Week 5_6 Minerva 200 - Module Risk Assessment and Management PDF

# Risk Assessment and Management ## Welcome to: Risk Assessment and Management ## Upon completion of this module, you should be able to: - Describe what risk management is and why it is important. - Define and differentiate between risk, hazard, energy sources, probability, and consequence. - Desc...

# Risk Assessment and Management ## Welcome to: Risk Assessment and Management ## Upon completion of this module, you should be able to: - Describe what risk management is and why it is important. - Define and differentiate between risk, hazard, energy sources, probability, and consequence. - Describe the risk assessment team and the steps in the risk management process. - Identify available risk assessment tools to use when assessing risk. - Define the key components of a risk management strategy. - Define the key components of the risk management plan and how to communicate the details of the plan. ## Topic 1: Managing Risks: A Key Skill ### Some Key Terms Reviewed In a survey of over 120 companies, Minerva asked respondents to list the health and safety knowledge and skills they wanted the graduates they hired to possess. Hazard identification, risk assessment and risk management were at the top of everyone's list. In this module, we will be focusing on these three topics, as well as revisiting some of the important concepts introduced in Minerva Course 100. **Before beginning, however, let's see what you remember about hazards, risks and controls. Can you define each of the terms below?** - **Hazard** > A hazard is a source of potential harm that exists when a source of energy could be released. - **Risk** > Risk has two components: the probability or likelihood of an event and the consequences associated with the event. - **Risk Matrix** > A risk matrix is a mechanism for assessing the level of risk of an event using the parameters probability and consequence, and categorizing the risk as either being high, medium or low. - **Hierarchy of Controls** > The Hierarchy of Controls groups controls for managing risk into five categories from most to least effective. ### Why Manage Risk? Risk is a situation involving exposure to danger. In the workplace, these risks are managed in order to protect workers, the public, and the workplace from harm and prevent workplace incidents. Risk management involves many elements. In this module, we will focus on risk analysis techniques and the development of the risk assessment report. There is a lot that can be done to identify hazards and understand the associated risk so that everyone can work safely. All employees have a responsibility to identify hazards in the workplace and bring them to the attention of their supervisor if the hazard cannot be eliminated. The adjacent diagram provides an overview of the risk management process. The term 'frequency' here refers to 'annual likelihood.' For example, a frequency of occurrence of once every 100 years has an annual likelihood of 0.01 per year. The concept of 'frequency' is often used for continuous operations or continuous intermittent operations. For 'one of' discrete activities out of many possible opportunities, 'probability' is used, and it ranges from 0 to 1. | | System Definition | | |--------------|--------------------|------------------------------------------| | Risk Assessment | Risk Analysis | Hazard Identification | | | | Consequence Analysis | | | | Risk Estimation | | | | Risk Acceptability | | | | Frequency Analysis | | | | Stakeholder Participation | ### When Risk Is Not Managed Risk management is the process of identifying and prioritizing risks in the workplace then making changes to minimize those risks. When risks are well managed, the workplace is safer for everyone. The following examples demonstrate what can happen when risks are not managed well. - **Quebec Bridge Collapse** > Spanning the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and Lévis, the Quebec Bridge is the longest cantilever bridge in the world. Constructed in the early 20th century, the bridge cost $22 million to build. Its human cost, however, was much higher: Eighty-eight workers died during the construction of the bridge during two separate incidents. > The first incident occurred on August 29, 1907. At approximately 5:30 pm, just as workers were preparing to head home after a long day's work, the bridge collapsed. It took only 15 seconds for the entire structure to fall into the river, killing seventy-five workers and injuring eleven others. A Royal Commission later concluded that the collapse had occurred because the bridge had been improperly designed and loads had been miscalculated. > Construction of the bridge resumed in 1913, and by 1916, the bridge was nearly complete. On the morning of September 11, 1916, the huge centre span was being hoisted into place between the cantilever arms, when the whole span came loose and fell into the river. Thirteen men were killed and several others were injured. It was determined that a problem with the hoisting device caused the incident. > These tragic events led to the tradition of the engineer's iron ring to symbolize the humility and fallibility of engineers. > > **The Engineer's Iron Ring** > In 1922, the seven past presidents of the Engineering Institute of Canada initiated a ceremony called the Obligation of Canadian Engineers. During the ceremony, new engineers are given