Methods of identifying Hazards

Methods for identifying hazards in your workplace include:
History of injury and illness
Employers can examine the types of injuries and illnesses that are occurring in the workplace by asking their employees and reading through first aid reports and previous compensation claims.
Job Safety Checks
Observing a job from start to finish and recording its steps provides the opportunity to assess each step for potential hazards that may have been overlooked in the past.
Employee consultation
Employers ask their employees, health and safety representatives/committee members about potential hazards they have identified.
Safety audits
A safety audit would usually be conducted by external safety consultants and would result in a written report with recommendations for improvement. Insurance companies can also conduct safety audits prior to renewal of the organisation’s insurance policies.
Risk Assessment
Once hazards have been identified, the risk needs to be assessed. This is the likelihood of an injury or illness occurring from exposure to the hazard. When assessing risk there are several factors that should be taken into account. These factors include:
 Severity;
 Frequency;

 Intensity of the exposure.
For example, the intensity, frequency and duration of exposure to the sun’s harmful rays are factors when determining the risk of skin cancer. The overall purpose of the assessment is to determine priorities in risk control.

 Injury and illness records – review your workers’ compensation data and check the incidence, mechanism and agency of injury, and the cost to the organisation. These statistics can be analysed to alert the organisation to the presence of hazards
 Staying informed on trends and developments in workplace health and safety, for example via the internet or OSH publications
 Reviewing the potential impact of new work practices or equipment introduced into the workplace in line with legislative requirements
 Doing walk-through surveys, inspections or safety audits in the workplace to evaluate the organisation’s health and safety system
 Considering OSH implications when analysing work processes
 Investigating workplace incidents and “near hits” reports – in some cases there may be more than one hazard contributing to an incident
 Getting feedback from employees can often provide valuable information about hazards, because they have hands-on experience in their work area

IMPLICATIONS OF EXPOSURE TO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES AND HAZARDS
Hazardous Substances can cause short- and long-term health problems. They can cause serious ill health including cancers, dermatitis and asthma. Cleaner splashing bleach on their skin could cause a burn or inflammation, which will have little long-term effect in most cases. However, a splash in the eye could cause permanent damage to their sight. A joiner suffering years of exposure to wood dust could have long-term health problems – the dust could affect his lungs and cause health problems for the rest of his life. Anyone who works with or is exposed to hazardous substances is at risk. Those exposed to more hazardous substances

for long periods of time are more at risk than those exposed for short periods or to less hazardous substances. The aim should be to prevent exposure to hazardous substances. Where exposure cannot be avoided, then adequate controls should be put in place.
Examples of those who could be exposed to hazardous substances include:
 Cleaners – common-cleaning materials can cause localised burns and skin complaints
 Hairdressers – a number of hairdressing products can damage their skin
 Welders – dangerous fumes from welding can damage their lungs
 Bakery workers – flour and bakery dust can cause irritation of eyes and nose, skin problems and asthma
 Garage workers – paints, solvents, oils and grease, and exposure to exhaust fumes can all damage their health
 Healthcare staff – exposure to biological agents can cause infection.
In reality, the list is endless and most workers will be exposed to hazardous substances at some time.

Common hazardous substances
Many industrial, agricultural and medical organisations use hazardous substances. The degree of hazard depends on the concentration of the chemical. Common hazardous substances in the workplace include:
 Acids
 Caustic substances
 Disinfectants
 Glues
 Heavy metals, including mercury, lead, cadmium and aluminium
 Paint
 Pesticides
 Petroleum products
 Solvents.

Possible side effects
Health effects depend on the type of hazardous substance and the level of exposure (concentration and duration). A hazardous substance can be inhaled, splashed onto the skin or eyes, or swallowed. Some of the possible health effects can include:
 Poisoning
 Nausea and vomiting
 Headache
 Skin rashes, such as dermatitis
 Chemical burns
 Birth defects
 Disorders of the lung, kidney or liver
 Nervous system disorders.

 Toxic
 Harmful
 Corrosive
 Irritant
 Sensitising
 Carcinogenic (causing cancer)
 Mutagenic (causing genetic damage)
 Teratogenic (causing abnormalities of the foetus).

Some of the health effects of exposure to hazardous chemicals include:
 Skin irritation
 Occupational asthma
 Systemic chemical poisoning
 Chemical burns from corrosives
 Cancer.

