4.3.1 Planning Identification Of Hazards- Assessment and Control Of Risks

Purpose

• A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm to an employee, contractor, visitor, member of the public or anyone who may reason to be in the vicinity of the hazard. Hazards can include manual tasks, noise, lighting, electricity, biological hazards, chemicals or poisonous substances, sharp instruments or tools, doorways blocked by objects, objects left on the floor and slippery surfaces.
• Risk is a measure of the likelihood or chance that a particular activity, program, project or situation may cause an injury, illness or death.
• Risk and Hazard management involves the implementation of organisational policies and procedures that promote workplace practices which enable personnel to effectively prevent, monitor, evaluate and eliminate hazards.
• Risk and Hazard management also relates to a responsibility by personnel to adequately identify and report hazards to senior members of staff or managers and the [enter-your-company-name-here]’s responsibility to take appropriate action when a hazard is reported.

Procedure

The Workplace Health and Safety Act prescribes a process of Risk and Hazard Assessment in order to evaluate what is considered a hazard and what is considered a risk.

[enter-your-company-name-here] will use the following process, in consultation with all staff and employees, to manage workplace health and safety:

• Identify and assess potential hazards
• Decide on control measures
• Implement control measures
• Monitor and review outcomes

Identify and assess potential hazards

By assessing the potential risk of a hazard, [enter-your-company-name-here] determines the need for control measures. Assessment of the potential risks will be carried out on an ongoing basis and at the commencement of any new process or project or the introduction of new plant or equipment.

Decide on control measures

Control measures are actions that are decided upon in order to reduce the risk of a hazard causing harm to any person. Control measures are determined by the level of risk that the hazards poses. Hazard control is managed by the manager or senior staff member responsible for the area, process or project that presents the hazard.

Implement control measures

When implementing control measures, the responsible manager or senior staff member considers the risk of harm to others.

• If the hazard can be controlled, appropriate action is taken to control the hazard.
• If a hazard is classified with the potential for high risk of harm or injury the hazard is removed if possible.
• If a hazard is classified with the potential for high risk of harm or injury and cannot be removed [enter-your-company-name-here] will consult with all ‘stakeholders’ to ensure that every effort is made to monitor and reduce the risk at all times.

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Monitor and review outcomes

[enter-your-company-name-here] will maintain close communication with its employees and contractors to ensure that the control measures have eliminated or minimized the hazard or risk, and to evaluate the effectiveness of these measures.

This monitoring process will be repeated as a continual cycle of improvement. Monitoring of hazards and risks will be extended to ensure that the control measures do not create additional hazards.