Participate in Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment and Control

Welcome to Participate in Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment and Control. In this topic, you will learn about:

• Identify and report hazards or WHS issues
• Assess and control risks
• Document risk control actions
• Reporting workplace WHS, hazard, accident and incident reports.

Terminology and vocabulary reference guide

Working in an office environment, you need to be familiar with terms associated with principles and use the terms correctly (and confidently) with clients, your colleagues, and other industry professionals. You will be introduced to many terms and definitions. Add any unfamiliar terms to your vocabulary reference guide.

Activities

There are activities within this topic and an automated quiz at the end of this topic. This is not part of your assessment but will provide practical experience that will help you in your work and help you prepare for your formal assessment.

Some workplaces are filled with potential dangers that need to constantly be monitored and controlled as they can pose a high risk. A mistake that many workers make, is thinking they are risk-free because the risks are not too frequent, obvious or of high severity. Making presumptions such as these can lead to inhabiting and promoting bad health and safety habits that can place you and others in the workplace at risk. Consequently, workplaces that place little emphasis on their safety conduct are inclined to have workers take more time off work or sustain injuries and illnesses. Therefore, the business may find a decline in productivity and claims costs can increase. With that in mind, it is easy to see how the business also benefits when everyone is working safely. Though consultation does provide a good soundboard to communicate hazards and WHS issues, these issues should firstly be reported to the required personnel once they have been identified. Therefore, report an identified WHS issue immediately to a Supervisor, Manager or WHS Officer. Before understanding how to report the hazards or WHS issues in the workplace to the required personnel, let us first get a good understanding of hazards and risks and what they are.

Hazards and risks

The terms hazards and risks can mistakenly be used interchangeably. However, though they do correlate with each other, there are key differences between them. The following provides descriptions of these terms.

A hazard is a source that has the potential to harm. In the design industry, some circumstances and objects can harm workers when carrying out routine work tasks. These hazards bring the risk of harming someone. Therefore, you need to be able to identify hazards to manage the risk they bring to a task.

A risk is a possibility that arises when a hazard occurs. The level of risk will depend on varying factors that may include how often the job is done, the number of workers involved and how severe any injuries that result could be.1 The potential risks will need to be assessed in the likelihood of it occurring and the severity of the injury or illness it may cause.

To further understand these differences, click on the following hazards to reveal what their associated risks could be:

Common hazards and major causes of accidents in the workplace

Body stresses are injuries that are generally associated with strenuous and repetitive work and relates to having poor ergonomics in the workplace. Strenuous and repetitive work are major cause of accidents in Australian workplaces costing business a lot of money in claims. Safe Work Australia provides you with their most recent statistics and research on their Annual statistic reports. According to the Key work health and safety statistics, Australia 2020, body stresses equates to 36% from incidents followed by slips trips and falls.

Types of hazards and risks

There are a variety of hazards and risks found in any workplace. Graphic designers may come across the following common hazards and risks, bear in mind, this is typical of an office environment, and they may not all apply to those in the design industry as they may be working in a different setting.

• Breakage and spillage
• Criminal acts
• Fatigue
• Hazardous chemicals
• Hazardous equipment
• Sources of infection
• Stress
• Unsafe work tasks or practices.

This list provides a very brief look at some common hazards, but overall, the list of hazards that may be found can be endless. Hazards can be categorised into five different types to help identify them. Let us have a look at these and their associated common risks to the physical and mental wellbeing of self and others in the workplace.

Chemical hazards

Chemicals are hazardous substances that can cause harm. Hazardous substances that are commonly used in the workplace include bleaches, dishwashing liquid, ink for printing and many other cleaning solutions. These substances can jeopardise people’s health and safety through prolonged exposure, inhalation and absorption.

To avoid adverse effects to a chemical hazard, it is recommended to read the MSDS of the chemical for appropriate usage recommendations and use appropriate PPE such as gloves and mask when handling these substances.

