Risk Assessment and OHS PDF

HSEH1110 Principles of Environmental Health Unit 7 - Occupational Health & Safety Unit 8 - Risk Assessment  HL1720 Emergency Management Outline Define health, safety, accidents, and occupational health and safety Compar...

HSEH1110 Principles of Environmental Health Unit 7 - Occupational Health & Safety Unit 8 - Risk Assessment  HL1720 Emergency Management Outline Define health, safety, accidents, and occupational health and safety Compare the scope of practice of environmental health professionals with Occupational Health And Safety (OHS) professionals Define the term “occupational hazard” Identify the main types of hazards and provide examples Outline the principles for controlling occupational hazards Identify the hierarchy of controls for occupational hazards Deliver an oral presentation on occupational hazards and proposed controls  HL1720 Emergency Management Outline Define risk, hazard, assessment Explain how risk assessment is used in reducing environmental health hazards List potential environmental health hazards and their possible sources Identify components of a risk assessment tool Describe tools used by the environmental health professional for: Hazards identification, Assessment of risks of hazards and Management of risks of hazards Critique a risk assessment report for hazards identification, assessment and management of the risks  HL1720 Emergency Management Definitions Occupation: A job or profession. Health: A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. World Health Organisation, 1948 Safety: The condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss. Merriam-Webster dictionary online https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/safety Accident: A discrete (separate), identifiable, unintended incident which causes physical injury. Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 2013  HL1720 Emergency Management Definitions Health and Safety ⚫ Securing the health, safety and welfare of persons at work; ⚫ Protecting persons other than persons at work against risks to health or safety arising out of or in connection with the activities of persons at work… UK Health and Safety at work, etc. Act, 1974 S. 1 (1) (a) and (b) http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/37/section/1 Occupational Health Is the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations … by preventing departures from health, controlling risks … and the adaptation of work to people, and people to their jobs. ILO / WHO 1950, retrieved from http://www.agius.com/hew/resource/ohsilo.htm  HL1720 Emergency Management Reasons for Managing Health and Safety 1. Moral reasons Moral / ethical / humanitarian – doing the right thing ILO estimate that as many as 2.3 million people die each year as a result of work-related accidents and diseases – is this acceptable? 2. Legal reasons Laws protect workers from workplace dangers & employers wish to avoid prosecution since: They would Individuals They could be receive bad could go to fined publicity prison 3. Financial reasons Spending money on health & safety to prevent accidents results in bigger savings on the long term.  HL1720 Emergency Management Direct Cost Indirect Cost  HL1720 Emergency Management Purpose of Occupational Health & Safety 1. Provide a safe and healthy work environment 2. Protect workers against hazards (a danger or risk) 3. Reduce, eliminate and control risks Principles of OSH: Incidents have identifiable causes which are either preventable or controllable. What about people who are not employees?  HL1720 Emergency Management Scope of practice of professionals Class activity Compare the scope of practice of environmental health professionals with Occupational Health And Safety (OHS) professionals  HL1720 Emergency Management Scope of Practice Many organizations employ Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) professionals or Occupational Health & Safety officers. HSE (or EHS) tend to be grouped as “compliance.” Actually Health, Safety and Environment each applies different knowledge and skills. However, in all three disciplines a similar approach can be used in assessing and managing risk. What is the usual FOCUS of HSE professionals? What is the usual FOCUS of Health and Safety professionals? What is the usual FOCUS of Environmental Health professionals?  HL1720 Emergency Management Scope of Practice In the UK, Environmental Health Officers administer and enforce the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act, 1974 alongside the central government Health and Safety Executive. HSEH1110 Principles of Environmental Health Unit 8 - Risk Assessment  HL1720 Emergency Management Definitions Hazard: The potential for something to cause an adverse effect. Health hazard: The potential for something to cause an adverse health effect (illness-death) Safety hazard: The potential for something to cause injury, or damage to property. Occupational Hazard: Any workplace condition that causes a risk to employee health. Risk: The probability of an adverse effect under the specific conditions of exposure to cause a hazard  HL1720 Emergency Management Health and Safety at Work The foundation of OHS is to: 1. Spot the hazard (Hazard Identification) 2. Assess the risk (Risk Assessment) 3. Make necessary changes (Risk Control) At work you can use these three steps to help prevent potential accidents.  