unit 5 a risk assessemsnt 5 steps cont

8/6/2019 Unit 5 a Risk Assessemsnt 5 Steps Cont

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RiskRiskRiskRisk

AssessmentAssessmentAssessmentAssessment

PrinciplesPrinciplesPrinciplesPrinciples

& Practice& Practice& Practice& Practice

(Cont.)(Cont.)(Cont.)(Cont.)


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1.17

The 5 steps to Risk

Assessment

Lets us now consider the HSE guidance leaflet, Five Steps to Risk

Assessment (INDG163). Later, you will note that we have expanded on this

HSE document. However, for the purposes of your NEBOSH examination, itis essential that you can recall the following:

STEP 1

Look for the hazards.STEP 2

Decide who might be harmed.STEP 3

Evaluate the risks and decide whether the existingprecautions are adequate or whether more should be done.

STEP 4

Record your findings and implement them.STEP 5

Review your assessment and revise it if necessary.

We will now consider each of the five steps in turn and in some detail.


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1.18 STEP 1

Identify the significant hazards

Think about the wordsIDENTIFY & SIGNIFICANT.

There are many ways to identify hazards. (see above for types ofhazard identifi

cation) You can undertake a safety

inspection using a pre-designed list of activities or a layout of the premises, you can un

dertake a safety sample considering a single aspect of activity or area of the work plac

e, you can undertake a safety tourand so on.

Talking to staff who undertake the work activities is essential. It is they who, for t

he most part, have the best knowledge of the hazards and the potential of harm. Howe

ver, fresh eyes may reveal hazards that have been missed for long periods of time, so

you must ensure that you look for hazards in all aspects of the activities undertaken. R

emember, humans can easily become complacent when then are unaware of the haza

rds around them.

Examining job descriptions may be an aid, as will inspecting accident records, b

ut actually being at the site of the work activity and looking and listening is essential. Y

ou cannot undertake a suitable and sufficientrisk assessment from your office chair.

We can use a simple analogy of 'Significant' in this case, the difference between

trivial and non-trivial, i.e. significant = important.

Most types of paper used in offices has the potential to cause cuts. However, ifyou concentrate on paper cuts, you may miss the significant hazards of the office guillo

tine that has the potential to slice off the end of a finger.

Can you recall the definition ofHazard? Your examination will require you to incl

ude this definition when answering questions of hazards.


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1.19 STEP 2

Consider, groups of people or individuals who may be

harmed from the hazard(s).

We are all different; different in size, age, experience andattitude. Older people tend to move slower, younger people may beless experienced workers who may lack an understanding of the

workplace hazards.

Persons with disabilities must have particular consideration.How will you warn a person with a hearing defect of the fire alarm?What about the road worker who only has vision in one eye (see thelaw section and table of cases).

Regulation 18 of the MHSAW Regulations deals withexpectant and new mothers. Take a look at this regulation andmake a note of the requirements.


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1.20 Step 3Step 3Step 3Step 3

Consider the existing control measures

Before you start assessing how likely a hazard is to cause actualharm or loss, you must consider what controls are in place to reduce the

likelihood. In the example, you will note how this is achieved.

Implementing control measures should be considered froma hierarchy:

Order ofControl Measure. Priority /ControlHierarchy.

1 ) Total elimination or avoidance of thehazardat source.

This means don't do what you are intending to do. In reality, this is difficult to

achieve in the workplace but it must be considered in certain circumstances.

2 ) Substitution of thehazardat source.


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This means to substitute for a less hazardous process or substance for instance.

3 ) Placing a guard of some kind.

Moving parts of machinery, attack-proof glass in a bank etc.

4 ) Remove the employee from thehazard.

In a noisy environment, the employee could be placed in a sound-proof work area.

5 ) Reduce the expose of the employee from the

risk.

In noisy environments, reduce the time that the employee is exposed to the high noise

levels.

6 ) Produce a safe method of working/safe

system/safe procedure that is known to theemployee and followed.