an iron ring that is to be worn on the smallest finger of their writing hand. This ring symbolizes the pride engineers have in their profession and reminds them of their obligation to ethically perform their duties to the highest standards. - **Chilean Mine Cave-In 2010** > On August 5, 2010, a collapse at a gold and copper mine near San José, Chile, trapped 33 miners 2,300 feet underground. The mine, known for its poor safety record, had been the site of numerous prior incidents, including an explosion in 2007 that killed three miners. > The complicated rescue effort involved over a hundred people, including experts from NASA and the Chilean navy submarine corp. The age of the mine, the unstable rock formation, and the depth at which the miners were trapped, all contributed to the challenging rescue. > Shafts were drilled and exploratory probes were sent down in an attempt to locate the miners. On August 22, a probe confirmed the miners were alive, and communication with the men was established. It wasn't until October 16, however-69 days after the collapse-that the miners were brought to the surface using a specially designed metal capsule. - **Unsecured Truck Load** > Most incidents in the workplace are less dramatic and of a smaller scale than the Quebec Bridge collapse or Chilean mine cave-in. However, these incidents are just as important because they can also result in fatalities. > On March 23, 2013, for example, a worker was killed as he prepared to unload a tractor-trailer that contained an unsecured load. The load had shifted during transport and was leaning against the back doors. When the worker opened the doors, part of the load fell out. The worker was knocked to the ground and hit his head on the pavement. ## Topic 2: Risk Assessment First Steps ### The Risk Assessment Team Conducting a risk assessment can be a simple or complex task. Fortunately, it's not a job you usually tackle alone. Risk assessments are usually carried out by a group of people who work together as a team. The number of people on the team will depend on the nature of the assessment being conducted. **Team members might include:** - A facilitator - A safety representative - A subject matter expert - An engineer - An operator - A supervisor - A manager The quality of any review, including a risk assessment, depends on the knowledge and experience of the individuals participating in the review. Each person has a different perspective and a unique set of skills that they bring to the team, allowing for a more complete assessment. That range of experience and knowledge is invaluable in risk assessment. In fact, quite often, it is necessary to bring engineers from different disciplines onto the risk assessment team so that the team has the knowledge and skills to complete a thorough assessment. ### Team Resources As it begins its assessment, the team will need to access information from a variety of sources. The team may refer to procedures, records, reviews and other documents including: - Operating procedures - Training manuals and records - Compliance audits - Incident investigations - Pre-start up safety reviews - Management of change - Process safety information ### Establishing Context and Scope A team's first step in assessing risk and developing a risk management plan is to establish context and scope. Context refers to the circumstances under which the assessment is taking place. Context is especially important if a company has contracted an outside agency to conduct a risk assessment or develop its risk management plan. The contracted agency needs to understand the environment it is working in. For example, if the team is evaluating a new plant design, it may use very different risk assessment tools than if it were conducting an incident investigation. Scope refers to the extent of an activity; it may refer to the limits of the physical area or a range of topics. The scope of a company's risk management strategy is a description of what the strategy will cover. For example, when a company engages an agency to develop a risk management strategy, it may specify the scope of the risk management strategy as: - Hazard assessments of its site. - Development of a prevention program. - Development of an emergency response program. Specifying the boundaries of a risk management strategy helps ensure the objectives of the strategy are met and keeps the focus on the important aspects of a company's risks. Once the scope and context are set, the next four steps are to understand the hazards, identify the unwanted events, analyze and evaluate the risks, and consider existing controls or plan new ones. ### Self Check The following questions are intended to help you monitor your own learning. If you have difficulty answering these questions, review the content in this section by returning to the previous page(s), or by selecting the menu to navigate to a section you want to review. Click on a question to view the details. To indicate your answer, click on the appropriate box. When you have successfully answered all questions (required to move ahead), click the 'Next' button to continue. **Question 1** When assessing risk and developing a risk management plan, it is important to establish context and scope. What is the definition of scope in this situation? - The circumstances under which the assessment is taking place. - The extent of an activity, or the limits of the physical area or range of