There could also be long term effects such as:
 Cancer
 Liver and kidney disease
 Heart and lung disease
 Skin disease
 Allergies and sensitisation
Factors that determine whether illness or disease occurs include:
 Amount (dose) absorbed and route of exposure
 Cumulative length of time of exposure
 Age at which exposure began
 Simultaneous exposure to other hazardous chemicals
 Sensitivity to the chemical’s effects.
Some of the ways hazardous chemicals can enter the body include:
 Breathing in (inhalation)
 Skin contact (where skin is the target organ)
 Absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes of the eye
 Accidentally swallowed by eating or smoking with contaminated hands
 Accidental injection through the skin.
These health effects can be acute, resulting from short term (usually high level) exposure, or chronic,
resulting from long term (often low level) exposure over a period of time. Chronic effects may not occur for
many years and the cause is often hard to identify.
HOW TO RECOGNISE A HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE
Every commercially obtained hazardous substance should be clearly labelled with what it is and must be
marked with any warning signs and other information that tells you how it is hazardous, such as:

Hazardous substances can be identified by their warning label and the supplier must provide a safety data sheet for them. A safety data sheet contains all the relevant information regarding its safe use, for example, ingredients, safe usage and first aid. Suppliers must decide if preparations and substances that are not in the “Approved Supply List” are dangerous and, if so, label them accordingly.
How to use hazardous substances
Hazardous substances can be used in their natural form or in different ways in the workplace: Heated, Cooled, Boiled, Frozen, Sprayed, Poured, Painted, Brushed, Pressurised, Mixed or machined.
Hazardous substances are involved in several different workplace activities:
 Delivery
 Loading/unloading
 Transport
 Storage
 Issue/dispensing
 Usage and disposal.
Hazards can also come from misuse of substances in the ways that they are: Used, stored, transported, spilled, cleaned up, mixed, diluted, washed off and disposed of.
CONTROL MEASURES
The correct course of action once a hazard is identified is to use control measures. These generally fall into three categories. You can
 Eliminate the hazard
 Minimise the risk
 Use ‘back-up’ controls when all other options in the previous categories have been exhausted.
The best way to control a hazard is to eliminate it. The elimination of a hazard is the first choice in a system called the “hierarchy of controls”.
Hierarchy of controls
There is an order of priority in hazard control.
 Eliminate the hazard from the workplace entirely. This is the best way to control a hazard. An example of elimination is to remove a noisy machine from a quiet area.
 Substitute or modify the hazard by replacing it with something less dangerous, for example, by using a paint which does not contain asthma- encouraging agents.

 Isolate the hazard by physically removing it from the workplace or by cordoning off the area in which a machine is used.
 Use engineering methods to control the hazard at its source. Tools and equipment can be redesigned, or enclosures, guards or local exhaust ventilation systems can be used to close off the source of a hazard.
 Use administrative controls. These are management strategies which can be introduced to ensure the health and safety of employees. Administrative procedures can reduce exposure to hazardous equipment and processes by limiting the time of exposure for example by job rotation or varying the time when a particular process is carried out.
 Introduce personal protective equipment (PPE) as an interim measure, to reduce exposure to a hazard.
Elimination
Where no hazard exists, no risk of injury or illness exists. For example
 Remove trip hazards in a cluttered corridor
 Dispose of unwanted chemicals
 Eliminate hazardous plant or processes
 Repair damaged equipment promptly
 Increase use of email to reduce excessive photocopying and collation
 Ensure new equipment meets the ergonomic needs of users.
Minimising the risk
This may entail;
Substitution
If it is not possible to eliminate the hazard, substitute it with something – preferably of a lesser risk – which will still perform the same task in a satisfactory manner. For example
 Substitute a hazardous chemical with a less dangerous one
 Replace telephone handsets with headsets where there is frequent use of telephone
 Substitute a less hazardous material to control a vapour hazard
 Substitute a smaller package or container to reduce the risk of manual handling injuries such as back strain.
Modification
Change the plant or system of work to reduce hazards. For example
 Redesign plant to reduce noise levels