Chemical hazards can impose a risk on the physical well-being of an individual, for example, prolonged exposure the chemical hazards can result in skin irritation such as eczema, respiratory system irritation such as asthma, development of allergies, burns and even cause Safety is also at risk when the chemical hazard can result in corrosions, and explosions sue to unsafe handling of the substance.

Physical hazards

Physical hazards in the workplace reflect the conditions of the work environment that can affect the safety and health of individuals. These include factors in the environment such as electricity, noise, extreme temperatures, slips, trips and falls are physical hazards that the worker might encounter. Some examples of these hazards include:

• Loose electrical cords across walkways
• Materials, tools, equipment, cords, boxes obstructing walkways
• Liquids near electricals
• Poor ventilation
• Loud work environment.

When any of these are present, (typically in considerable amounts) they may impose a danger to the health and safety of an individual. Physical hazards primarily impact the physical well-being of individuals. Some examples may include:

• Electrocution
• Burns
• Death
• Loss of hearing
• Headaches
• Dizziness and fainting
• Body stresses and Musculo Skeletal Disorders (MSD)
• Sprains and strains.

Biological hazards

Biological hazards may include infectious diseases and toxic waste that can also be present in workplaces.

These can be in the form of a micro-organism, virus or toxin that poses threat to the health of living things- more so humans. Exposure to biological hazards can cause harm to an individual’s physical health as it may result in serious health impacts, infections, disease and illnesses.

Ergonomic hazards – Lifting/moving

Ergonomic hazards refer to the physical conditions of the work environment that can cause physical injury or harm. Poor posture due to incorrect set-up of a workstation is one example, another is moving and lifting of items without assistance, particularly those that are heavy.

There are high risks to an individuals’ physical wellbeing when ergonomic hazards are present. Body stressing such as muscle tears, strains, sprains, and other physical injuries are most common in workplaces. Making this hazard and its associated risks the most common among Australian workers. These hazards must have vigilant applications of control measures to help eliminate or minimise the risks of physical hazards in the workplace.

Psychological stress

Psychological stress in the workplace is a hazard that can impact the mental health of individuals. Exposure to many varying factors can contribute to harming the mental health of an individual. Some of these factors result from behaviours in the workplace that relate to workplace violence, bullying, threats, victimisation or intimidation but can also include typical work stresses such as deadlines, overload of work and poor organisational justice. The risk to mental wellbeing includes worries and stress but can evolve to more serious mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. The consequences of poor mental health can impact the overall work performance of the individual.

Identify hazards

One of the responsibilities of employers is the identification of workplace hazards. This needs to be done in consultation with their workers where the employer establishes what workers view as potential threats to their health and safety. Workers can provide a valuable contribution by communicating their findings to the Manager or Supervisor about their health and safety concerns.

Most businesses use a tool, such as a Daily Hazard Identification Checklist, which can be used to assist in the identification of hazards. This allows employers/employees to systematically check the work environment for common or likely hazards and record these hazards so they can be addressed. Matters such as trip hazards, unsafe electrical equipment, any unsafe situation/work practices, or anything else thought to be a health or safety issue should all be noted and brought to the attention of the relevant personnel according to workplace procedures.

If, for instance, a hazard is identified and reported to the supervisor, the supervisor has the responsibility to act in rectifying the problem as quickly as possible. If the problem is not resolved effectively by the supervisor, workers may then need to report the matter to their workplace health and safety committee or the health and safety representative and be addressed in a consultative process to help minimise or eliminate the hazard. If the matter is still not resolved, workers could ask for advice from the state’s WHS/OHS authority relevant to their State and/or Territory. Management needs to investigate all accidents and near misses to determine what measures could have been taken to prevent them in the first place and ensure that effective measures are implemented to prevent a repeat occurrence. Workers will need to co-operate fully in these investigations and report incidents following workplace procedures.

The following is a fun video of an industrial kitchen and its many safety hazards. Watch the video and see if you can identify any of the hazards in this workplace.

