easy way instead of the right way

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# Hazard and Risk - Hazard Control (cont.) ## What are the main ways to control a hazard? (cont.) - Administrative Controls: controls that alter how the work is done, including timing of work, policies and other rules, and work practices such as standards and operating procedures (including training, housekeeping, equipment maintenance, and personal hygiene practices). - Personal Protective Equipment: equipment worn by individuals to reduce exposure, such as contact with chemicals or exposure to noise. These methods are also known as the "hierarchy of controls". For more information, please see the OSH Answers document Hierarchy of Controls. ## Where are controls used? Controls are usually placed: 1. At the source (where the hazard "comes from"). 2. Along the path (where the hazard "travels"). 3. At the worker. Air Path Dip Tank Source Worker Figure 2 The best strategy is to control the hazard at its source. Control at the source and control along the path are sometimes also known as engineering controls. ## Why is it important to monitor and review your hazard control program and methods? It is important to monitor both the hazard and the control method to make sure that the control is working effectively and that exposure to the hazard is reduced or eliminated. Some tools include physical inspection, testing, exposure assessment, observations, injury and illness tracking, incident investigations reports, employee feedback or input, occupational health assessment and other methods. Be sure to answer the following questions: Hazard and Risk - Hazard Control CCOHS

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# Process Safety Management (cont.) ## Assessing the risk of the hazards (cont.) Risk assessment takes into account the severity of the consequences (e.g., the potential impact on people, environment, and property) and the probability or likelihood of the consequences occurring. Process safety often requires the use of modelling tools or other techniques for assessing the severity and probability. ## How can a workplace control the hazards? After the hazards have been identified and the risks assessed, appropriate control measures can be implemented, or existing controls can be modified if needed. It is important to have redundancies in place if a control measure fails or is breached. This higher level of protection can be accomplished by adopting a layer of controls. The hierarchy of controls, which is a step-by-step approach to eliminate or reduce the risk of workplace hazards, should be considered. The hierarchy of controls prioritizes controls from the most effective level of protection to the least effective level of protection. Elimination is the most effective method of control because it involves removing the source of the hazard. This control typically involves the removal of a hazardous substance or process. For example, removing a step in a process that is not needed. Substitution is also very effective and involves using an alternative chemical or process that is less hazardous. For example, replacing a highly toxic and flammable chemical used in a process with a safer alternative. Engineering Controls are very important for process safety and involve steps or methods that are built into the design of the plant, equipment, or process to minimize the hazard. They are a reliable way to remove or control workplace hazards as long as the controls are designed, used, and maintained properly. Examples of engineering controls include: - Appropriate ventilation - Pressure or explosion relief venting - Automated process controls for maintaining safe o…

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# How is a risk assessment done? In general, to do an assessment, you should: 1. Assemble a risk assessment team. Assessments should be done by a competent person or team of individuals who have a good working knowledge of the situation being studied. Include the supervisors and workers who work with the process under review on the team or as sources of information, as these individuals are the most familiar with the operation. The health and safety committee or representative should also be consulted. 2. Select the job or process to assess. Refer to the above section, "When should a risk assessment be done", to help prioritize your assessments. Ideally, risk assessments should be done for all jobs. Jobs or tasks with higher injury and illness rates, worker concerns, and other factors should be considered first. 3. Break down the job or process into tasks. Divide the job or process into tasks or basic steps to better understand the hazards. 4. Identify the hazards of each task. After the basic steps or tasks have been recorded, identify the hazards of each step or task. List the hazards based on observations and inspections, previous causes of incidents and injuries, feedback from workers and supervisors directly involved in the task, and other considerations. 5. Assess the risk of each hazard. For each hazard, determine the likelihood of harm, such as an injury or illness occurring, and its severity. Use a risk assessment method appropriate for your workplace (see further below for details on risk assessment methods). Consider normal operational situations as well as non-standard events such as maintenance, shutdowns, power outages, emergencies, extreme weather, etc. Review all available health and safety information about the hazard, such as Safety Data Sheet (SDS), manufacturer's literature, information from reputable organizations, results of testing, workplace inspection reports, records of workplace incidents (accidents), including information about the …

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CCOHS CCHST Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Centre canadien d'hygiène et de sécurité au travail Hazard and Risk # Hazard and Risk - Risk Assessment ## On this page What is a risk assessment? Why is risk assessment important? What is the goal of risk assessment? When should a risk assessment be done? How do you plan for a risk assessment? How is a risk assessment done? How are the hazards identified? How do you know if the hazard will cause harm (poses a risk)? How are risks ranked or prioritized? What risk assessment methods should be used? What are methods of hazard control? Why is it important to review and monitor the assessments? What documentation should be done for a risk assessment? ## What is a risk assessment? Risk assessment is a term used to describe the overall process or method where of identifying hazards, assessing the risk of hazards, and prioritizing hazards associated with a specific activity, task, or job. It considers the probability or likelihood of harm from exposure and the potential consequence or severity of harm from exposure to a hazard. A risk assessment is a thorough look at your workplace to identify those things, situations, processes, etc. that may cause harm, particularly to people. After the identification of a hazard, it should be reviewed to determine how likely and severe the potential harm is. When this determination is made, you can decide what measures should be in place to effectively eliminate or control the harm from happening (hazard control). Some important terms related to risk assessments include: Hazard - a potential source of injury, adverse health effect, or damage to people, structures, equipment, or the environment. A common way to classify hazards is to categorize them as biological, chemical, ergonomic, physical, psychosocial, and safety hazards. Hazard identification - the process of finding, listing, and characterizing hazards. Hazard and Risk - Risk Assessment CCOHS

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# How is a risk assessment done? (cont.) ## How are the hazards identified? (cont.) - Include people who work off-site either at home, on other job sites, drivers, teleworkers, with clients, etc. - Look at the way the work is organized or done (include the experience of people doing the work, systems being used, etc.). - Look at foreseeable unusual conditions (for example: possible impact on hazard control procedures that may be unavailable in an emergency situation, power outage, climate event, etc.). - Determine whether a product, machine or equipment can be intentionally or unintentionally changed (e.g., a safety guard that could be removed). - Review all of the phases of the process or lifecycle. - Examine risks to visitors or the public. - Consider the knowledge, experience, training, and education of the individuals performing the work. - Consider the groups of people that may have a different level of risk such as young or inexperienced workers, persons with disabilities, or new or expectant mothers. It may help to create a chart or table such as the following: Table 1: Hazards, risks, and controls Job: Delivery Driver Task: Delivering Products to customers <table><tr><th>Hazards</th><th>Potential Outcomes</th><th>Risk</th><th>Priority</th><th>Hazard Controls</th></tr><tr><td>Working alone</td><td>May not be able to call for help if needed</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Manually lifting and carrying boxes</td><td>Musculoskeletal injuries (e.g., back or shoulder injury) due to manual material handling</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Working long hours</td><td>Fatigue, stress, short rest time between shifts, motor vehicle collision.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Driving in congested traffic</td><td>Motor vehicle collision, stress</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></table> Please see further below for guidance on determining the risk and priority of each hazard, including the risk matrices in Table 2 and Ta…