 Use a scissors-lift trolley to reducing bending while lifting
 Install forced ventilation in photography darkrooms to remove vapours.
Isolation
Isolate the problem from staff. This is often done by using separate, purpose-built rooms, barricades, or sound barriers. This moves the hazardous process away from the main work area to a site where emissions can be controlled. For example
 Isolate and store chemicals properly by using a fume cupboard
 Isolate copying equipment and other machinery in soundproof rooms to reduce fumes and noise
 Use security measures to protect staff.
Engineering controls
If you cannot eliminate a hazard of make a substitution to eliminate it, then reduce the chance of hazardous contact. Redesign equipment, work processes or tools to reduce or eliminate the risk. For example
 Ensure proper machine guarding is in place
 Use anti-glare screens on computer VDUs
 Use mechanical aids to minimise manual handling injuries
 Use ventilation to remove chemical fumes and dusts and using wetting down techniques to minimise dust levels
 Change bench heights to reduce bending
 Ensure ergonomic factors are taken into account.
“Back-up” controls
These controls are a “back-up” to the other categories. They should not be relied upon as the primary method to control risk – until all options to eliminate the hazard or minimise the risk have been exhausted. Sometimes “back-up” controls should be used as the initial control phase while elimination or minimisation is being evaluated and applied. Some examples of “back-up’ controls are listed below.
Administrative controls
Training, job rotation, maintenance of plant and equipment, limitation of exposure time, provision of written work procedures, for example
 Regularly maintain plant and equipment
 Re-design jobs
 Use team lifting
 Limit exposure time to a hazard through staff rotation

 Train and educate staff to
o Identify and assess risks
o Use methods of control
o Apply legislative requirements
o Implement safe manual handling techniques
o Safely use mechanical aids and equipment.
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Personal protective equipment (PPE) should only be used as a last resort. PPE is for short term solutions only. PPE protects an employee’s body from hazards. PPE must be provided free of charge and maintained by the employer. Employers are also required to ensure that workers are trained in the proper use of PPE. Employees have a responsibility to use PPE in accordance with their training and safe usage requirements. For example
 Wear earplugs in noisy areas
 Wear eye protection when working with hazardous chemicals
 Wear gloves to protect against infection.
Specific controls to reduce risks
Select controls from as high up the hierarchy table as you can. The “elimination” method is the safest solution. In many cases you may need a combination of controls to reduce the level of risk. For example
 Workplace design changes or task modification
 Substituting an extremely hazardous chemical with a less hazardous one
 Using a fume cupboard when handling the chemical
These controls are a “back-up” to the other categories. They should not be relied upon as the primary method to control risk – until all options to eliminate the hazard or minimise the risk have been exhausted. Sometimes “back-up” controls should be used as the initial control phase while elimination or minimisation is being evaluated and applied. Some examples of “back-up’ controls are listed below.
Administrative controls
Training, job rotation, maintenance of plant and equipment, limitation of exposure time, provision of written work procedures, for example
 Regularly maintain plant and equipment
 Re-design jobs
 Use team lifting
 Limit exposure time to a hazard through staff rotation
 Train and educate staff to
o Identify and assess risks
o Use methods of control
o Apply legislative requirements

o Implement safe manual handling techniques
o Safely use mechanical aids and equipment.
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Personal protective equipment (PPE) should only be used as a last resort. PPE is for short term solutions only. PPE protects an employee’s body from hazards. PPE must be provided free of charge and maintained by the employer. Employers are also required to ensure that workers are trained in the proper use of PPE. Employees have a responsibility to use PPE in accordance with their training and safe usage requirements. For example
 Wear earplugs in noisy areas
 Wear eye protection when working with hazardous chemicals
 Wear gloves to protect against infection.
Specific controls to reduce risks
Select controls from as high up the hierarchy table as you can. The “elimination” method is the safest solution. In many cases you may need a combination of controls to reduce the level of risk. For example
 Workplace design changes or task modification
 Substituting an extremely hazardous chemical with a less hazardous one
 Using a fume cupboard when handling the chemical
 Ensuring exposure time is limited
 Providing PPE to employees.
Reducing risk to an acceptable minimum will ensure optimum risk reduction for all. An example of eliminating hazards would be to ensure all work areas, corridors, stairwells, doorways and emergency exits are free from obstacles at all times. Also, the green “EXIT” signs are visible and light up when required. Organisations should also draw up and implement health and safety programs and plans in order to control risks and hazards in the workplace.
 Ensuring exposure time is limited
 Providing PPE to employees.
Reducing risk to an acceptable minimum will ensure optimum risk reduction for all. An example of eliminating hazards would be to ensure all work areas, corridors, stairwells, doorways and emergency exits are free from obstacles at all times. Also, the green “EXIT” signs are visible and light up when required. Organisations should also draw up and implement health and safety programs and plans in order to control risks and hazards in the workplace.

SUMMARY
Risk Control
Risk control is the process of determining and implementing measures to control risks. Occupational Safety and Health legislation requires organisations to control identified risks as far as practicable. A hierarchy of risk control exists to assist organisations like your company to control workplace risks by:

1. Eliminating hazards
2. Substituting hazards with something posing less risk
3. Engineering control (adding mechanical aids, modifying equipment to make it safer)
4. Using administrative controls (work procedures reviewed and/or training provided)
5. Personal protective equipment