Methods of hazard identification

Identifying hazards can be as simple a witnessing or experiencing poor use of equipment, substances, poor work design, ineffective policies and procedures or inappropriate behaviours. However, the workplace will have an approach in ways to identify a variety of hazards that can arise from the workplace. Not one approach is foolproof, therefore, it is common to have more than one procedure to be applied for when identifying hazards in the workplace. The following lists methods of hazard identification that may be used in the design industry:

• Safety audit
• Workplace inspections/checklists
• Accident investigations
• Consultation
• Analysis of injury and illness records
• Health and environmental monitoring
• Complaints.

After understanding the hazard types that exist in the workplace and methods to identifying these hazards, the next responsible step to take is to report the hazard or other WHS issues to the required personnel, such as the Supervisor, Manager or WHS officer.

The next phase after hazards and their associated risks have been identified, will be to assess the risks. The overall process of risk identification, risk analysis, and risk evaluation are assessed using the workplace documentation Risk Assessment Form.

Risk Assessment

The following explains how the assessment is performed.

Identify risk

Identifying risk sources, areas of impacts, causes and possible consequences to form a comprehensive list of risks that will negatively or positively affect the business's health and safety objectives.

Analyse and evaluate risk

Consider what the risks are, what might be the consequences if this risk was to occur? Let us look at a hypothetical example. Imagine a Graphic Designer that often uses the guillotine for their design work. The guillotine can be a hazard, it can pose the risk of the blade injuring the Graphic Designer. If this incident was to occur, what would be the consequence? Use the following table to evaluate the consequences of a risk occurring according to the rating in the left-hand column. If a finger is cut when using it, it would unlikely be “severe” as it wouldn’t be fatal. It will, however, be an incident that may require first aid. The rating that needs to be applied is “minor-2”.

If the parameters of the hazard change, for instance, if the blade is left up and the blade is sharp and unsteady. What could occur if the Graphic Designer reaches over to grab their design from under the blade? The blade has the possibility of falling shut on them causing a different type of injury. What would the consequence rating be for this different risk?

Descriptor	Level	Definition
Insignificant	1	No injury
Minor	2	Injury/ ill-health requiring first aid
Moderate	3	Injury/ill-health requiring medical attention
Major	4	Injury/ill-health requiring hospital admission
Severe	5	Fatality

When the consequence is determined, then you must evaluate the likelihood of the incident occurring. To do this, use the rating in the left-hand column from the table below. Is the likelihood of the Graphic Designer cutting a finger rare? Unlikely? Possible? Likely? Or almost certain? Would it be the same rating if the unsteady blade collapsed onto the Graphic Designer when reaching underneath it? Can you see how the end analysis may be different if the hazard and risk change?

Descriptor	Level	Definition
Rare	1	May occur somewhere, sometime (“once in a lifetime / once in a hundred years”)
Unlikely	2	May occur somewhere within the Department over an extended period of time
Possible	3	May occur several times across the Department or a region over a period of time
Likely	4	May be anticipated multiple times over a period of time  May occur once every few repetitions of the activity or event
Almost Certain	5	Prone to occur regularly  It is anticipated for each repetition of the activity of event

Once the consequence and likelihood of the risk are determined, it is time to use the Risk Matrix table below to calculate the level of risk by finding the intersection between the likelihood and the consequences. For instance, if the consequence rating was “Minor-2” and the likelihood was “Possible-3”, then according to the Risk Matrix Table, the risk is “Medium”.

	Probability of occurrence
Potential severity	Frequent	Occasional	Remote	Unlikely
Catastrophic	Extreme risk (9)	Extreme risk (8)	High risk (7)	High risk (6)
Critical	Extreme risk (8)	High risk (7)	Medium risk (5)	Medium risk (5)
Moderate	High risk (7)	Medium risk (5)	Medium risk (4)	Low risk (3)
Minor	Medium risk (4)	Low risk (3)	Low risk (2)	Low risk (1)

The results of the Risk Matrix rating are explained in the following table of Risk Level/Rating and Actions.

The following table indicates how to control and manage the risks. These can be discussed and agreed upon within a consultation.

