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INDUSTRIAL STUDIES

EAT 221

Unit 2 – Safety Risk Assessment

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Last Week

• Health and Safety at Work Regulations• An Accident Control system• Management interventions to reduce the risk

of accidents

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This Week

• Risk• Hazards• Risk Assessment • Risk Evaluation approach• Example – risk assessment process

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Safety - Risk Assessment

Key issue:

What is meant by the term ‘risk’?

How can ‘risk’ to individuals be managed?

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Safety - Risk Assessment

Key concept – Hazard vs risk

What is a hazard?

In groups: (5 minutes)

Define what is meant by a hazard?

Give three examples of a hazard?

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Safety - Risk Assessment

• Hazard – Something that has the potential to cause harm

Harm to what? : People, equipment, business’s etc.

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Safety - Risk Assessment

What is risk?

In groups (5 minutes)

Define what is meant by risk?

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Safety - Risk Assessment

Risk – the likelihood of harm or the potential for harm from exposure to a hazard.

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HAZARD TARGET

RISK Probability or likelihood of

harm

Severity of the harm

Hazards and Risks

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HAZARD TARGET

RISK

REMOVE THE HAZARD

Interventions to reduce the risk?

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HAZARD TARGET

RISK

REMOVE THE TARGET

Interventions to reduce the risk?

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HAZARD TARGET

RISK

REMOVE THE TARGET

Interventions to reduce the risk?

APPLY A SAFEGUARD

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Risk Assessment Process

• Current Health & Safety regulations in Europe and HSE, recommend a ‘risk assessment’ approach to manage and control hazards

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Risk Assessment Process

Step 1 - Identify the hazards

Step 2 - Decide who might be harmed and how

Step 3 - Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions

Step 4 - Record your findings and implement them

Step 5 - Review your assessment and update if necessary

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Risk Evaluation – (Step 3)RISK ESTIMATE MATRIX

Highly Likely

Low Moderate High High

Likely

Negligible Low High High

Unlikely

Negligible Low Moderate High

LIK

EL

IHO

OD

Highly Unlikely

Negligible Negligible Low Moderate

Marginal

Minor Intermediate Major

CONSEQUENCES

Marginal - Minimal or no injury except to a few individuals that may require first aid

Minor - Slight injury of some people that may require medical treatment

Intermediate - Injury to some people that requires significant medical treatment

Major - Severe injury to some people that may require hospitalisation or may result in death

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Example

• In groups : Use the Risk assessment process and the risk evaluation tool to assess the following situation. Each group to provide analysis and recommendations

• On a regular basis an office worker moves and handles, large quantities of A4 paper bundles which includes storage, removal of packaging, replenishment of 6 photocopying machines.

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Example Review Session

STEP 1 - What were the potential hazards ?

– Heavy packages of paper– Storage of paper – Control of waste– Loading photocopiers

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Example Review Session

STEP 2 – Decide who might be harmed and how ?

– Heavy packages of paper, potential back injury to office worker

– Storage of paper, potential trip, access hazards -all employees in area

– Control of waste, plastic fasteners, potential trip hazards – to all employees in waste disposal stream

– Loading photocopiers - Sharp paper- potential cut hazards , to office worker

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Example Review Session

STEP 3 – Evaluate risk and decide on precuations ?

– Heavy packages of paper, potential back injury to office worker - Risk assessed as HIGH – ensure training as per manual handling regs., consider special equipment to transport paper reams

– Storage of paper, potential trip, access hazards -all employees in area - Risk assessed as LOW – ensure storage are has required capacity, order quantities are controlled, control procedure in place.

– Control of waste, plastic fasteners, potential trip hazards – to all employees in waste disposal stream - Risk assessed as MODERATE, strict controls over plastic ties, consider changes to packaging with suppliers

– Loading photocopiers - Sharp paper- potential cut hazards , to office worker -Risk assessed as NEGLIGIBLE, provide awareness training for office worker or if high incidence of cuts then consider PPE

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Example Review Session

Step 4 - Record your findings and implement them

Step 5 - Review your assessment and update if necessary

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Word of Caution !• The myth Kids must wear goggles to play conkers

• The reality This is one of the oldest chestnuts around, a truly classic myth.

• A well meaning head teacher decided children should wear safety goggles to play conkers.

• Subsequently some schools appear to have banned conkers on ‘health & safety’ grounds or made children wear goggles, or even padded gloves!

• Realistically the risk from playing conkers is incredibly low and just not worth bothering about. If kids deliberately hit each other over the head with conkers, that’s a discipline issue, not health and safety.

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Moral

• When applying risk assessment approaches

‘ apply with a good dose of common sense’