Hazard Identification and
Risk Assessment (HIRA)
Lecture 5
Construction Occupational Safety and Health
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Definitions
Hazards – anything (e.g. condition, situation, practice,
behavior) that has potential to cause harm, including
injury, disease, death, environmental, property and
equipment damage. Divided into two broad categories:
Health Hazards (cause occupational illness) and Safety
Hazard(cause physical harm – injuries)
Risk – likelihood or possibility, that harm (injury, illness,
death, damage, etc.) may occur from exposure to
hazard
Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) – is
the process of identifying hazards and assessing them
properly. It is an ongoing process in which safety
specialists evaluate the prevention and mitigation of
accidental injuries and occupational illnesses.
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Hazard
Identification
and Risk
Assessment
(HIRA)
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Hazard
Identification
• The process of identifying all hazards in the
workplace.
• This process is about finding what could cause
harm in work or task area.
• Hazards are the main cause of occupational
health and safety problems. Therefore, finding
ways of eliminating hazards or controlling the
risks is the best way to reduce workplace injury
To be sure that all hazards are found:
Hazard
Identification
• Look at all aspects of the work
• Include non-routine activities such as
maintenance, repair or cleaning
• Look at accident/ incident/ near-miss
record
• Include people who work off site either at
home, on other job sites, drivers,
teleworkers, with clients, etc.
Hazard Identification
To be sure that all hazards are found:
• Look at the way work is organized or
done
• Look at foreseeable unusual
conditions
• Review all of the phases of the life
cycle.
• Consider the groups of people that
may have a different level of risk
such as young or inexperienced
workers, persons with disabilities.
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Biological – bacteria, viruses, insects, plants, birds and
humans
Chemical – depends on the physical, chemical and toxic
properties of the chemical
Types/
Classification
of Hazard
Ergonomic – repetitive movements, improper set up of
work station, etc.
Physical – radiation, magnetic fields, temperature
extremes, pressure extremes, noise, etc.
Psychological – stress, violence, etc.
Electrical
How do you know if the hazard will cause
harm?
Each hazard should be studied to determine its'
level of risk. To research the hazard, you can look at:
• Product information / manufacturer documentation.
• Past experience (knowledge from workers, etc.).
• Legislated requirements and/or applicable
standards.
• Industry codes of practice / best practices.
• Health and safety material about the hazard such
as safety data sheets (SDSs), research studies, or
other manufacturer information.
How do you know if the
hazard will cause harm?
Each hazard should be studied to determine
its' level of risk. To research the hazard, you
can look at:
• Information from reputable organizations.
• Results of testing (atmospheric or air
sampling of workplace, biological swabs,
etc.).
• The expertise of an occupational health
and safety professional.
• Information about previous injuries,
illnesses, near misses, incident reports,
etc.
• Observation of the process or task.
Risk
Assessment
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Definitions
• Risk Assessment – term used to described
the overall process or method where you:
• Identify hazard and risk factors that
have the potential to cause harm
(hazard identification)
• Analyze and evaluate the risk
associated with that hazard
• Determine appropriate ways to
eliminate the hazard, or control the
risk when the hazard cannot be
eliminated (risk control)
• Risk Assessment – overall process of
hazard identification, risk analysis and risk
evaluation.
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Definitions
• Risk Analysis – a process of finding, listing and characterizing
hazards.
Notes:
1. Risk analysis provides a basis for risk evaluation and
decisions about risk control
2. Information can include current and historical data,
theoretical analysis, informed opinions and the concerns of
stakeholders.
3. Risk analysis includes risk estimation
• Risk evaluation – the process of comparing an estimated risk
against given risk criteria to determine the significance of the risk
• Risk control – actions implementing risk evaluation decisions.
Create
Identify
Importance of
Risk
Assessment
Create awareness of hazards and risk.
Identify who may be at risk (e.g., employees, cleaners, visitors, contractors, the
public, etc.).
Determine
Determine whether a control program is required for a particular hazard.
Determine
Determine if existing control measures are adequate or if more should be done.
Prevent
Prioritize
Meet
Prevent injuries or illnesses, especially when done at the design or planning stage.
Prioritize hazards and control measures.
