Hazard identification
The following three questions enable hazard identification; -
1. Is there a source of harm?
2. Who or what could be harmed?
3. How could harm occur?
Classifying work activities
One way of classifying work activities is as follows: -
(a) Geographical areas within and /or outside the organization’s premises.
(b) Stages in a production process or in the provision of a service.
(c) Planned work, e.g. different operational stages of the process.
(d) Reactive work, i.e. work carried out in response to an unplanned event.
(e) Defined tasks, e.g. driving, window cleaning.
(f) Various identified working groups, e.g. employees, contractors.
(g) Plant operation and maintenance works.
(h) Tasks being carried out by contractors.
The following list, not exhaustive, gives examples of the information required for
each work activity. It can form the basis of a pro-forma checklist.
1) Tasks being carried out:
a. duration;
b. frequency
c. external weather conditions – wet, cold, hot
2) Location(s) where the work is carried out.
3) Proximity to and scope of hazardous interaction with other workplaces.
4) Who normally or occasionally carries out the tasks, e.g. operators, maintenance staff
5) Others who may be affected by the work, e.g. maintenance staff, contractors, visitors, neighbouring organizations, the public.
6) Training that personnel have received in relation to their tasks.
7) Written , systems of work and/or permit to work procedures prepared for the tasks.
8) Plant, machinery and equipment that is used, e.g. suitability, ease of use.
9) Maintenance, condition, calibration and test conditions of plant.
10) Training for plant, equipment and tooling operations.
11) Powered hand tools that are used – company owned, private ownership.
12) Manufactures’ or suppliers’ instructions for operation and maintenance of equipment, plant, machinery and powered hand tools.
13) Size, shape, surface characteristic condition, e.g. sharp edges, hot, cold, and weight (including centre of gravity) of materials that will be handled.
14) Physical capabilities of personnel undertaking tasks.
15) Distances and heights that materials have to be moved by hand (including accessibility to loads and environment for transfers).
16) Services used, e.g. electricity, compressed air, gas.
17) Substances used or encountered, e.g. created or given off during a process
18) Physical form of substances used or encountered (fume, gas, vapour, liquid, dust, powder, solid).
19) Content and recommendations of safety data sheets relating to substances used or encountered (or formed during process).
20) Requirements of relevant legislation and standards relevant to the tasks, the plant and machinery used and the substances used or generated during the tasks.
21) Control measures believed to be in place at the time.
22) Reactive monitoring data: incident, accident and ill health experience associated with the tasks and equipment and substances used, gained as a result of information, benchmarks and outside organisations.
23) Findings of any existing assessments relating to the work activity.
24) Other available information, benchmarks, regulatory guidance and professional bodies.
Broad categories of harm
To help with the process of identifying hazards it is useful to categorise hazards in different ways, for example by topic: -
mechanica and/or physical (machinery, plant and equipment);
electrical (shock ,fire);
chemical;
biological;
radiation (ionising and non-ionising);
fire and explosion;
thermal (hot, cold, humidity, internal and/or external)
psychological (stress, work pressures) and
organisational.