Hazard recognition refers to the process of identifying potential sources of harm or danger in a certain environment or situation. it involves assessing the potential for injury, illness or damage to property as a result of specific hazards or risks. Hazard recognition involves observing, assessing or evaluating the risk and hazards and taking appropriate action to control or eliminate the risk.
High-risk industries such as the petrochemical and oil and gas industries are highly regulated to prevent major accident risks like explosion, fire and toxic chemical release.
It is important to be aware of potential hazards so that they can be avoided or minimized to prevent injury or damage. There are several methods for hazard recognition but we will cover them in this blog which is mentioned in the NEBOSH IG1 book. Hazard recognition is the first step of risk assessment.
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What is a hazard?
Inadequate hazard recognition
- Why do people make eror or fail to hazard recognization?
- Poor understanding the hazard
- Lack of jib knowledge
- Lack of experience in identifying hazard
- Ni sense of vulnerability
- Distraction
- No taking the time to look the hazards
Three steps to hazard recognition
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Look |
How many unsafe act/conditions can you fine? |
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Think |
How could I or someone else get hurt? |
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Act |
What could be done to reduce the risk? |
Hazard recognition method PHA
OSHA require employers to perform PHA (process hazard analysis) and introduce HAZOP, HAZID, FMEA and WHAT IF. Aim to help hazard recognition in the process, facilitating decision-making and actions to avoid them, to guarantee Industrial Safety, Operational Safety and Environmental Protection in the Organization. A brief explanation of the hazard recognition method:
- FMEA (failure mode and effect analysis): An FMEA helps assess design failures by first identifying “failure modes” or how an operation might proceed given potential failures. Then, an effects analysis is performed to delineate the results for each failure mode.
- HAZOP (Hzards and operability): A process hazard analysis procedure originally developed by ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) in the 1970s. The method is highly structured and divides the process into different operating nodes and investigates the behaviour of different parts of each node based on a series of possible deviation conditions.
- HAZID (Hazard Identification): HAZID is an oriented technique that examines complete systems or subsystems. Unlike the HAZOP, the HAZID identifies risks related to the operation and not risks related to the process.
- A “What If” analysis is a structured brainstorming session about what could go wrong within an operational process, from human error to equipment failure. The objective is to identify risk scenarios and ensure that the necessary measures are taken to prevent these scenarios from occurring.
Hazard recognition method NEBOSH book IG1
NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) is a leading organization that provides qualifications in health, safety and environmental management. To hazard recognition in the workplace, NEBOSH introduces 4 hazard recognition techniques and follows a systematic approach.
1. Job safety analysis
This is a useful method of hazard recognition, as it allows hazards to be detected before work begins, rather than that once the work starts. Task analysis involves dividing a job into component steps and identifying the hazards associated with each step,
Hazard recognition using task JSA is an essential process that involves identifying potential hazards associated with any task performed in the workplace. It is a systematic approach that helps hazard recognition by breaking down each task into its parts and identifying potential hazards at every step. So that a safe working method can then be established to deal with each danger. This can be done before work begins as part of the planning process.
The following steps can be taken for hazard recognition by task analysis:
- Identify the tasks involved in a particular job and their sequence.
- Break each task down into its parts to identify potential hazards related to each step.
- Analyze the potential hazards and their causes that can be associated with each task.
- Evaluate the risk level associated with each hazard and prioritize them based on their risk level.
- Develop control measures to eliminate or reduce the hazards identified, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), machine guarding, or work procedures and training.
- Implement the control measures and monitor their effectiveness to ensure they are reducing or eliminating the hazards.
- Review and update the hazard recognition and control plan regularly to ensure its effectiveness and to stay current with changing job tasks or new hazards.
By analyzing each task for potential hazards, employers can develop risk controls and ensure that their workers maintain a safe working environment. Task analysis provides a proactive approach to hazard recognition, which can help to prevent incidents and reduce the potential for workplace injuries.
2. Legislation
Knowledge of the legal regulations that apply to a particular workplace will greatly help in identifying significant hazards. For example, knowledge of the law relating to working at height will allow a competent adviser to identify which tasks can be defined as working at height and which can be ignored.
