Skills Canada National Competition
Hazard Assessment
92- Workplace Safety/ Secondary
June 4-7, 2014 - Toronto
Hazard Assessment
45 minutes - Worth 50 marks
To assist in preparing for this activity the competitor should research how a workplace
safety inspection is conducted. This activity requires the competitor to inspect the mock
workplace areas (revealed at the time of the competition) to identify hazard(s) that could
cause an injury or illness to a worker. The competitor will also have to identify one
correct work practice in each area.
Resource for preparing for this activity:
Conducting Workplace Inspections --www.ccohs.ca or any provincial / territorial health and safety websites.
The mock workplace will have designated areas that the competitor must inspect /
assess for hazards. The time limit is 45 minutes. Each competitor will receive a mock
workplace orientation, at the start of their allotted time, that will explain how many
hazards their will need to find in each area. The competitor will be required to identify
one correct work practice in each area.
Each identified hazard will be recorded, by the competitor, on the hazard assessment
sheets. These sheets will be provided at the competitor’s allotted time for this activity.
How is the hazard assessment marked?
Each question equals (=) 1 mark
1. What is the hazardous or unsafe condition (what is wrong / cause an injury)? (2
marks)
2. How could the hazardous or unsafe condition be corrected (how do you fix it)? (1
mark)
Sample of blank hazard assessment - unsafe condition - form
AREA
Possible
3 Marks
What is the hazardous or unsafe
condition?
(2 Marks)
Ask / Answer: What do you
see is wrong, what can
cause an injury / illness?
How do you correct the hazardous or
unsafe condition?
(1 mark)
Ask / Answer: How do you
fix it?
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How do you complete the Hazard Assessment form?
At the start of the hazard assessment activity, each competitor will provided with:
• Blank hazard assessment forms
• Pen
• Clipboard
• Activity orientation
Sample competed hazard assessment form
Hazard Area: Kitchen
Sample: Hazard Assessment - Unsafe Act / condition
What is the hazardous or unsafe condition? (2
Marks)
Kitchen
AREA
Possible 3
Marks
Male worker is running in the kitchen = 1 mark. Worker
could slip and fall, hurt his back or possible concussion
from striking his head = 1 mark.
How could the hazardous or unsafe condition be
corrected?
(1 mark)
Supervisor to train workers not to run in the kitchen.
Ensure proper footwear is worn. All workers and
supervisor do not run in the kitchen = 1 mark.
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Ask / Answer:
What do you
see is wrong,
what can cause
an injury /
illness?
Ask / Answer:
Answer: How
do you fix it?
Sample: Hazard Assessment - Correct work practice
Correct Work Practice (1 mark)
Area:
Workshop
•
Cord is properly tagged and locked
out.
Addi
tional information on Hazard Assessment
What Is a Hazard?
A hazard is any situation, condition or thing that may be dangerous to the safety or
health of workers. Basically, it is anything that can cause an injury or illness.
• Some hazards can be acute – they have an immediate effect,
such as being hit by a truck or object. Other examples could
be awkward positions such as over reaching or slipping on a
wet floor.
• Other hazards are considered chronic – repeated
exposures, over time, can eventually cause an effect,
such as hearing loss after repeated overexposure to
noise or exposure to fumes and / or gases that can affect
body systems.
What Is a Hazard Assessment?
Assessing hazards means taking a careful look at the different activities that workers do
and asking:
• What could go wrong?
• You are trying to find out about anything that could harm workers at the work site.
The purpose of hazard assessment is to prevent work-related injury or illness to
workers.
Why Conduct a Hazard Assessment?
Benefits of performing a hazard assessment may include:
• Learning what could harm workers.
• Finding better and safer ways to do the job.
• Identifying the need for worker training.
• Identifying poor or missing procedures.
• Increasing workers’ involvement of workplace health and safety.
• Having a useful tool when investigating an incident.
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How to Conduct a Hazard Assessment (can be called a workplace inspection)
There are a number of ways to find hazards in the workplace, including:
• Walk around and look at your workplace and at how work is done, ask your
workers what they consider unsafe.
• Think about what could possibly go wrong (don’t overlook the things that people
may have worked around for years) and ask yourself, What if….?
• Review any information you may have on a particular piece of equipment
(manufacturer’s specifications) or chemical (For example: Safety Data Sheets
(SDS) to see what it says about safety precautions.
• Review previous incidents, including near misses.
• Talk to others in similar industries to find out what issues they have identified or
incidents they have had.
More formal processes for conducting a hazard assessment may include:
• Task or job hazard analysis – breaking jobs down into tasks and identifying the
hazards involved with each task.
• Process analysis – following a process from start to finish and identifying the
hazards involved at each stage.
Questions to Ask when Looking for Hazards
• What is your work environment? For example, does the work take place in a
building, office, yard, laboratory, trench, roof or delivery van?
• What are the hazards with work in this environment?
• How suitable are the things you use for the task? Are they easily accessible?
• How might people be hurt directly by equipment, machinery and tools?
• How might people be hurt indirectly through noise, fumes or radiation?
• How might people be hurt by using chemicals and/or other materials, such as
paints, solvents, fuels, toner, oils, plastics, acids, pesticides, gases, biological
samples and wastes?
• Are workers using equipment and materials correctly?
If you have any questions, please contact a member of the National Technical
Committee.
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