Hazards and risks

Both employees and employers are responsible for occupational health and safety (OHS) issues in the workplace. You should make sure that you are familiar with your responsibilities in your State or Territory before you begin any work (check out the OHS web links on the Clearwater website.)

Accidents and injuries can happen anytime and anywhere. There are three simple steps you should follow to reduce the risks of accidents and injuries:

Spot the hazard

Check out your work area before you start work to identify any hazards.

Assess the risk

Decide how much risk the hazard might pose. There are two things you need to think about here:

• how likely it is that someone will get hurt
• how serious any injuries might be.

Both of these are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. For example, if it is unlikely that anyone will be hurt, it would rate as a '1'. If any injuries are likely to be very serious, this would be given a '5'. The two figures are then added together. The higher the resulting score, the higher the risk.

Make the change

Depending on the type of job and whether it's a high-risk or a low-risk job, there are different ways of dealing with the risk:

• Elimination - for very high-risk jobs (that is, jobs with a combined risk score of 8 or higher) your supervisor may decide the job should not be done at all.
• Administration - it may be possible to reduce the risks by better administration of the job. For example, you may ask your supervisor to re-schedule a job so it can be done in the cooler (or warmer) hours of the day.
• Engineering - it may be possible to reduce the risks by physical means. For example, you might decide to construct barriers around a site, or remove hazards such as bee hives and broken glass.
• Protection - some risks may be reduced or eliminated by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, steel-capped boots or a hat.

You should at all times follow safety rules and appropriate work procedures.

Let's have a look at two examples.

Example 1 - Excavation near services such as electricity cable

You are going to install an aggregate path which will involve some limited excavation.

The hazard Electricity cables in the area where you will be digging. The risk Someone might be seriously injured or even killed if they cut through the cables. The local power supply may be disrupted. The action Phone the 'Dial Before You Dig' telephone number, or go to the Dial Before You Dig website at http://www.dialbeforeyoudig.com.au/index.html, for free information about all the major services (including telecommunications, gas, water and electricity) in your work area. Because you can find out exactly where the services are and work around them, it is now safe for you to proceed.

Example 2 - Working near a hive of active bees

You have been out to identify the line of a new fence you are going to put in around some woodland. You've spotted a hive of active bees.

The hazard Bees swarming everywhere with a strong likelihood that someone will be stung. Bee stings can be fatal. The risk One of the team is known to be allergic to bee stings. The action A number of actions could be taken to lessen the risk such as: making sure the team member has his medication handy in case he is stung wearing personal protective clothing making sure everyone has training in first aid having any vehicle turned around and exit gate open in case a quick trip to hospital is required. You decide, however, that there is a very high risk that the team member will be stung. You let your supervisor know what is happening, and suggest that the work should be postponed until the bees have moved on or been removed.

Types of hazards to be on the lookout for

Staying safe at work means understanding hazards. So what is a hazard?

A hazard is anything that may cause injury or harm to a person.

Some hazards are part of the work you do, like some mechanical equipment, excessive noise, or toxic chemicals. Other hazards may be caused by the failure or misuse of equipment or machinery, failure of power systems, structural failures, or chemical spills.

Common hazards include:

• falls - including falling objects, people falling from height or slips and trips
• electricity - electrical current or lightning
• manual handling - overexertion or repetitive movement
• machinery and equipment - being hit, hitting objects, being caught in or between machinery or equipment
• hazardous substances such as acids, hydrocarbons and asbestos
• extremes of temperature
• radiation - like microwaves, lasers, ultraviolet light or welding arc flashes
• excessive noise
• biological agents such as bacteria and viruses, and
• psychological stress such as intimidation, violence, conflict or time pressure.

Disclaimer: Reproduced with permission of WorkSafe Western Australia