topics. - A mechanism for assessing the level of risk and categorizing the risk as high, medium, or low. **Question 2** True or false? Identifying hazards and risks in the workplace can help reduce the number of incidents and their impact on workers. - True - False ## Topic 3: Understanding Risk and Hazard ### Hazard Identification Once the risk assessment team is established and the context and scope of the risk assessment are determined, the next step in the risk assessment process is to understand the hazards that are present. Hazards exist in every workplace. While we cannot eliminate every hazard, we can protect workers and the workplace from harm by managing the risks. To manage risk in the workplace, we need to be able to answer three basic questions: - What are the hazards that exist in the workplace? - How serious are these hazards? - What can be done to control these hazards? | | Hazard Identification | |--------------|-------------------------------------------| | Source of Energy | Hazard Examples | | Gravity (i.e. potential energy) | Unsecured objects or working at heights without proper protection | | Electricity | Live exposed electrical wires or equipment; exposure to electrically energized equipment where an electrical discharge could occur if equipment failed or a worker came into contact with equipment | | Mechanical (i.e. kinetic energy) | Moving equipment or parts | | Chemical | Toxic or asphyxiating gases or dangerous chemicals that can cause harm if released or if exposed to, e.g. toxic to humans, toxic to the environment, corrosive, causes asphyxiation, flammable, reactive | | Pressure | Air or compressed gas | | Noise | Sustained or repeated noise at high decibels | | Thermal | Hot or cold objects or environment | | Radiant | Intense light, ionizing radiation, thermal radiation | | Body mechanics | Lifting or body position while working | ### Exercise For every hazard, a corresponding source of energy exists. In this exercise, match the type of energy to its hazard. | Hazard | Energy | |---|---| | Lifting a box | Body Mechanics | | High voltage substation | Electrical | | Gas cylinders | Electrical | | Fire / explosion | Thermal | | Grinding with sparks | Mechanical | ### Case Study: Vehicle Collisions in Open-Pit Mining The trucks used in open-pit mining are an example of a mechanical hazard. These trucks are extremely large and heavy. The operator's visibility is limited because of the position of the cab and the box on the back of the truck, which partly blocks the operator's view. These trucks can move at speeds of up to 50 km/hr, and they cannot stop quickly. There is the potential for vehicles to collide. **In this scenario, a collision could occur between:** - Dump truck (#1) and bulldozer (#3). - Dump truck (#1) or dump truck (#2). - Dump truck (#6) and shovel truck (#4). Did you notice the small pick-up truck (#5) between the wheels of dump truck (#1)? In this incident, the driver of truck (#1) was watching for the hazard presented by the bulldozer (#3) and did not see the small pickup truck (#5) that it ran over. ### Risk Reviewed Let's use the examples of the unsecured load in the back of the truck and the vehicles at the open-pit mine to review the concept of risk. Recall that risk can be defined as: $Probability \ of \ Occurrence * Consequence \ Severity$ Now, let's take a closer look at each part of this equation. - **Probability** > The probability (or chance) that a worker could get hurt depends on different factors. For example, consider two trucking companies. Company #1 doesn't train its employees to secure loads, but company #2 does. What is the likelihood that a load will shift during transit and fall on a worker when the truck doors are opened (as in the unsecured load example)? The probability of this type of incident occurring is higher for company #1 because its employees have not been trained to secure loads properly. - **Consequence Severity** > Consequence severity refers to the results of an incident and their significance. If the unwanted event occurs, how bad can the outcome be? > In the example of the unsecured load, the consequence severity of the incident was a fatality, so a grave result. In the example at the open-pit mine, the potential consequence severity of running over a pickup truck is high: property will be damaged, but more significantly, someone may be killed if the vehicle is occupied. ### Risk Equation Let's look at a simple example to calculate risk using the probability and consequence equation, then look at how the level of risk changes if we change one or both of these factors. - **Calculating Risk** > An empty box sits on the bottom shelf in a storage room. What is the probability that the box will fall off the shelf? Low, medium or high? The answer is low because the box is on the bottom shelf out of the way. > However, that answer is only half of the equation. What would the consequence severity be if the box fell off the shelf? Low, medium or high? The answer is low because there would be very little damage to a person or property if an empty box falls off the bottom shelf. $| Probability \ of \ Occurrence | Consequence \ Severity | Risk |$ $|---|---|---|$ $| Low | Low | Low |$ - **Re-evaluating Risk** > How would the risk change if the box were sitting on the edge of the middle shelf about a metre off the floor and it contained electronic equipment weighing 10 kg? Note how the factors in