HL1720 Emergency Management Step 1: Spot the Hazard A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause harm! Four types of occupational hazard: A. Physical B. Chemical C. Biological D. Ergonomic  HL1720 Emergency Management A. Physical Hazards Physical Hazards - Include unsafe conditions that can cause injury, illness and death. Examples include: Electrical hazards: frayed cords, improper wiring Unguarded machinery and moving machinery parts Constant loud noise High exposure to sunlight/ultraviolet rays, heat/cold Dust Working at height Spills on floors or tripping hazards  HL1720 Emergency Management B. Chemical Hazards Chemical Hazards - When a worker is exposed to chemicals Examples: Gases Liquids like cleaning products, paints, acids, solvents in unlabeled container (warning sign!) Vapours and fumes that come from welding or exposure to solvents Gases like acetylene, propane, carbon monoxide, helium Flammable materials like gasoline and explosive chemicals.  HL1720 Emergency Management C. Biological Hazards Biological Hazards Come from working with animals, people or infectious plant materials. Work in hospitals, hotel laundry and room cleaning, laboratories, veterinary offices and nursing homes may expose you to biological hazards.  HL1720 Emergency Management C. Biological Hazards The types of things you may be exposed to include: Blood or other body fluids Fungi Bacteria and viruses Plants Insect bites, animal and bird droppings.  HL1720 Emergency Management D. Ergonomic Hazards Ergonomic Hazards - Occur when the type of work, body position and working conditions put strain on your body. Ergonomic hazards include: Frequent lifting Poor lighting Awkward movements Repetitive movements over and over Improperly adjusted workstations and chairs Having to use too much force, especially if you have to do it frequently.  HL1720 Emergency Management Various Hazard Signs  HL1720 Emergency Management Step 2: Assess the Risk ⚫ Assessing the risk means working out how likely it is that a hazard will harm someone and how serious the harm could be. ⚫ Risk Assessment: The process of evaluating the risks associated with a particular hazard before taking some action in a situation in which the hazard is present. ⚫ Whenever you spot a hazard, assess the risk by asking two questions: 1. How likely is it that the hazard could harm me or someone else? Likelihood - What is the probability of it happening 2. How badly could I or someone else be harmed? Consequence - If it happens, what will happen.  HL1720 Emergency Management Step 2: Assess the Risk Would you walk Risk across this bridge? The probability (likelihood) of harm or damage occurring from exposure to a hazard, and the likely consequences of that harm or damage. Factors In assessing the risk there are two factors that are important: 1. Likelihood - What is the probability of it happening 2. Consequence - If it happens, what will happen.  HL1720 Emergency Management Step 2: Assess the Risk Would you walk Risky Activities across this bridge? Per 10,000 people, how many would die from: ⚫ Smoking tobacco? ⚫ Breathing polluted air? ⚫ Work accidents?  HL1720 Emergency Management Some Commonplace Hazards, Ranked by Risk Action Probability of Dying (US)  Cigarette Smokers  10 per 1,000  Firefighters  4 per 10,000  Police  2.9 per 10,000  Hang Gliding  2.6 per 10,000  Air Pollution  2.5 per 10,000  Motor Vehicle Accidents  1.6 per 10,000  Home Accidents  1.1 per 10,000  Boating  5 per 100,000  Swimming  3 per 100,000  Eating 4 Tsp peanut butter per day  1.3 per 100,000  Chest X-ray  3 per 1,000,000  HL1720 Emergency Management Step 2: Assess the Risk Risk Perception ⚫ What people think is a significant risk may not be. ⚫ Public seldom uses science in assessing concerns and lifestyle choices. ⚫ Everyone has different concerns e.g. nuclear accident v global climate change. ⚫ Fear of hazard is often media driven. (Social media?) ⚫ Must be taken into account when developing controls. ⚫ What attention should we give to concerns about things that, assessed objectively, are not significant risks?  HL1720 Emergency Management Step 3. Make Changes You may be able to fix simple hazards yourself. For example you can pick up things from the floor and put them away (tidy up) to eliminate a trip hazard. Other times → Risk Control What is a reasonably practicable solution or control measure?  HL1720 Emergency Management Video: Hazard Identification, Assessment and Control  HL1720 Emergency Management Group 1: Spot the Hazards  HL1720 Emergency Management Group 2: Spot the Hazards  HL1720 Emergency Management Group 3: Spot the Hazard  HL1720 Emergency Management Group 4: Spot the Hazard  HL1720 Emergency Management Group 5: Spot the Hazard  HL1720 Emergency Management Group 6: Spot the Hazard  HL1720 Emergency Management Group 7: Spot the Hazard  HL1720 Emergency Management Group 8: Spot the Hazard  HL1720 Emergency Management https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytc0sxgr8C8