Hazard IdentificationOHS3020A

In this section you will develop skills and knowledge in:

Identifying work place hazards

What is a hazard?

Something with the potential to cause harm, injury or illness.

Examples of hazards include

Manual handling-objects/people

physical hazards-wet slippery floors, steps

work practices- repetitive tasks

workplace design , cluttered rooms, doorways to narrow

chemical hazards- cleaning agents psychological hazards, stress aggression etc

There are Six types of hazards:

Chemical Gases, dusts, fumes, vapours, liquids

Physical Noise, vibration, lighting, electrical, hot & cold, fire & explosion, machinery

Ergonomic Poor design of tools & equipment, job/task, workstation, manual handling (lifting carrying, keyboard work, overuse injuries

Radiation X-rays, gamma rays, microwaves, ultraviolet , infra red, lasers

Psychological

Stress, shift work, harassment, discrimination

Biological Infections, bacteria, viruses (hepatitis A & B, HIV) parasitic infections

Examples of the effects these hazards may havein the workplace

Hazard Example Outcome

Chemical Handling, breathing fumes & vapours of solvents, acids, heavy metals. Dusts from grinding, sawing, asbestos, silica etc

Dermatitis, cancer, silicosis, asbestosis, mesothelioma, burns, respiratory illnesses,

Physical Electricity lightening, being hit by moving objects, unguarded machinery, effects of heat & cold, exposure to noise & vibration, slips, trips,

Cuts, amputations, tinnitus & permanent hearing loss, bruises, dislocations, fractures, death, frostbite, heat stress/stroke, organ & muscle damage

Ergonomic Lifting & carrying, overuse injuries from poorly designed work areas, and tasks

Sprains & strains, fractures

Radiation Welding flash, sunburn from outdoor work, exposure to X-rays, lasers, microwaves

Burns, cancer, damaged eyesight, blindness cataracts

Psychological Stress caused by bullying, intimidation, violence conflict time pressures

High blood pressure, headaches, migraines, anxiety, depression, absenteeism

Biological Viruses, fungi, parasites, bacteria Respiratory diseases, hepatitis A& B, HIV, allergies, legionnaire's disease, Q fever

The Hazard Management Process

Identify the Hazards

Assess the risks

Control the Risks

Review

Identifying the Hazards

1. Consult with employees in the workplace (health and safety Representatives and committees)

2. Check injury statistics to identify and hazards

3. Incident and inspection systems (using report forms and checklists)

4. Observe work practices using a Job Safety Analysis checklist.

Consultation

Consultation involves the sharing of information and the exchange of view between employers and the persons or bodies that must be consulted, and the genuine opportunity for them to contribute effectively to any decision-making process to eliminate or control risks to health and safety.

OHSW Regulations, 1995 1.3.1(3)

Consultation

Involves Health and safety reps Health and safety committees Workers carrying out the task The union

Consultation requires Access to information Time Commitment on both sides No disadvantage through involvement Acknowledgment of language needs.

Work cover corporation hazard management resource guide

Injury Statistics

These are useful as they help to identify patterns of injury and how they occurred.

To review injury statistics for Aged Care Workers follow this link , click on WorkCover SA Statistical Review Part 1: 2005-06 [739KB] and refer to page 37.

You may note that amongst the highest injuries for females over all industries is personal care assistant!!! Close behind is Registered Nurse, enrolled nurse and Aged persons carer!!!!

Incident and Near Miss Reports

All injuries and near misses are reported to the supervisor on an incident form used by thefacility/organisation you work for.

Incident and Near Miss Reports

Incident reports should include: Time and date of incident Location Exact description of incident Extent of injuries Immediate treatment given to the

client

Incident and Near Miss Investigation

Who was involved?

Time and place the incident occurred

What was being done (task)

How did it happen?

Events leading up to the incidentYou should also consider the broader picture and investigate work routines and staff/client interactions

Incident and Near Miss Investigation

What is the value of an incident ornear miss report?

Incident and inspection systems (using report forms and checklists)

Formal inspections Informal inspections

Formal Inspections

When undertaking a work place inspection or when developing a formal Hazard Identification Checklist, the following lists serve as useful starting points for framing questions

1. Could people be injured or made sick by things such as: Noise Light Radiation High or low temperatures Electricity Moving or falling things (or people) Flammable materials Things under tension or pressure Any other energy source

Thinking Prompts for Observers

2. What could go wrong? What if the equipment is being misused? What might people do that they shouldn’t? How could someone be killed? How could people be injured? What may make people ill?

3. How might these injuries happen to people? Broken bones Eye damage Hearing problems Strains or sprains Cuts or abrasions Bruises Burns Lung problems Poisoning

Thinking Prompts for Observers

4. Imagine that a ten year old child were brought into the workplace.What would you warn them to be extra careful of?

5. What are the special hazards which may occur only occasionally – for example during maintenance and other irregular work?

Looking for hazards

When looking for hazards you should consider: How suitable the things you use are for the task, and

how well they are located How people might be hurt directly by equipment,

machinery or tools How people might be hurt indirectly through noise,

fumes etc How people might be hurt by chemicals and other

materials used in the workplace How people use equipment and materials

Here is a link to a sample checklist

http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/contentPages/docs/resInspectChecklistPlant.pdf

Job Safety Analysis

To effectively undertake a JSA of a particular hob, the supervisor and health and safety representative needs to:

Identify the job for which the analysis is to be conducted Use their existing knowledge of the tasks involved ina

particular job Consult with employees who ac tually do the job Observe the job being done Record the tasks carried out by the person, how often and

how long Record the interaction between the person and equipment Identify the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to

perform the task

Work cover corporation hazard management resource guide

After hazards have been identified they should be:

Listed in the Hazard ID Action Plan ( the Action Plan must be reviewed on a regular basis updated or added to if further hazards are identified)

Assessed for and prioritised according to risk severity (use Risk Assessment -DIAS)

Once a risk assessment has been conducted, it is important to:

Identify the person responsible for actioning the control measures

Give a time frame for implementing control measures (use Hazpak)