the equation have changed: > - The probability of the box falling off the shelf has increased because the shelf is higher and the box is in a more precarious position on the edge of the shelf. > - The consequence severity is also higher because the equipment will likely be damaged in the fall. > - The box is heavy, and if it lands on a person's foot, it could break the bones. >| Probability \ of \ Occurrence | Consequence \ Severity | Risk |$ >|---|---|---|$ >| Medium | Medium | Medium |$ - **Changing Circumstances** > How would the risk change if the box were sitting on the edge of the top shelf about two metres off the floor and it contained glass bottles of a very strong acid and weighed 20 kg? When someone opens the door to the storeroom, the box is pushed to the edge of the shelf. Note how the factors in the equation have changed: > - The probability of the box falling off the shelf has increased because the shelf is higher and the box is being pushed off the edge of the shelf. > - The consequence severity is also higher because the glass bottles in the box may break in the fall. > - If the bottles break, the acid could spill on a person and burn their skin and eyes. >| Probability \ of \ Occurrence | Consequence \ Severity | Risk |$ >|---|---|---|$ >| High | High | High |$ **Self Check** The following questions are intended to help you monitor your own learning. If you have difficulty answering these questions, review the content in this section by returning to the previous page(s), or by selecting the menu to navigate to a section you want to review. Click on a question to view the details. To indicate your answer, click on the appropriate box. When you have successfully answered all questions (required to move ahead), click the 'Next' button to continue. **Question 1** Employers consider an understanding of risk management an important job skill for new graduates. What does risk management involve? - Eliminating all risks from the workplace. - Identifying and prioritizing risk in the workplace and making changes to minimize those risks. - Ensuring the organization is complying with OHS legislation. - Identifying all hazards from the workplace and minimizing those hazards. **Question 2** The size of a risk depends on which element(s)? - The likelihood and magnitude of the consequences of the incident. - The timing and magnitude of the consequences of the incident. - The number of people involved and the severity of the consequences. - The likelihood of the incident and the type of hazard involved. ** Question 3** One way to identify a hazard is to look for a source of energy. Which of the following hazards is paired with its corresponding energy sources? - A jackhammer and electrical energy. - An unsecured truck load and mechanical energy. - A used hypodermic needle and biological energy. - Hot cooking oil and noise energy. **Question 4** What is the probability of a worker being injured when opening the back of a semi-trailer that contains an unsecured load ? - Low - Medium. - High. ## Topic 4: Analyzing and Evaluating Risk ### Risk Assessment Tools To assess the risk in a situation, you must first identify the hazards. There are several ways to assess risk and a variety of tools you can use to help you with this process. Each tool focuses on a different perspective and insight of a workplace's hazards. Some risk assessment tools are simple to use but less effective. Other tools are more complex but more effective, and they offer greater insight into the workplace's hazards. Note, however, that regardless of the tool used, the quality of any review depends on the knowledge and experience of the assessment team. **Some of the risk assessment tools you can use, in decreasing order of effectiveness, include:** - **Risk Assessment Checklist:** Least effective; Less insight. - **Qualitative Risk Matrix (QRM)** - **Failure Modes, Effects and Analysis (FMEA)** - **Hazard and Operability Analysis (HAZOP)** - **Fault Tree Logic (FTL)** - **Bowtie Analysis:** Most effective; More insight. To select the best tool to use for a given situation, you need to understand how each one works and which risk situations it is best suited for. Let's briefly look at the tools listed above, so you can get an idea of what is meant by effectiveness and insight ### The Risk Assessment Checklist In this type of risk assessment, each risk is systematically evaluated and then placed against pre-established criteria in the form of a checklist. The checklist is usually developed from previous knowledge of the risk, interviews, documentation reviews and field inspections. Checklists are most helpful when an assessment is being completed by an individual trained in the subject area or by a small group of people. - **Using the Checklist** > The checklist generates qualitative lists of items that either conform to the checklist or are found deficient. > - The assessor makes recommendations to correct any deficiencies. > - The quality of the evaluation is determined primarily by the experience of the people creating the checklists and the training of the checklist users. - **Effectiveness and Insight** >Checklists are the least effective assessment tool because they provide only a minimal amount of information. > - This method provides less insight than some of the more complex methods because the checklist is predetermined. > - Assessors are not as likely to identify new potential hazards using this method. > - A checklist is most helpful when used at the beginning of a project and then as an outline for subsequent analysis. - **Example of a Risk Assessment Checklist** > Below is an example of a simple checklist used when assessing a vessel's compressed air system. > >| Questions | Responses | Recommendations | > |---|---|---| >| Have thermal relief valves been installed in piping runs where thermal expansion of trapped fluids could separate flanges? | Piping: Not applicable | | >| Are air compressors' intakes protected against contaminants, such as rain, animals and flammable gases? | Compressors: Yes, except for animals.