When erecting a tower system for instance or administering medication.

7 ) Ensure adequate and suitable levels of

supervision.


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Close supervision is sometimes required for complex high risk activities or where theemployee is inexperienced, young, requires training etc.

8 ) Training.

Employees require safetytraining commensurate with their work activities.

9 ) Makesafety rules, or issue instructions.

Ensure that employees are aware of these rules and follow them.

10 ) IssuePersonal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Hard and bump hats, boots, gloves, knee pads, safety goggles and ear defenders etc. This

really should be the last resort and where the risks cannot be adequately controlled by other

means

11 ) Tell the employee to be careful.

This may help, but it should not be relied upon. HSE figures show that

90% of all accidents are caused through human error.

You will note that some of the control measures will require additional

measures, for instance, training on the job may require close supervision,

issuing PPE will require training in its use etc.

It is essential that you can recall this list in the correct order for yourNEBOSH examination.


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1.20.1 Step 3 (Continued.)

Assess the RiskAssess the RiskAssess the RiskAssess the Risk

((((ProbabilityProbabilityProbabilityProbability))))

There are so many methods and models of assessing risk that wecannot list or detail them all here; in any case, you may find that you develop

your own. Nevertheless, we have provided one method below for you to

consider.

Many charities, as you will be aware, have retail outlets, shops. In mostcases, the hazards are easily identified and relatively simple to assess and

control. In these cases, most managers of the shops would use a risk rating of

Low, Medium or High risk, which is to say that they would simply say that

one hazard is more dangerous than another. They did not see the need to

complicate the issue. In the case of medium risks, they would implement

measures to attempt to reduce the risk to low. High risks meant that the

activity would not be undertaken or in the case that the activity was already in

place, would be stopped.

Example ofRisk evaluation tool.

Prioritising Risks

Probability

Very Likely Likely Unlikely Highly

Unlikely

Fatality High High High Medium

Major High High Medium Medium

Consequence

Minor High Medium Medium Low

NegligibleMedium Medium Low Low


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Hazard RA Control Action by Date

S68 Drill

Press

Entanglement.

Cutting.

Abrasion.

Base plate moves.

Overseas machineswitches do not meet AS

specification.

Ejection swarf.

Electrocution.

Med

Med

Low

High

High

Med

Adjustable clamp base

plate fixingBolt/Wingnut.

Wear eye protection.

Provide eye protection invicinity ofmachine,

include usage in SOP and

inform staff about its use.

SOP hair tied back, not to

wear jewellery, secure

loose clothing etc.

Produce SOP for plant.

Investigate provision of

shielded footswitch.

Electrically test every 6months.

Area supervisor.

Investigate

footswitch

Standard

Operating Procedure(SOP) produced in

consultation with

operatives.

Operator Ian Wood

to repair base clamp

fixing - wing nuts.

Maintenance -electrically test.

By next

staffmeeting

8/7/10

2/5/10

Ongoing

DesktopComputer

Electrocution.

Back/Arm/Neckinjury

OOS (RSI).

Eyestrain.

Low

Med

Med

Test 5 yearly.

Workstation assessment.

Regular breaks/job

rotation.

Area electricaltester.

Supervisor and staffmember carry out

assessment and

organise work.

Ongoing

Epsom Printer Electrocution. Low Test 5-yearly. Area electrical

tester.

Ongoing

Moving A4

paper boxes

from store toworkstation

(admin

assistant)

Manual handling injury -

eg back, shoulder or

neck. High

Use trolley to move

paper, assess load before

lifting - seek assistance ifnecessary.

Look at getting paper

delivered to workstation

in smaller packages.

Area supervisor to

make sure trolley

available and tospeak with

caretakers regarding

smaller packages.

By 7/2/1


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QUANTITATIVE

RISK ASSESSMENTStaying with the retail outlet, let's consider a theft from the point of

sale using a simple quantitative method:

Thief attempts to take the day's takings from the point of sale machinewhile the staff member is at the machine.

