Safety Management and Risk Assessment

Study Notes

Loss prevention aims to identify and correct potential accident problems before they result in financial loss or injury.
Activities such as employee training to inspect areas for combustible materials (e.g., oily rags, cardboard) exemplify loss prevention.
Loss control is designed to minimize financial losses from incidents after they occur.
Fire extinguisher training is a loss control technique that prepares employees to extinguish fires, thereby minimizing damage.

Safety management includes planning, organizing, leading, and controlling activities to achieve loss prevention and control goals.
The evaluation of workplace risks begins with identifying types of hazards present within the facility.

Risk is defined as the likelihood and severity of a loss event occurring.
A workplace hazard is a condition or action that can lead to injury, illness, or organizational loss.
Most accidents, which are unexpected events resulting in injuries or damages, are preceded by unsafe employee actions or hazardous workplace conditions.

An occupational disease is directly caused by work-related conditions, requiring established links between workplace exposures and disease.
Examples include hand-arm vibration syndrome, varicose veins, and low back pain syndrome.

Safety professionals strive to prevent avoidable worker deaths and injuries, extending beyond first aid to encompass comprehensive safety practices.
Their responsibilities include training workers in hazard recognition and safe job performance.
Occupational safety and health functions also focus on improving organizational quality and efficiency related to safety.

Safety professionals evaluate how products are moved within a facility to reduce lifting injuries and minimize risk.
There may be a disparity between an organization’s focus on profitability versus the responsibility of ensuring worker safety.
The costs associated with workplace accidents can outweigh the investment in a safe working environment, highlighting the importance of prioritizing safety.