| Consider installing a wire mesh over the inlet. | ### The Qualitative Risk Matrix The Qualitative Risk Matrix (QRM) is useful for evaluating and prioritizing areas that may be vulnerable to an unwanted event in the workplace. It can help a team identify the risks with the highest probability and the most severe consequences. In this way, the risks can be dealt with quickly to reduce the chance that a worker will be harmed and the seriousness of the harm. - **Creating a QRM** >A risk matrix is created using the risk definition: Probability of Occurrence x Consequence Severity. | Probability of Occurrence | 1 Insignificant | 2 Minor | 3 Moderate | 4 Major | 5 Catastrophic | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 5 Certain | HIGH | HIGH | EXTREME | EXTREME | EXTREME | | 4 Likely | MEDIUM | HIGH | HIGH | EXTREME | EXTREME | | 3 Possible | LOW | MEDIUM | HIGH | EXTREME | EXTREME | | 2 Unlikely | LOW | LOW | MEDIUM | HIGH | EXTREME | | 1 Rare | LOW | LOW | MEDIUM | MEDIUM | HIGH | - **Defining the Terms** > The terms used for the different categories of probability, arranged down the left-hand side of the matrix, must be formally defined so everyone involved in the assessment understands the limits of each category. >| Probability Category| Definition | > |---|---| | Certain | An event is likely to occur often during the life of the operation. | | Likely | An event is likely to occur several times in the life of the operation. | | Possibly | Likely to occur sometime in the life of the operation. | | Unlikely | Unlikely, but possible to occur. | | Rare | So unlikely it is assumed not to occur. | > > Similarly, the terms used for the different categories of consequence, arranged along the top of the matrix, must be defined. >| Consequence Category| Definition | > |---|---| | Catastrophic | Death, loss of plant, release of material to the environment with public interest, and/or regulatory intervention occurs. | | Major | Permanent impairment, serious loss of time due to injury, partial loss of plant, and/or lesser release of the material to the environment occurs. | | Moderate | Short loss of time due to injury, short term plant closure and/or a release to the environment of recoverable material occurs. | | Minor | Minor injury, minor damage to plant, and/or minor confined environmental exposure occurs. | | Insignificant | A very minor incident occurs, less significant than any of the other categories. | - **Applying a QRM** > Let's assess the risk of the truck with the unsecured load using a QRM. To review, when the worker opened the trailer doors, the load fell on the worker. The worker was critically injured and later died in hospital. In addition to this fatality, this company has had three other incidences similar to this one in the last year. Two of the incidences were near misses and no one was hurt, in the other incident, a worker's leg was broken when an unsecured box containing a heavy piece of equipment fell on the worker. > Probability: Given that similar incidents have happened four times in the last year, the probability of this event happening again is certain. (Certain means an event is likely to occur often during the life of the operation.) > Consequence: Since a fatality occurred, the consequence is catastrophic. (Catastrophic means death, loss of structure, a substance released to the environment with public interest, and/or regulatory intervention occurs) > QRM results: A probability of certain and a consequence of catastrophic intersect in the QRM at extreme, thus the unsecured load has been identified as an extreme hazard. Immediate changes by the company are needed to ensure the safety of its workers. | Probability of Occurrence | 1 Insignificant | 2 Minor | 3 Moderate | 4 Major | 5 Catastrophic | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 5 Certain | HIGH | HIGH | EXTREME | EXTREME | EXTREME | | 4 Likely | MEDIUM | HIGH | HIGH | EXTREME | EXTREME | | 3 Possible | LOW | MEDIUM | HIGH | EXTREME | EXTREME | | 2 Unlikely | LOW | LOW | MEDIUM | HIGH | EXTREME | | 1 Rare | LOW | LOW | MEDIUM | MEDIUM | HIGH | - **Analyzing the Results** > If the trucking company had completed a risk assessment after the first near miss and taken corrective action, the probability of an incident occurring may have changed to possible (likely to occur sometime in the life of the operation). > The consequence would still have been major or catastrophic, however, because a large load falling from a height could kill or seriously injure someone. > Even when the probability is changed to possible, the risk matrix still shows that the unsecured load as an extreme hazard and that warrants immediate changes to the company's policy and procedures. This proactive approach to assessing risk provides a much safer work environment. |Probability