Now let's consider the likelihood, the RISK, the Probability of Exposure

(PE) to the considered hazard. We can use the aid below.

Fig 1 below and Fig 2 below are simply an aid to assist you in

calculating the Risk Rating, i.e. the final calculation that allows you to

consider if the risk is acceptable, requires action within a time scale or requiresimmediate action.

The calculation used is Probability of Exposure (PE)

plus the Maximum Possible Loss (MPL) multiplied by the

Frequency of Exposure (FE).

(PE + MPL) X FE =(PE + MPL) X FE =(PE + MPL) X FE =(PE + MPL) X FE =


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Fig 1 Risk Assessment matrix aid

Probability/Risk

Maximum Possible Loss

Very

UnlikelyUnlikely Even

chanceProbable Very likely Certain

1 2 3 4 5 6

First Aid

Required/short

rest/recovery

2 4 5 6 7 8

Fracture of a major

bone or mild temporary

illness

3 5 6 7 8 9

Loss of limb, eye or

permanent illness

4 6 7 8 9 10

Fatality 5 7 8 9 10 11

Low = 1 - 4 Medium = 5 High = 6 - 11

Fig 2 Frequency of Exposure (FE) calculation aid

Infrequent Annually Monthly Weekly Daily Constantly

1 2 3 4 5 6

Based on past experience, it is unlikely that the theft/attack will take place because it has

not happened in the past in any other shop; however, this is a new shop and in an area of

deprivation, high crime and high unemployment.

We do know, however, that the frequency of such events is rare or infrequent.


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Maximum probable loss

Astaff member is injured during the theft; either pushed away, fallsand suffers an injury of three days or more lost time. Many persons, but not all

of course, who work in the charity shops are older.

Why do you think it is important to consider the age of a person is thissituation?

Risk Assessmentcalculation:

Probability Exposure = 2 Unlikely

Maximum Probable Loss = 2 First Aid Required/short rest/recovery

Frequency of exposure = 1

PE = 2 + MPL = 4 X FE 1 = 4

The risk rating has a value of 4 (four)


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Q. Calculate the hazardrating if the staff member attempts to fight off theattacker and is severely injured, suffers long term disability or death.

PE = ?

MPL = ?

FE = ?

Risk Rating =

Your risk rating should be no higher than a value of 10 (ten). This is

because theprobability has not changed, nor has thefrequency of the

event. The only factor that may change is that fighting back may have

more severe consequences for an older person and as such, the

maximum possible loss could be death.

If making an assessment of a missing guard on apowerpress of 100tons and we have an untrained, inexperienced operator who lacks

attention, the risk rating could be

PE = 2 Certain

MPL = 5 Death

FE = 1 Constantly

Risk Rating = 7


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Now let's consider a table of actions required and what priority should

be given to a particularhazardrating:

Fig 1.3 Table of timescales.

Risk Hazard Rating Action timescale

Low 1 - 21 Within a month

Medium 22 - 35 Within a week

High 35 - 77 Immediately

This really is a guide. In many cases, thehazardwill be dealt with

immediately. It really may depend upon resources and the number of hazards

that are being dealt with. In many small businesses, the process ofrisk

assessment can take as little as one day to complete; hazards are then dealt

with as they arise or in a more proactive managementsystem are dealt withbefore they arise.

Large businesses with complex risks will require strategies of risk

management to ensure that hazards are dealt with effectively and in a timelyfashion. Prioritising hazards in this case is essential.


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1.20.5

Implementing Additional Controls

Implement additional control measures where the risk is not

acceptable

Eliminate the hazard.

In this case, the charity shop would consider the controls listed and

consider if the shop was required to be located in the area.

Entrance to the shop to be restricted.

Not practical in this case. However, some jewellery shops do restrict

access for obvious reasons and some newsagents have signs that restrict thenumber of children allowed in at any one time.