Meet legal requirements where applicable.
Purpose of Risk Assessment
To identify and rank all potential risks that may arise from the
construction of major projects.
The assessment is the first step in recognizing the hazards and risks
that are found in particular work environment and leads the employer
to identify :
Purpose of Risk Assessment
The need for health surveillance
The level of competence needed by an employer’s
safety and health advisors
Procedures for serious and imminent danger
Information to be provided for employees
Procedures to ensure cooperation with other
employers
Measures to protect non-employees working in
undertaking
Training needs
Employees duties
Measures to protect temporary workers
Risk
Assessment
Requirements
Commitment at
the highest level of
the organization
The competent
and well trained
assessors
The involvement at
all levels
Methodical and
systematic
recording
Logical and
rational decision
frameworks
Involve practical
compliance
strategies
Clear and
meaningful
communications
Adequate
resources
Why conduct a risk assessment?
• Human factors–save life, stop workplace injures, illnesses and
increase staff morale.
• Legal factors–meet legislative requirements, OHS&W and Work
Cover.
• Financial factors–decrease the risk of prosecution and fines
incurred, lower Work Cover levies, reduce absenteeism, increase
potential for gaining shareholders and increase productivity.
Types of Risk Assessment
QUALITATIVE
SEMI-QUALITATIVE
QUANTITATIVE
Use risk matrix
Qualitative
Risk
Assessment
Table scales for
likelihood and severity
Qualitative
SemiQuantitative
Risk Assessment
Quantitative Risk Assessment
In cases where hazards are numerous and
complex (e.g. chemical process plant)
Should have Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
Step 1: Identify the hazards
Risk
Assessment
Process
Step 2: Decide who might be harmed and how
Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide on the
precautions
Step 4: Record your findings and implement them
Step 5: Review your assessment and update if
necessary
Step 1: Identify the
hazards
• Workplace hazards can come in many
forms, such as physical, mental,
chemical, and biological, to name just a
few.
• Hazards can be identified by using a
number of techniques, although, one of
the most common remains walking
around the workplace to see first-hand
any processes, activities, or substances
that may injure or cause harm to
employees.
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Step 1: Identify
the hazards
• Of course, if you work in the same
environment every day, then you may
miss some hazards, therefore, the HSE
also recommend looking at and
considering;
• Your accident and ill-health records
• Non-routine operations
• Long-term hazards to health.
Step 2: Decide who may
be harmed and how
• Identifying who may be at risk extends to
full and part-time employees, contract staff,
visitors, clients, and other members of the
public at the workplace.
• You should also consider people that may
not be in the office all the time or at
different times, such as employees working
night shifts for example, and lone workers.
• For each hazard you will need to
understand who may be harmed, this of
course, will help you to identify preventive
measures for controlling a given risk.
Step 3: Evaluate the risks and
decide on the precautions
• Once you've identified hazards, the next
logical step it to completely remove the
associated risks, however, where this is not
possible, then certain control measures
should be put in place.
• For example, if an employee is a cleaner,
then they'll inevitably come into contact with
chemicals. The likelihood is that such a
hazard can not be removed, however, certain
control measures, such as providing
protective gloves, mops, and even training for
safely storing and handling cleaning
chemicals can and should be in place.
Step 4: Record your findings and implement
them
The HSE recommend that you should record your significant findings. Such
findings will include, the hazards, how people may be harmed by them, and
essentially the control measures that you have implemented.
It's worth highlighting that currently only organisations with five or more
staff are required to record in writing the findings of a given risk assessment,
regardless, it's still good practice to have a reference.
Step 4: Record your findings
and implement them
• Recording your findings does not need to be a lengthy
exercise, in fact, the HSE currently states "For most
people this does not need to be a big exercise - just
note the main points down about the significant risks
and what you concluded ".
Step 5: Review
the
Assessment
• Last, but not least, reviewing the risk
assessment. Overtime workplaces will
change there may be new equipment,
substances, and or tasks, that have
been introduced since the last
assessment took place. With this in
mind, it's recommended that you look
back on past risk assessments and
consider if there have since been
significant changes, and if so, are there
new hazards, and or control measures
that should be introduced?