Risk Assessment and Risk Control

RISK ASSESSMENT AND RISK CONTROL

Bayu Nurwinanto

Basic Concepts

What is Risk ?

Risk is something that we as individuals live with on a day to day basis. People are constantly making decisions based on risk. Simple decision in daily life such as driving, crossing the  road and money investment all imply an acceptance risk. Risk is the combination of the  likelihood and severity of a specified hazardous event occurring. In mathematical term, risk can be calculated by the equation.

Risk=Likelihood X Serverity

Where,

Likelihood is an event likely to occur within the specific period or in specified circumustances.

Severity is outcome from an event such as severity of injury or health of people, or damage to property, or insult to environment, or any combination of those caused by the event.

Planning and Conducting Risk Assessment

The purpose of risk assessment

The purpose of risk assessment are as follows :

• To identify all the factors that may cause harm to employees and others (the hazards). 
• To consider what the chances are of that harm actually be falling anyone in the circumstances of a particular case and the possible severity that could come from it (the risks).
• To enable employers to plan, introduce and monitor preventive measures to ensure that the risks are adequately controlled at all times.

Planning of Risk Assessment Activities

Risk activities shall be plan and conducted.

a) For situation

• where hazard appear to pose significant threat.
• uncertain whether existing controls are adequate; or/and
• before implementing corrective or preventive measures.

b) By organization intending to continuously improve OSH Management System.

It should be the duty of the employer to assign a trained personnel to lead a team of employees associated with one particular process or activity to conduct risk assessment.

Process of risk Assessment

Process of risk Assessment requires 4 simple steps :

1. Classify work activities.
2. Identify hazard.
3. Conduct risk assessment (analyze and estimate risk from each hazards), by calculating or estimating (1. Likelihood of occurrence 2. Severity of hazard)
4. Decide if risk is tolerable and apply control measures (if necessary).

FLOWCHART OF RISK ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Classify work activities

Classify work activities

Classify work activities in accordance with their similarity, such as :

• geographical or physical areas within/outside premises.
• stages in production/service process.
• not too big e.g. building a car.
• not too small e.g. fixing a nut; or.
• defined task  e.g. loading, packing, mixing, fixing the door.

Safety Hazards

A safety hazard is any force strong enough to cause injury, or damage to property.  An injury caused by a safety hazard is usually obvious.  For example, a worker may be badly cut.  Safety hazards cause harm when workplace controls are not adequate.

Some examples of safety hazards include, but are not limited to :

• slipping/tripping hazards (such as wires run across floors).
• fire hazards (from flammable materials).
• moving parts of machinery, tools and equipment (such as pinch and nip points).
• work at height (such as work done on scaffolds).
• ejection of material (such as from molding).
• pressure systems.
• vehicles (such as forklifts and trucks).
• lifting and other manual handling operations.
• working alone.

Health hazards

An occupational health hazard is any agent that can cause illness to an individual.  A health hazard may produce serious and immediate (acute) affects, or may cause long-term (chronic) problems.  All or part of the body may be affected.  Someone with an occupational illness may not recognize the symptoms immediately.  For example, noise-induced hearing loss is often difficult for the affected individual to detect until it is well advanced.  Health  hazards include chemicals (such as battery acid and solvents), biological hazards (such as bacteria, viruses, dusts and molds), physical agents (energy sources strong enough to harm the body, such as electric currents, heat, light, vibration, noise and radiation) and work design (ergonomic) hazards.

Environmental hazards

An environmental hazard is a release to the environment that may cause harm or deleterious effects.  An environmental release may not be obvious.  For example, a worker who drains a glycol system and releases the liquid to a storm sewer may not be aware, of the effect on the environment.  Environmental hazards cause harm when controls and work procedures are not followed.

Hazard identification technique

• The employer shall develop a hazard identification and assessment methodology. taking into account the following documents and information.
• any hazardous occurrence investigation reports.
• first aid records and minor injury records.
• work place health protection programs.
• any results of work place inspections.
• any employee complaints and comments.
• any government or employer reports, studies and tests concerning the health and safety of employees.
• the record of hazardous substances.
• any other relevant information.

The hazard identification and assessment methodology
The hazard identification and assessment methodology shall include:

• Step and time frame for identifying and assessing the hazards.
• The keeping of a record of the hazards.
• A time frame for reviewing and, if necessary, revising the methodolog.

To complete hazard identification, one can use techniques to identify hazards. Some examples of techniques include, but are not limited to :

• work place inspections
• task safety analysis or job hazard analysis.
• preliminary investigations.
• potential accident factors.
• failure analysis.
• accident and incident investigations.

It is in your interest to adopt your own process and your own identification techniques so that they match oner management procedures and the size of business. In fact, the identification method may vary depending on the size of the work place.

Table indicates likelihood using the following values

Likelihood (L)	Example	Rating
Most likely	The most likely result of the hazard / event being realized	5
Possible	Has a good chance of occurring and is not unusual	4
Conceivable	Might be occur at sometime in future	3
Remote	Has not been known to occur after many years.	2
Inconceivable	Is practically impossible and has never occurred).	1

Severity of hazard

Severity can be divided into five categories. Severity are based upon an increasing level of severity to an individual’s health, the environment, or to property. Table  indicates severity by using the following table.

Severity (S)	Example	Rating
Catastrophic	Numerous fatalities, irrecoverable property damage and productivity.	5
Fatal	Approximately one single fatality major property damage if hazard is realized.	4
Serious	Non-fatal injury, permanent disability.	3
Minor	Disabling but not permanent injury.	2
Negligible	Minor abrasions, bruises, cuts, first aid type injury.	1

The relative risk value can be used to prioritize necessary actions to effectively manage work place hazards. Table determines priority based on the following ranges :

Risk	Description	Action
15-25	HIGH	A HIGH risk requires immediate action to control the hazard as detailed in the hierarchy of control. Actions taken must be documented on the risk assessment form including date for completion.
5-12	MEDIUM	A MEDIUM risk requires a planned approach to controlling the hazard and applies temporary measure if required. Actions taken must be documented on the risk assessment form including date for completion.
1-4	LOW	A risk identified as LOW may be considered as acceptable and further reduction may not be necessary. However, if the risk can be resolved quickly and efficiently, control measures should be implemented and recorded.