Install distance guards around point of sale area.

Not practical in this case. You will be aware that banks, post offices andother places of cash handling adopt this type of protection.


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Have a security guard in place in the shop and patrolling.

Not in this case. The cost for the organisation would be unreasonable.

However, they are seen in larger shops and shopping centres etc.

Train staff in dealing with violence and aggressive situations.

This will help, but not self-defence such as the police force has toadopt. The training will have to be in `how to defuse a potential violent

situation` and also must ensure that the shop staff understand and follow a safe

method of dealing with such situations. Instructions would include such

actions as: open the till and stand well out of the way, try not to make direct

eye contact and only when the attacker has left the premises, phone the police.

It is common sense really but things go wrong; staff might on an impulse

decide to try and get invovled. You also have to ensure that you employ theright sort of staff in the first place.

EEEEnsure that the minimum of cash isnsure that the minimum of cash isnsure that the minimum of cash isnsure that the minimum of cash iskept in the till at any one time.kept in the till at any one time.kept in the till at any one time.kept in the till at any one time.

This will reduce the amount of cash lost in a single theft. The fact could also

be advertised in a notice in the window. Many places that handle cash put up a notice

stating their cash machines etc are emptied on a regular basis. It does deter the thief onsome occasions.


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What control measure is at the top of the hierarchy in regards priority?

1. ? Reduce exposure2. ? Place a guard3. ? Elimination at sourrce

What control measure should be considered as a last resort?

1. ? Substitution2. ? Training3. ? Personal protective equipment


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1.21 STEP 4

RECORD YOUR FINDINGS

MMMMake a written record of theake a written record of theake a written record of theake a written record of the Risk AssessmentRisk AssessmentRisk AssessmentRisk Assessment where fivewhere fivewhere fivewhere fiveor more employees are employed at the business.or more employees are employed at the business.or more employees are employed at the business.or more employees are employed at the business.

Of all the steps, this is probably the easiest. This can be produced as a

hard copy or computer-based. Management of such documents may be

required, particularly where many assessments and supporting safe methods of

working are undertaken but we will deal with that later in Managing Data etc.


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1.22 Step 5 - Review

Review the assessment as required.

It may be necessary to review the assessments at regular intervals. Theexample above may be required to be reviewed if an incident takes place or

where changes occur in the work place.

In the machine shop or when evaluating the risks of fire, things may

change in the environment or to the premises; this will mean that the

assessment will require further consideration.

Some work activities, environments and operations require specific riskassessments and have other sets of Regulations; these include:

The Noise at Work Regulations 1989. The COSHH Regulations 2002. The Manual Handling Regulations 1992. The Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

[Remember the link between RR(FS)O and MHSWR.]

The Personal Protective Equipment at WorkRegulations 1992.


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Match the items on the right to the items on the left.

STEP 2:

STEP 3:

STEP 4:

STEP 5:

Identify the persons at risk

Identify the hazards

Review your assessment and revise it if necessaryEvaluate the risks and decide whether the existing precautions are adequate or whether

more should be done

Record your findings

When would a trainingrisk assessment need to be reviewed?

1. ? When new equipment is introduced2. ? When new people are introduced3. ? All of the above4. ? When legislation changes

Your risk assessment needs to be recorded in a written format when how many employeesare employed?

1. ? 102. ? 53. ? 3


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1.23 ConclusionConclusionConclusionConclusion

The benefits of conducting risk assessments will be reflected in thereduction of the chances of an accident, and hence injuries, illness, lostproduction and legal consequences

The more assessments you undertake, the better a risk assessor you will

become. However you must have logic in your chosen method, and you will

rely mostly on your experience of the workplace, of the people and your

knowledge ofrisk assessment in practice.

We have included some risk assessment forms as example for you to consider.

Risk Assessment Principles & Practice (Cont.)Congratulations - end of lesson reached

unit 5 a risk assessemsnt 5 steps cont

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