of Occurrence | 1 Insignificant | 2 Minor | 3 Moderate | 4 Major | 5 Catastrophic | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 5 Certain | HIGH | HIGH | EXTREME | EXTREME | EXTREME | | 4 Likely | MEDIUM | HIGH | HIGH | EXTREME | EXTREME | | 3 Possible | LOW | MEDIUM | HIGH | EXTREME | EXTREME | | 2 Unlikely | LOW | LOW | MEDIUM | HIGH | EXTREME | | 1 Rare | LOW | LOW | MEDIUM | MEDIUM | HIGH | ### Failure Mode and Effects Analysis Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) method is a five-step method used to determine where a failure in the hardware of a system may occur and to assess the effect each possible failure might have. To illustrate this process, let's use a truck as an example of a piece of equipment that we want to analyze. The truck is hauling ore up a ramp from a pit. Follow the steps to see how this analysis is done. - **Step 1: List** > List each part of the hardware that could fail. For the truck analysis, you might list: > - Tire. > - Engine. > - Brakes. > - Etc. - **Step 2: Failure Modes** > For each part listed, describe the way it could fail. In the truck example, the failure for the tire might be a flat. To complete your analysis, you would also determine how the engine, brakes and other parts you listed could fail. - **Step 3: Determine Effects** > Determine what the effect on the part is and the system for each failure mode. In the truck example, a flat tire might cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle. - **Step 4: Evaluate Effects** > Evaluate how critical each failure is. Use the equation probability x consequence. In the truck example, if the driver loses control of the truck, the driver might be injured, another individual might be injured, or equipment might be damaged. - **Step 5: Control** > For critical failures, put controls in place to reduce the risk of the failure occurring. To reduce the risk of a flat tire, you might inspect the tires daily and establish a maintenance schedule for replacing the tires every 10,000 km. ### Bowtie Analysis The Bowtie Analysis method can be used proactively to avoid unwanted events. It can also be used reactively after an event to prevent further unwanted events of the same type. This method is more complex and in depth and offers more insight than the Checklist, Qualitative Matrix or FMEA methods, but it does require a larger team and more time to be done properly. To illustrate how this method works, let's apply it to the example in Topic Two of the large haulage truck that ran over a small pickup truck at an open-pit mine ('Case Study: Vehicle Collisions in Open-Pit Mining'). -** Identify the Hazard** > Start the analysis by identifying a hazard. Place the hazard in the middle of the diagram in a circle. > In the case of the large haulage truck, moving equipment is the hazard. The corresponding energy source is mechanical energy. - **List the Threats** >List the threats in the space to the left of the hazard. Threats are things that might cause the hazard. >In the example of the large haulage truck, the threats include: > - Large vehicles collide. > - Truck runs into shovel. > - Shovel dumps on small vehicle. > - Large vehicle collides with small vehicle. > (Note, we've only listed four threats for this example, but in a real analysis you would list all the threats that are identified.) - **List the Consequences** >List the consequences of an unwanted event that may result if the hazard is released. Think about all the things that could be negatively affected if the unwanted event happens. >In the example of the large haulage truck, the consequences for this type of incident might be: > - Injury to workers. > - > Emotional issues. > - Fatality. > - Damage to equipment. > - Production loss. > - Environmental damage. > - Damage to the company's reputation. - **List the Controls** >To the right of the threats are the controls. Controls are protective measures put in place to prevent threats from releasing a hazard. An example of a control is a safety guard that covers a rotating lathe. >In the example of the large haulage truck, control measures might include training, design and procedure changes, such as those listed below: > - Training > - Driver training specific for the type of vehicle. > - Design > - Barrier between lanes on a roadway. > - Identify blind spots. > - Procedure > - Pre-operational equipment check. > - No passing rule. > - Limit to hours driven each day. - **Identify Recovery Measures** > Identify recovery measures and list them in the space to the right of the hazard. Recovery measures are actions taken to minimize the effects of the hazard and recover from an unwanted event that happened when a hazard arises. > Recovery measures in the example of the large haulage truck might include: > - First aid and ambulance readiness. > - Seat belts. > - Signage indicating right of way. > - Grief counselling following an injury or fatality. > - Vehicle approach alarms. > - Fire suppression system. **Self Check** The following questions are intended to help you monitor your own learning. If you have difficulty answering these questions, review the content in this section by returning to the previous page(s), or by selecting the menu to navigate to a section you want to review. Click on a question to view the details. To indicate your answer, click on the appropriate box. When you have successfully answered all questions (required to move ahead), click