Legislation requires employers to identify workplace hazards and take necessary measures to reduce or eliminate the risks. To hazard recognition in the workplace according to legislation, the following steps can be taken:
- Identify the applicable legislation and regulations that relate to the specific industry and the type of work.
- Review and understand the risk assessment requirements and standards specified in the relevant legislation.
- Conduct a workplace inspection and assessment of the work environment to identify potential hazards or issues related to health and safety, such as noise exposure, hazardous materials, or fall hazards.
- Develop a comprehensive hazard recognition plan, which includes a schedule for inspections and assessments, and methods for employees to report hazards and incidents.
- Utilize industry-specific standards, guidelines, or codes of practice to identify potential hazards, such as the use of PPE, equipment, and materials handling.
- Ensure documentation of identified hazards, including risk assessments and corrective actions required to mitigate them.
Employers and employees need to be aware of the specific legal requirements in their industry and work to protect themselves and others from harm. Hazard recognition and control are essential components of managing workplace safety and maintaining compliance with relevant legislation.
3. Information from manufacturers
When a new item of plant, machinery or equipment is purchased, it usually comes with a book of instructions, containing information on all related hazards and instructions for safe use, cleaning and maintenance. Similarly, when a new substance is purchased, it comes with labels and a safety data sheet, which identifies the dangers of the substance.
4. Incident data
Accident and near-miss data can be useful in hazard recognition. The main limitation here is that a hazard may be very significant but may not have caused any damage to the organization yet and therefore may go unnoticed. External data, such as national statistics published by the authorities, may be more useful as they identify the actual hazards and risks based on much larger population size.
Recognizing hazards by previous incident history is an important way to prevent the reoccurrence of incidents or accidents. The following steps can be taken to recognize hazards by previous incident history:
- Review incident reports from the previous year, including near-misses and accidents. Analyze the reports to determine the types of incidents and their severity, location, and root causes.
- Investigate past accidents to identify how and why the incident occurred, what could have been done differently to prevent it, and how similar incidents can be avoided in the future.
- Review the corrective actions taken to prevent incidents in the past and evaluate their effectiveness.
- Develop a hazard reporting system to encourage employees to report hazards, close calls, and near misses.
- Provide training and education on hazard recognition and avoidance to employees.
Hazard recognition program
Hazard recognition is the process of identifying potential hazards (sources of harm or damage) in the workplace or any other environment. Establish a hazard recognition program including:
- Workplace inspections: This involves physically examining the workplace to identify any potential hazards such as unsafe conditions, unsafe acts, or equipment malfunctions.
- Incident investigation: This involves investigating incidents and accidents that have occurred in the workplace to identify the root causes and any potential hazards that may have contributed to the incident.
- Safety data sheets: Safety data sheets provide information about the hazards of a particular substance or chemical and can be used to identify potential hazards in the workplace.
- Consultation with workers: Workers are often the best source of information when it comes to identifying hazards in the workplace. Employers can consult with workers to get their input on identifying hazards and develop strategies to control them.
- Hazard checklists: These are lists of known hazards that have been identified in similar workplaces or industries. By comparing the workplace to these lists, potential hazards can be identified.
- Risk assessment: This involves evaluating the likelihood and severity of potential hazards and determining the level of risk associated with each hazard.
- Training: Utilizing safety training and resources for hazard recognition and preventative measures. Collaborating with safety professionals or expert consultants to identify potential hazards specific to the industry.
Conclusion
The organization must create a culture of continuous learning to recognize workplace hazards and prevent incidents from recurring in the future. Regular review and analysis of incident history can help identify patterns and trends, leading to more effective hazard recognition and prevention measures.
By using the above various methods, organizations can identify and assess the hazards in their workplace and take proactive measures to control them and ensure the safety of their employees. Overall, it is essential to create a safe working environment, identify workplace hazards, and control the risks associated with them.
Once you have identified the hazard eliminate or mitigate or stop and notify.
