This article defines safe working, the meaning of hazard and risk, hazard identification techniques, basic qualitative risk assessment, selecting or seeking advice on workplace precautions and assisting managers to prepare risk assessments. It concludes with a reminder of statutory responsibilities for health and safety at work.
The term "WORKING SAFELY" may be defined as:
"The collective actions of employees and managers to identify potential hazards in their workplace and either eliminate or control them to an acceptable level, with the common goal of preventing accidents and minimising loss to the compa
In order to work safely employees and managers alike must adopt a proactive approach to health and safety in their workplace that will require a genuine, visible commitment together with personal ownership structured around a control strategy.
A "HAZARD" is defined as "Anything with the potential to cause harm" Harm may include-injuries, ill-health or both. A "RISK" is defined as:
- "The likelihood that a particular hazard will give rise to harm (the extent of the risk covers the population affected and the consequences for them).
Workplace hazards may be presented in many different forms according to their origin and their physical state. They may comprise of one or all of the following categories:
- Physical hazards - these may include excessive noise, extremes of temperature or exposure to other energy forms such as radiation and electricity. Alternatively, they may be mechanical in nature such as traps, impact, contact and entanglement with machinery.
- Chemical hazards - these may comprise acids, alkalis, solvents, detergents or other substances known to be hazardous to health. They may produce toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant effects when in contact with the human body.
- Biological hazards - diseases such as Hepatitis, Legionnaires, Leptospirosis and Anthrax may be contracted from humans or animals or transmitted by other media such as blood, water or the air.
The essential first step in risk control is to seek out and identify hazards. Relevant sources of information include:
- Legislation and supporting Approved Codes of Practice which give practical guidance and include basic minimum requirements.
- HSE guidance.
- Process information.
- Product information.
- Relevant British and international standards.
- Industry or trade association guidance.
- The personal knowledge and experience of managers and employees.
- Accident, ill health and incident data from within the organisation, from other organisations or from central sources.
- Expert advice and opinion and relevant research.
There should be a critical appraisal of all routine and non-routine business activities.
People exposed may include not just employees but also others such as members of the public, contractors and users of the products and services. Employees and safety representatives can make a useful contribution in identifying hazards.
In the simplest cases, hazards can be identified by observation and by comparing the circumstances with the relevant information (for example single-storey premises will not present any hazards associated with stairs).
In more complex cases, measurements such as air sampling or examining the methods of machine operation may be necessary to identify the presence of hazards from chemicals or machinery.
In the most complex or high-risk cases (for example, in the chemical or nuclear industry) special techniques and systems may be needed such as hazard and operability studies (HAZOPS) and hazard analysis techniques such as event or fault-tree analysis. Specialist advice may be needed to choose and apply the most appropriate method.
Risk Assessment
A risk assessment is nothing more than a careful examination of what, at work, could cause harm to people, so that it can be established whether enough precautions have been taken or more should be done to prevent harm. The aim is to make sure that no one gets hurt or becomes ill.
Accidents and ill health can ruin lives and affect business too if output is lost, machinery is damaged, insurance costs increase, or if subject to prosecution.
The important things to be decided are whether a hazard is significant and whether it is covered by satisfactory precautions so that the risk is small. This must be done when assessing risks. For instance, electricity can kill but the risk of it doing so in an office environment is remote provided that 'live' components are insulated and metal casings properly earthed.
HSE Guidance - Five Steps to Risk Assessment STEP 1 - Look for the hazards
Start by walking around the workplace and looking afresh at what could reasonably be expected to cause harm. Ignore the trivial and concentrate on significant hazards that could result in serious harm or affect several people.
Ask other employees or safety representatives what they think. They may have noticed things that are not immediately obvious. Manufacturers' instructions or data sheets can also help spot hazards and put risks in their true perspective. So can accident and ill-health records.
Look for hazards that could reasonably expect to result in significant harm under the conditions in your workplace. Use the following examples as a guide:
- Slipping/tripping hazards (poorly maintained floors or stairs)
- Fire (flammable materials and sources of heat)
- Chemicals (battery acid)
- Moving parts of machinery (blades)
- Work at height (mezzanine floors)
- Ejection of material (plastic moulding)
- Pressure systems (steam boilers)
- Vehicles (fork-lifftrucks etc.)
- Electricity (poor wiring)
- Dust (grinding)
- Fumes (welding)
- Manual handling
- Noise
- Poor lighting
- Low temperature
STEP 2 - Decide who might be harmed, and how
Young workers, trainees, new and expectant mothers etc., who may be at particular riskCleaners, visitors, contractors, maintenance workers etc., who may not be in the workplace all the time
Members of the public, or people sharing the workplace, if there is a chance they could be hurt by work activities.
STEP 3 - Evaluate the risks and decide whether existing precautions are adequate or more should be done
Risk assessment requires assessment of two factors:
- Likelihood
- Severity
Likelihood
A subjective assessment of the probability can be reduced to numbered categories as follows. (There are many versions of this technique).
- 5 = Certain or near certain
- 4 = Very likely
- 3 = Likely
- 2 = Unlikely
- 1 = Very unlikely
This requires an assessment of the possible outcome of the hazard. Various factors will affect the severity. We can apply a similar procedure to the above and produce a numbered scale as follow:
- 5 = Death
- 4 = Major injury, disabling disease
- 3 = Lost time injury (over 3 days)
- 2 = First aid injury
- 1 = Minor injury
Risk Rating
Multiply the Severity number by the Likelihood number to arrive at the risk factor for each hazard. This produces a number on a scale of 1 to 25. These numbers provide an indication of priority and the extent of the risk, the higher the number the greater the priority and risk and therefore the more resources which may be needed to control the risk
This can easily be shown with the use of the risk matrix
This can easily be shown with the use of the risk matrix
Severity | Likelihood | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
5 | 25 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 5 | |
4 | 20 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 4 | |
3 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 3 | |
2 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
As a rough guide:
16 to 25 is high risk and may require the provision of considerable resources involving special equipment, training, high levels of supervision and consideration of the most effective methods of eliminating or controlling hazards.