Descriptor	Definition
Extreme:	Notify Workplace Manager and/or Management WHS/OHS Nominee immediately.  Corrective actions should be taken immediately. Cease associated activity.
High:	Notify Workplace Manager and/or Management WHS/OHS Nominee immediately. Corrective actions should be taken within 48 hours of notification.
Medium:	Notify Nominated employee, HSR / HSC.  Nominated employee, WHS/OHS Representative / HSC is to follow up that corrective action is taken within 7 days.
Low	Notify Nominated employee, HSR / HSC.  Nominated employee, HSR / HSC is to follow up that corrective action is taken within a reasonable time.

Controlling risks and documenting risk control measures

The workplace is a much safer environment when hazards have control measures in place. The suggested approach in controlling risks is to use the hierarchy of control. This control measuring tool uses common methods either eliminate the risks or minimising them. It is not always full proof as minimising them would mean that there is still a chance for the risk to cause an incident, however, the chances are less likely than they would have been if control measures were not implemented. The following image illustrates the interventions used to help minimise or eliminate the risk of a hazard. Please note, the interventions of the hierarchy of control are in the order of most effective, placed at the top, to the least effective control measures, at the bottom.

1. Elimination: The hazard is taken away or the job changed to avoid the hazard.
2. Substitution: The hazard is substituted with something less risky where possible and appropriate.
3. Isolation: The hazard is isolated, or the person is completing the work task removed from the risk.
4. Engineering: The design of the job or of the equipment required to complete the job is changed.
5. Administration: Activities such as training are applied to make the job less risky.
6. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): PPE (e.g. gloves, non-slip shoes) is worn to protect worker from the hazard and thereby reduce the risk.

The most desirable method of managing the risks in the workplace is to eliminate them where possible. For example, if there is a rug on the floor causing people to frequently trip, it can be removed entirely, therefore eliminating the trip hazard. If the risk is unable to be eliminated, it should be minimised in the most practicable and effective way possible. Safety in the workplace is maintained by reviewing the applied control measures must be reviewed regularly to ensure they maintain their safety for all people in the workplace.

The following video summarises the process of identifying hazards and managing their risks in collaboration with other staff.

Risk control procedures relevant to own role

Graphic Design studios may differ from one another, they can be as large as having many offices in a building, to smaller workspaces such as rented rooms, or home offices. While hazards in the design industry may not be as obvious as those found in other industries, take for instance, a hospital or a construction site, Graphic Designers can still be faced with a range of Work Health and Safety Issues.

All Graphic Designers must learn to apply risk control measures to their day-to-day activities. Graphic Designers need to consider their comfort, posture, length of time they are sitting or standing and must be diligent in taking regular breaks. Breaks will enable the Graphic Designer not only to get those creative juices flowing but also to take care of their physical and mental wellbeing. Looking at a computer screen all day can be exhausting on the eyes. Staying in one position for too long can cause body-stresses. It is important to stretch, eat and exhale before refocusing on the work that is at hand. The responsibilities of all workers, including Graphic Designers, will require them to also apply risks control measures to other work tasks. Have a look at the following scenarios and take note of which hierarchy of control measures was used when controlling the risks.

Inappropriate chair

A worker complains of a sore back. It was determined that the chair they used that day was not supporting their lower back. The worker has requested to replace the chair with proper back support (elimination and substation controls). And has also changed their ways of working by taking more frequent breaks and stretching so that they are not in one fixed position for a prolonged period of time (administrative controls).

Hot coffee on desk

A worker has just made a hot coffee and has placed their mug beside their keyboard on their desk. The worker accidentally knocks it on the tiled floor. Luckily, they were not burnt, and they did not spill on any electricals. But they now need to clean the spill. The worker applies a wet floor sign around their desk to ensure no one slips while they go get their cleaning equipment (administrative controls). The worker places on gloves when preparing the mop bucket with cleaning solution and water (PPE) and ensured they were wearing rubber-soled shoes when mopping (PPE). The worker waited till the area was dry to remove the sign and then make another coffee to have at their work desk, but this time, used a coffee cup with a lid to avoid any spills if tipped over (Substitution).

