards. This can be done through observational tours, workplace inspections, and discussions with workers.
• Secondly, determine who might be harmed and how. It’s important to consider how the usual duties and activities of employees expose them to the hazards identified.
• Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions. This step involves determining the severity and likelihood of the risks based on the existing control measures.
• The fourth step is to record the findings and implement them. This includes keeping a written record of hazards and risks, outlining control measures and sharing this information with employees.
• The final step is to review the assessment and update if necessary. Since workplaces evolve and change over time, it’s important to ensure the risk assessment remains valid with these changes.

Recognising Hazards

• It’s important to consider all potential hazards within a given environment for an effective risk assessment.
• Hazards can be classified into a few categories including physical hazards, chemical hazards, biological hazards, ergonomic hazards, and psychosocial hazards.
• Being aware of these categories can be useful in identifying hazards that may have been overlooked.

Implementing Control Measures

• Once hazards have been identified and evaluated, the next step is to implement control measures to reduce the associated risks.
• The chosen control measures should aim to reduce the risk level as much as possible.
• Control measures can involve adopting safer processes, providing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and conducting regular training and inductions on the safe undertakings of duties.

Note: With a good understanding and application of risk assessment and hazard identification processes, the engineers can create a safer and compliant workspace, minimising work-related health and safety risks.