the 'Next' button to continue. **Question 1** A Failure Modes, Effects and Analysis risk assessment method is a: - Proactive way to identify where a failure in the hardware of a system might occur. - Reactive way to identify where a failure in the hardware of a system might occur. - Proactive way to identify where a failure in the hardware of a system might occur and to assess the impact of each possible failure. - Reactive way to identify where a failure in the hardware of a system might occur and to assess the impact of each possible failure. **Question 2** The Bowtie Analysis risk assessment method: - Is effective because it can be done quickly by a small team. - Can only be used reactively after an event has taken place to prevent further events of the same type. - Can only be used proactively to avoid unwanted events. - Offers more insight than the Checklist, QRM, or FMEA methods. **Question 3** Risk analysis is best described as: - Consequence and frequency analysis. - Hazard identification and risk estimation. - Hazard identification and risk acceptability. - Hazard identification, risk estimation and risk acceptability. **Question 4** How many parts are there to the Bowtie Analysis? - Four parts: identify threats, consequences, control measures, and recovery measures. - Three parts: identify hazards, consequences, and threats. - Five parts: identify hazards, threats, consequences, determine control measures, and recovery measures. - None of the above. ## Topic 5: Risk Management Strategies ### Hierarchy of Controls The best way to deal with hazards is to eliminate them. If a hazard cannot be eliminated, then controls should be put in place to reduce the risk of harm and avoid unwanted events. The hierarchy of controls lists general measures that can be taken to reduce risk. The measures are arranged in order of effectiveness. Elimination is the most effective approach to risk reduction, so it sits at the top of the hierarchy. **Elimination** is followed in order of decreasing effectiveness by **substitution**, **engineered safety controls**, **administrative controls** and, lastly, **personal protective equipment.** Personal protective equipment **(PPE)** should always be your last choice. | Control | Examples | |---|---| | Elimination | A tripping hazard such as a floor mat can be eliminated by removing the hazard. | | Substitution | Replace a flammable hydraulic oil in equipment with hot engines with a non-flammable hydraulic oil. | | Engineering | A cover can be designed to shield the moving parts on a machine. | | Administration | A policy can be written that instructs employees not to enter the shop when welding is taking place. | | PPE | Wearing appropriate gloves when handling bleach. | ### Recovery and Control Measures Control and recovery measures are put in place to minimize the probability of an incident due to a hazard and the consequences of the incident. **Control measures** are established to minimize the chances of an unwanted event occurring. For example, a commercial laboratory performs chemical analysis using an automated instrument. Chemical waste from the analysis drains into a large container that is later collected by a chemical waste company for safe disposal. The hazard in this situation is loss of containment. This hazard can be controlled by installing sensors that detect when the container has reached the maximum fill level and alert the operator, thus preventing overfilling. **Recovery measures** are put in place to minimize the severity of the consequences of the hazard. In the laboratory example, a recovery measure would be to install a secondary container for the excess waste and absorbent mats to keep the spill from spreading and making the situation worse. Another example of control and recovery measures involves motor vehicles and the possibility of collision. This hazard can be controlled by establishing a maximum speed limit and installing signage for drivers and pedestrians. If a collision should occur, seat belts, air bags and first aid training are some of the recovery measures that would help reduce the severity of the consequences. ### Managing by Monitoring When a workplace hazard has been identified, and the risk analyzed and evaluated, the next step is for the organization to treat the risk. Treating the risk means that the organization takes action and makes changes to the workplace to eliminate the hazard or control the risk. These changes may be to facility design, policies, procedures, training or some other aspect of a work task or work environment. Assessing and managing risk are not one-time activities. To effectively manage risk an organization must continually monitor its processes to make sure that the controls put in place and actions that have been taken are really working. When an organization takes time to continually monitor its processes and review its risk management plan, it may identify threats that were missed in its original review or new threats that have developed. The organization can then take steps to manage the risk and avoid an unwanted event. ### Communication and Consultation Communication is an integral part of the risk management process. Regardless of how thoroughly the risk assessment team has carried out its tasks-identifying hazards, evaluating risks, implementing control and recovery measures-unless this information is shared with the rest of the organization, risk will not