Control measures can be applied immediately to maintain the safety of the workplace, but in the times where risk assessments are performed, both the assessment, analysis, evaluation and controls will need to be documented within the Risk Assessment Form and reported to the Supervisor, Manager or WHS officer.

The Risk Assessment Form, also known as the risk register, allows for the workplace to have a detailed explanation and record of hazards that allows for managing and controlling them. The Risk Assessment Form is the fundamental tool used when participating in hazard identification and risk assessment and control. The following shows the summary of the steps that are taken and recorded for this process as per the Risk Assessment Form and workplace policies and procedures.

• Identify and record the hazard
• Assess and record the evaluation of the likelihood, consequence and severity of the risk.
• Control the hazard and record how this has been done. (Some suggested control measures need to be discussed and delegated to others in the workplace to apply the controls).

Every workplace will have similar approaches in its workplace policies and procedures. All workers will need to be familiar with how their workplace handles health and safety in the workplace.

When the documentation for any WHS issues is completed, this includes issues such as hazards, accidents and incidents, the issues will need to be reported to the correct staff member following the workplace policies and procedures. Notifying personnel of any WHS issues, completing relevant documentation and participating in consultative processes allows a good contribution to reporting. The following explains how to report as required.

Report hazards or WHS issues

Every workplace will be different as they each will have their unique business structures, policies and procedures and job roles. Knowing who to report hazards and WHS issues to in the workplace is essential, this information can be found within the workplace policies and procedures, or by asking the Supervisor or Manager about the reporting requirements. Any hazards identified can pose a risk to the physical and mental wellbeing of self or others in the workplace, therefore reporting them to correct personnel will enable a safer workplace. The following are the likely personnel to report WHS issues to in the workplace:

• Work Health and Safety Officers
• Health and Safety Representatives
• Managers and Supervisors
• Other persons authorised or nominated by the business
• PCBU’s or their Officers
• Team Leaders
• WHS inspectors.³

Reporting any unsafe workplace hazards to the designated personnel may be required at different touchpoints from when first identifying the hazard. For instance, this might occur before or during the workplace meetings that take place within the consultative process. After actioning a hazard, there will be opportunities to review the controls used after trialling it out and discuss whether the control measures were sufficient and efficient in minimising the risks.

Reporting workplace hazards and risks

Typically, any unsafe work hazards that are identified, should first try to be resolved in the workplace. The workplace will have policies and procedures that generally include the following methods to report:

• reporting the issue verbally to a supervisor or manager. (PCBU’s and officers)
• reporting the issue through the workplace's hazard reporting procedures and documenting them on a hazard report.
• raising the issue with the health and safety representative during consultative meetings.

After identifying a hazard and notifying management, the risks will need to be assessed to determine the probability of a hazard and then managed by using appropriate control measures like the hierarchy of control.

A risk register, such as a Risk Assessment form, will be prepared to document information of the hazard. It will identify the hazards, the action that will need to be taken, who will be responsible for taking the action and by when.

Reporting incidents and accidents

Much like when identifying hazards, any incidents or accidents that occur in the workplace must also be reported similarly. A workplace will have an internal communications system, that requires all workers to report an incident, accident and near misses, to their officers and PCBU’s. It is the PCBU’s and officers WHS duty and legal obligation to report any ‘notifiable incident’ to the regulator immediately after becoming aware it has happened. An incident report must be completed accurately for all incidents, even those that cause no harm. These are to be handed to a PCBU for safe record keeping where these records of all the notifiable incidents are kept for at least five years from the date of notification according to WHS legislation. Safe Work Australia provides guidance for the mandatory reporting requirements of ‘notifiable incidents’ within their Incident Notification Fact Sheet. The factsheet contains useful information to ensure you are meeting WHS requirements and have a good understanding of what is considered a notifiable incident.

In this topic, we focused on Participate in Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment and Control. You have learnt about:

• Identify and report hazards or WHS issues
• Assess and control risks
• Document risk control actions
• Reporting workplace WHS, hazard, accident and incident reports.