IDENTIFY HAZARDS AND ASSESS OHS RISKS

Identify Hazards and Assess OHS Risks

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Identify Hazards and Assess OHS Risks

Introduction

Workplace disease and injury impact profoundly on the Commonwealth agencies financial and human resources. It is very important for business to manage safety and health hazards within the workplace. Studies showed that workplace injury cost is ranged from 7 to 20 times more, and resulted in productivity loss, position backfilling, loss of skill and experience, absenteeism, retraining, labour turnover, and decreased morale.

Discussion

Before discussing OHS risks, it is essential to explain the concept of hazard and risk. A situation with the potential to cause harm to the environment, property or people, or the potential source of harm is known as hazard. The probability that something occurs that will have an effect on the desire objective is known as risk. In the context of OHS, risk must be considered of as the consequence of OHS of a particular severity, and the particular consequence likelihood occurring (Lingard, Blismas, Cooke & Cooper, 2009: 131-140).

Workplace injury is a major concern cause for all involved in occupational safety and health. The factors that cause occupational illnesses and workplace mishaps are known as hazards. The necessity for OHS hazards systematic management and their employee hazards applies to all functions, activities and organizations. Exposure takes place when an individual comes across with a danger. Risk management involves identification of hazard, assess the risk, control risk, and review process.

Hazard Identification

There are many hazards at the workplace but three main hazards are electricity; pinch points/ moving parts; and chemical contact with eyes or skin/ breathing in fumes/ dust inhalation. These hazards occur when an individual get involved in activities that increases the risk involves using electric equipment, working with hazardous substances, and using plant with moving parts.

Hazards can be identified through keeping illness and injury records involve checking the incidence and reviewing compensation of workers, agency and mechanism of injury, and the cost to the company, to keep check on hazards presence. Stay aware on developments and trends in workplace safety and health, for instance through OHS publications and internet. Review the new work equipment and practices the potential impact introduced into the workplace align with requirements of legislation. Conduct inspections and walkthrough surveys in the place of work to determine the health and safety systems in an organization. Consider implications of OHS when analysing processes of work. Consult with OHS committee members, health and safety representatives and employees (Lingard & Rowlinson, 2005: 12-435).

Risk Assessment

The basis of risk assessment and control comprise of thirteen steps, which are identification of the activity, identification of who is at risk, the hazards identification, the associated risks identification, rate the risks with current controls, recognize apposite additional controls, the risks re-rating, list any procedures of emergency associated to the activity, put into practice the risk controls, list documents of legislative regarding assessment of risk, risk assessment authorisation, sign off, and monitor and review controls.

The three hazards identified above involve risks ...