WP-PR-101C-1

Certificate in Workplace Safety & Health

Participate in Hazard Identification & Risk Control

Contents 1.1. Introduction to risk assessment

1.2. Identify common types of hazards at workplace 1.2.1 Hazards associated with the use of tools and the operation of equipment and machines 1.2.2 Safety and health hazards of materials and chemicals 1.2.3 Conditions hazardous to safety and health of persons 1.2.4 At risk behaviors at the workplace 1.2.5 Safety warning signs

2.1.

Recognize simple risk assessment methods

2.1.1 Common risk assessment approaches in accordance with MOM risk assessment guidelines. 2.1.2 Risk assessment methods used within the organisation

3.1 Recognise hierarchy of controls 3.1.1 Existing WSH control measures used at the workplace with control methods in hierarchy of control 3.1.2 Factors affecting effectiveness of control measures in accordance with organisation procedures 3.1.3 Inadequacies in the existing control measures in accordance with organisational procedures 3.1.4 Ways of improving control of WSH risks in accordance with hierarchy of control 3.1.5 Importance of adhering to WSH control measures to persons exposed to WSH risk

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Certificate in Workplace Safety & Health

1.1.

Introduction to risk assessment Risk assessment is the process of: 1. Identifying and analyzing safety and health hazards associated with work 2. Assessing the risks involved and 3. Prioritizing measures to control the hazards and reduce the risks With risk assessment, one can identify the hazards at the workplace and implement effective risk control measures before they escalate into accidents and injuries. Under the new Workplace Safety and Health (Risk Management) Regulations, every workplace, including factories, should conduct risk assessments for all routine and non-routine work undertaken. Before one attempts to perform risk assessment, it is important to understand some of the common terms used. They include: o Hazard which is anything or any situation that has the potential to cause harm or injury, such as chemicals, fray wires, working at height using ladders, an open drawer etc; o Risk is the likelihood, high or low, that somebody could be harmed by these and other hazards, together with an indication of the how serious the harm could be. Details of how risk assessment could be performed are detailed in MOMs risk assessment guidelines (Appendix A).

1.2.

Identify common types of hazards at workplace There are many methods of identifying hazards in the workplace. However, one of simplest methods is the Keywords approach which, as its name suggests, use keywords to prompt the hazard identification. The common key words used are:o o o o o o Chemical Mechanical Electrical Fire and explosion Radiation Noise

Other form of hazards identification by considering activities can be found in MOMs risk assessment guidelines and consulting compendiums of typical hazards (see examples in Appendix B)

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Certificate in Workplace Safety & Health

1.2.1 Hazards associated with the use of tools and the operation of equipment and machines Electrical and Mechanical hazards are usually associated with the use of tools and the operations of equipment and machine. This includes excessive noise exposure, cuts by machinery, slip and trips, just to name a few. To ascertain hazards especially if one is unfamiliar with the machine, hazards information can be obtained from: o o o o Machine instruction manual Past incidents; Part of organizations Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) Legal or statutory requirements

1.2.2 Safety and health hazards of materials and chemicals All matter is composed of chemical elements. Chemicals that put people at risk in the workplace are known as hazardous / toxic substances. A wide variety of man-made and natural chemicals used in industry and manufacture can be hazardous. Generally, chemicals are classified according to their effects. They include: o Fire and explosion o Burns and scalding o Sudden release of pressure o Corrosion o Irritation o Asphyxiation o Toxicity o Carcinogens o Acute effects o Chronic effects Information pertaining to chemicals and their hazards are contained in Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and chemical labels.

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WP-PR-101C-1

Certificate in Workplace Safety & Health

1.2.3 Conditions hazardous to safety and health of persons Hazardous conditions can be associated with Poor housekeeping Unstable stacking of materials Storage of incompatible materials such as: - Acids and bases - Flammables with oxidizers Incompatible works such as: - Hot work with other works that involve use of flammable substances - Washing and electrical works Unguarded machines Hazardous atmosphere, which may be due to: - Chemicals - Dust - Lack of oxygen - Poor air quality Conditions that expose a person to hazards of: - Struck by or struck against objects - Trip and fall on same level - Falling from height - Drowning - Scalds and burns - Lightning strikes Unsafe practices, which may include: - Current practices which are unsafe and not in accordance with standard procedures - Work procedures not addressing safety issues adequately - Lack of safe work procedures - Confusing, conflicting and non-standardised procedures - Use of inappropriate or damaged equipment Ergonomic - Poor posture - Duration - Frequency - Area layout Manual handling (e.g., lifting or carrying heavy objects, sharp objects, etc)

o o o

o o

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Certificate in Workplace Safety & Health

1.2.4 At risk behaviors at the workplace Work stress is common in any modern workplace. Tight working schedule and social pressure could drive an individual to react differently. Common at risk behaviour include: Violating procedures Taking short-cuts By-passing safety procedures Disabling machine safety features Not using or Misuse of personal protective equipment Unauthorised use of equipment Misuse of equipment Reckless acts Horseplay

o o o o o o o o o

1.2.5 Safety warning signs There are many conventions to warning signs. In Singapore, the SS 586 provides a comprehensive list of symbols adopted in many industries and can divided into the following categories Prohibition (Colour: Red), such as: No entry sign Smoking and open flames prohibited Mandatory (Colour: Blue) such as: Head protection must be worn Eye protection/Face protection must be worn Ear protection must be worn Hand protection must be worn Foot protection must be worn Respirators/Masks must be worn Hazardous/Warning (Colour: Yellow) such as: Danger: electrical hazard Caution: radioactive materials Caution: slippery floor Information (Colour: Green) such as: Fire extinguisher Fire hose Emergency exit Fire Escape route Master point / Assembly area

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Certificate in Workplace Safety & Health

2.1

Recognize simple risk assessment methods The common risk assessment approaches in accordance with MOM risk assessment guidelines, which include: o Activities-based o Trade based With regards which approach is better, it depends on the nature of work activities. However, it is important to stress that to reduce the subjectivity of estimating likelihood, in addition to looking at existing controls; the following information should be considered: o Past incidents and accident records o Industry practice and experience o Relevant published literature, code of practice, cases etc

2.1.1 Common risk assessment approaches in accordance with MOM risk assessment guidelines. Details of the risk assessment approaches, various roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, risk quantifications and input to risk assessment team are explained in MOMs risk assessment guidelines 3.1 Recognise hierarchy of controls Effectiveness and adequacy of controls are constant concerns of any safety management. To ascertain these factors, the following sequence can be adhered o Compare the existing WSH control measures used at the workplace with control methods in hierarchy (Elimination , Substitution, Engineering, Administrative, Personal protective equipment ) o Identify the factors affecting effectiveness of control measures, which may include: Reduced WSH risks Reliability Robustness Ease of use Side effects: - Interference with productivity - Creating hazards elsewhere o Identify inadequacies in the existing control measures at the workplace, which may include: Risk not adequately addressed Not protecting all persons at work May cause hazards in other areas

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Certificate in Workplace Safety & Health

Not reliable Slow in response Difficult to use Too complex and tedious to follow Cause discomfort to users Difficult to maintain

Last but not least, the safety practitioners have to explain the importance of adhering to WSH control measures, which may include: o Prevention of injury and occupational diseases o Avoidances of loses o Costs o Productivities o Jobs o Building of positive WSH culture

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