Hazards Identification

Techniques
Systematic Processes
(Because what you don’t know can hurt you)
Identify hazards
• A hazard is anything (including work practices or work
procedures) that has the potential to harm the health
and safety of a person.
• Anything that has the potential to cause harm, ill
health and injury, damage to property, products or
the environment, production losses or increase
liabilities

At workplace categorized:
Physical, Chemical, Biological &
Physicosocial
Hazard
 Hazard - examples
Chemical

• Hydrocarbon under pressure • Smoke

• Toxic material • Volatile fluids in tanks
Physical
• Moving road tankers / vehicles
• Elevated objects •Noise
• People working at heights •High voltage
 Hazard - examples

Biological
• Toxicological lab
(catering facility at distant work station)
Physicosocial
Working outside the country without family
members.
What hazards do I need to identify?
The person conducting the business or undertaking
is responsible for identifying hazards which may be
present in the workplace, including those arising
from:
• Work premises, including the access and egress
• Structures and buildings
• Work practices, work systems and shiftwork
(including hazardous processes, psychological and
fatigue related hazards)
• Plant (including transport, installation, erection,
commissioning, use, repair, maintenance,
dismantling, storage or disposal of the plant)
• Traffic and transport movements at a workplace
• Hazardous chemicals
• Hazardous manual tasks and ergonomics
• Biological organisms
• Remote or isolated work
Useful tools in the identification of hazards in your
workplace:
• Workplace inspection templates
• Consultation with workers, health & safety
representatives or communities
• Internal & external audit reports
• Standards & Codes of Practice which are relevant
and applicable
• Industry groups, conferences & professional
associations
• Communication across an organization
operating at multiple sites
• Incident reports and investigation
• Relevant websites (new information)
How to Identify & Manage Safety and Health Risk
 Examples Of Identifying & Managing Safety and Health Risk

Recovery
Top
Hazard Threat Barrier Measures Consequences
Event

Accident,
Moving Slippery Loss of Injuries,
Vehicle Road Slow Down Control ABS Fatalities
x
x
x
x
x
x x x x

x x x x x x x x x

x
x
x
x x
x
x x
x
 The Children & the
Bull
 Hazard = the bull
Top Event = Loss of containment (escape of bull)
• Threats Controls/Barriers Escalation
Factors
– corroded fence – galvanized material – acid rain
– rotting posts – treated wood – termites,
age
– metal posts – corrosion
– bull leans on fence – barbed wire – anger
(state of mind)
– Red Ball,
barking dog
•
Top Event = Loss of containment (escape of
bull)
Threats Controls/Barrier Escalation Factors
- bull charges fence – barbed wire, 4 strands – yelling
child,
– metal posts dog
– electric fence
- falling tree limbs – prune trees – weather, age,
insects
- gate unlatched/open – sign, lock – ability to read,
– vandalism
The Children & the Bull

 Consequences = multiple fatalities

 Top Event = Loss of containment (escape of bull)
• Recovery Measures
dog attack bull
run to car
shoot the bull
climb tree
run in different directions
 Coincident or Not ?
If,
ABC D EFGHI J K L M N O PQ R S T U V W X Y Z

Equals,
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Then,

K+ N +O +W+ L +E+D+G+E
11 + 14 + 15 + 23 + 12 + 5 + 4 + 7 + 5 = 96%

H+A+R +D+W+ O+ R +K
8 + 1 + 18 + 4 + 23 + 15 + 18 + 11 = 98%
Both are important, but the total falls just short of
100%

But,
A+T +T + I+T + U +D+E
1 + 20 + 20 + 9 + 20 + 21 + 4 + 5 = 100%

Safety really is about attitude. Make 100% Safe Behavior your

choice both ON and OFF the job

S. Veerasingam, Vice-President
Malaysian Society for Occupational Safety and
Health
Hazards Analysis in the Workplace

• All hazards do not have equal potential for harm or

damage.
• However, before hazards can be controlled, they must be
discovered.
• Monitoring is defined as a set of observation and data
collection methods used to detect and measure deviations
from plans and procedures in current operations.
Monitoring can involve four functions:

1. Hazard identification
2. Hazard analysis
3. Safety inspection; and
4. Accident investigation

• These mean that monitoring is performed before the

operation begins, during the life cycle of the operation
and after the system has broken down.
Causes of Accidents and Illnesses
• Incident – an undesired event that could result in loss,
it could also mean an undesired event that could
downgrade the efficiency of the business operation.

• Accident – an undesired event that results in physical

harm to people or damage to property, or loss to
process.
REAL COSTS OF ACCIDENTS
COST: Medical; Compensation costs
UNINSURED COSTS: Building damage
Tool
P1 and equipment damage

Product and material damage

Production
P5 to 50 delays and interruptions
UNINSURED MISCELLANEOUS COSTS
Wages paid to injured for lost time; Overtime costs:
P1 toDecreased
3 output of injured worker ; cost of training
new worker; extra supervisor’s time
What causes accidental losses?

ACCIDENTAL CAUSES
(Traditional)

HAZARDOUS ACTS HAZARDOUS

(90%) CONDITIONS
Unaware (10%)
Unable  Unidentified
Unmotivated  Uncorrected
 Tools Available to Management in Hazard
Recognition
1. Conduct a Task Exposure Analysis
Task Exposure Analysis (TEA) or Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
is a systematic method of hazard analysis, recognition and
evaluation. TEA or JHA identifies the hazards, and identifies
ways to eliminate or protect against them.
2. Conduct safety inspections
- A thorough examination of the workplace to ensure a safe
work environment.
3. Accident Investigation
- to determine the causative factors why an accident occurs
and to prevent recurrences in the future.
Common Workplace Hazards:

• Hazardous substances (dust, fume, vapor, gases,

liquids)
• Machinery (moving parts, stored energy, ejection)
• Electricity (electrocution/shock, ignition source,
fire)
• Noise and vibration
• Fire and explosion (liquids, gases, solids, oxidizing
agents)
• Mechanical handling (cranes, slinging, forklift
trucks)
• Slips, trips and falls
• Working at heights
• Display Screen Equipment (posture, workstation,
work environment, display and software
• Burns (heat, cold, chemical)