6 to 15 is significant risk and will require an appropriate level of resources.
1 to 5 is low risk but actions should still be taken to try to reduce these risks further if possible within reasonable limits
The aim is to make all risks small by adding to the precautions as necessary.
If it is found that something needs to be done, an "action list" can be drawn up to give priority to any remaining risks which are high and/or those which could affect most people. In taking action ask:
- Can we get rid of the hazard altogether?
- If not, how can the risks be controlled so that harm is unlikely?
In controlling risks, apply the principles below, if possible in the following order:
- Try a less risky option
- Prevent access to the hazard (by guarding)
- Organise work to reduce exposure to the hazard
- Issue personal protective equipment
- Provide welfare facilities (washing facilities for removal of contamination and first aid)
These are inexpensive precautions considering the risks. Failure to take simple precautions can cost a lot more if an accident does happen.
STEP 4 - Record your findings
STEP 4 - Record your findings
If there are fewer than five employees an employer does not need to write anything down, though it is useful to keep a written record of what has been done. But if there are five or more people employed the employer must record the significant findings of the assessment.
This means writing down the significant hazards and conclusions. Examples might be
- Electrical installations - insulation and earthing checked and found sound
- Fume from welding - local exhaust ventilation provided and regularly checked
- Risk assessments -must be suitable and sufficient — this means showing that:
- A proper check was made by competent people to identify significant hazards
- Those who might be affected are identified
- All the obvious significant hazards were addressed, taking into account the number of people who could be involve
STEP 5 - Review your assessment and revise it if necessary
Sooner or later new machines, substances and procedures that could lead to new hazards will be brought in. If there is any significant change, this should be added to the assessment to take account of the new hazard
Do not amend the assessment for every trivial change or for each new job, but if a new job introduces significant new hazards of its own, this must be considered in its own right and action taken to keep the risks down.
It is good practice to review the assessments from time to time to make sure that the precautions are still working effectively
Sources of InformationIt is essential to keep abreast of new health and safety legislation and other developments in the health and safety field. Copies of the Acts and Regulations are sold by HMSO. These, however, generally give only a broad outline but it is useful to know the aim of the Act or Regulation.
Extensive health and safety information can be obtained from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) telephone 01787 881165 (HSE Books), or via their website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/
Publications available include:- Approved Codes of Practice
- Guidance
- Free leaflets on a wide variety of hazards
Information and advice on occupational health problems can be obtained from the Employment Medical Advisory Service (EMAS). The EMAS telephone numbers are available at local HSE area offices.
Local Authority Environmental Health Departments
Local authorities have responsibility for enforcing health and safety legislation in a wide variety of non-industrial premises, for example at various consumer services, launderettes, restaurants etc.
Organisations Involved in SafetyThere are a number of organisations that are involved almost exclusively in Health and Safety and publish monthly journals that are valuable sources of information. These include:
- Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) (see above)
- Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)
- British Safety Council
There are a considerable number of books both general and specific on health and safety published and available from books shops.
British and European StandardsA number of these relate to safety such as BS EN 292 Safeguarding of Machinery and BS EN 166 Eye Protection. Whilst not having legal standing they will be used as yardsticks of good safety practice
Professional Institutes/Trade Organisations
These often produce codes of practice, for example the Institute of Electrical Engineers Regulations on Electrical Installations and Portable Appliance Testing.
Consultants and Specialists
Advice can be obtained from organisations such as Universities, Colleges, and Institutions who offer consultancy services as well as specialists in various areas.
Training Boards
Training Boards specify training standards but some of their publications provide substantial information on safety matters.
Manufacturers and Suppliers
Manufacturers, suppliers and importers have a duty under HASAWA Section 6 to provide information that will enable the users of their products to be able to use them with safety.
Manufacturers of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will meet the various British Standards relating to their products and provide the information on their levels of protection.
Trade Unions and the TUC
Unions and the TUC produce guides for Safety Representatives and many Unions also have full time Officers who deal with Health and Safety matters.Posters and Signs
Employers must display certain statutory notices that provide information to employees. Other posters can be used to remind staff of general workplace hazards or to support specific safety campaigns. Signs remind employees of safety requirements and also draw to the attention of visitors who are not familiar with the workplace potential hazards.
Company Sources
- Company Safety Policy — a legal requirement with five or more employees in the company.
- Job descriptions — responsibilities, hazards and control measures.
- Accident statistics and records.
The following information is provided to remind people of their general health and safety legal responsibilities at work.
This information must also be provided at the workplace in the form of either:
- A poster prominently displayed in the workplace, entitled "Health and safety law — what you should know"; or
- An approved leaflet given to employees. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 Section 7 - Duties of employees at work
- To take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
- To co-operate with their employer or any other person so far as is necessary to enable statutory duties or requirements to be complied with.
No person must intentionally or recklessly interfere or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Regulation 14— Employees' dutiesEmployees must use any machinery, equipment, substance etc in accordance with training and instructions given.
Employees must report to employers or others with responsibility for health and safety of employees:
- Work situations that represent serious and immediate danger to health and safety.
- Matters that represent shortcomings in the protection arrangements for health and safety.
Any failure to observe the duties outlined above could lead to individuals being prosecuted in the criminal courts
