In a construction environment (as in all workplaces) it is important to have a systematic process in place for identifying, assessing and controlling hazards. There are four steps to managing WHS risks. The following diagram illustrates the four steps in managing WHS risks.
Remembering a hazard is identified as having the potential to harm any of the people on site. Consider harm can mean a physical injury, an illness including a psychological illness or even death. Construction hazards usually fall under one of the following categories:
- Manual handling: caused by lifting, posture, repetitive movement or vibration
- Gravity: falling from height, objects falling from a height, slips, trips and falls
- Electricity
- Hazardous chemicals: substances and materials, chemicals, asbestos, silica, fuels
- Mental health: fatigue, bullying
- Environmental: excessive heat or cold, dust, noise.
When thinking about hazards, it is important to consider all of those things that could reasonably go wrong. It doesn’t mean that you have to recognise every single combination of events, including an alien invasion by rebar throwing aliens on the exact day you install reinforcing for a slab. Rather, you identify those things that, taking into account the available information, can potentially cause harm.
How can you identify hazards?
They can be identified by:
- completing a formal workplace inspection
- casual observation
- inspecting how plant and equipment are used
- observing an unsafe work practice, such as manual handling.
- observing a near miss
- observing a failure in policy, procedure, or process
- information in SDS/MSDS, manufacturer instructions, union bulletins, industry association information etc
- equipment failure.
One of the most effective ways to keep track of any possible hazards can be as simple as having a checklist available to complete when conducting a form of observation or inspection.
It is important to consider when you are looking for a hazard; you need to look for any of the following. Please be mindful; these are some of what you could look out for.
- How the environment enables workers to carry out the work without risk? Ask yourself if the light is sufficient, adequate ventilation, or obstructions, is the ground even enough to walk safely?
- Consider how the work task is going to be carried out. Will it take its toll physically or mentally? Are the demands going to be detrimental to these areas of wellbeing?
- The tools, are the tools in working order, are they suitable for the work task required, are they safe to use, and are they well maintained?
- Observe the behaviours of all employees, including workers, supervisors, managers and are they acting appropriately and ethically. What is the procedure for managing conflict or lack of support?
- Changes, what changes (if any) have occurred in the workplace that has impacted the workplace's health and safety.
You also need to be aware not all hazards can be seen. Some hazards can occur over a period of time and be relatively unknown; these could include stress or fatigue from either long hour, work away from home, or potential workplace bullying, unrealistic job expectations and so on.
Now that you have identified a hazard, the next step is to assess the risk. Risk refers to the likelihood that the hazard will occur and what the significance of the harm will be.
A common way of assessing risk is to use a risk assessment matrix. A risk assessment matrix helps you to apply a rating to each hazard.
Step One
The first step in completing the risk assessment matrix is to assess the seriousness of the harm that will be caused by the hazard occurring. This is called the ‘consequence’. For example:
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| 5 – Severe | A person is killed or permanently disabled as a result of the hazard occurring |
| 4 – Major | A person is seriously injured or ill and requires hospitalisation (including psychological injury) as a result of the hazard occurring |
| 3 – Moderate | A person is injured or ill and requires medical attention (including psychological injury) as a result of the hazard occurring |
| 2 – Minor | A person is injured or ill and requires first aid (including psychological injury) as a result of the hazard occurring |
| 1 – Insignificant | No injury or illness as a result of the hazard occurring |
Step Two
The second step in completing the risk assessment matrix is to estimate the likelihood that the hazard will occur. For example:
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| 5 – Very likely | Would occur regularly or at most repetitions of the activity |
| 4 – Likely | May occur once every few repetitions of the activity on a standard building site |
| 3 – Possible | May occur on a large building site over a period of time |
| 2 – Unlikely | May occur on a building site somewhere within a city once during an extended period of time |
| 1 – Rare | It May occur but it would be very unusual, perhaps once every 100 years |
Step Three
The third step is to enter the ‘consequence’ and ‘likelihood’ level into the risk matrix and circle where the two meet.
| Consequence | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Likelihood | Severe | Major | Moderate | Minor | Insignificant |
| Rare | Medium risk | Medium risk | Low risk | Low risk | Low risk |
| Unlikely | High risk | Medium risk | Medium risk | Low risk | Low risk |
| Possible | Extreme risk | High risk | Medium risk | Medium risk | Low risk |
| Likely | Extreme risk | Extreme risk | High risk | Medium risk | Medium risk |
| Almost certain | Extreme risk | Extreme risk | Extreme risk | High risk | Medium risk |
Step Four
The fourth step is to respond to the risk rating according to your workplace’s policies and procedures.
In most workplaces, the reporting requirements look something like this:
| Risk rating | Reporting requirement |
|---|---|
| Extreme | Immediate action required. Contact supervisor. Cease activity. Isolate hazard. |
| High | Report the hazard immediately to a supervisor. |
| Medium | Report the hazard within 24 hours. |
| Low | Report the hazard in due course. |
Safe Work Australia has developed a Model Code of Practice for managing work health and safety risks. Go to the document and read Chapter 3 to learn a little more about controlling hazards.
It is one thing to identify a hazard and assess the risk level that it poses to the people on site. The important thing, though, is how you manage and control the risk. The system that the majority of workplaces use to control risks is called the hierarchy of control. This system can be applied to any hazard.
There are six levels in the hierarchy of controls. The hierarchy works from highest (or most effective) to lowest (or least effective).
Level 1: Elimination
Eliminating the risks and hazards they create entirely is the most effective control.
Level 2: Substitution
Identify an alternative that does not involve or reduces the risks.
Level 3: Isolation
Isolate the risk to reduce it impact on people.
Level 4: Engineering controls
Adapt tools, equipment or engineering procedures to remove or reduce the risk.
Level 5: Administrative controls
Change work practices to minimise exposure to the risks or reduce the chance of injury.
Level 6: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Use PPE to protect people from harm.
Risk management should be an ongoing process in your business and you should review your control measures regularly. Don't wait for something to go wrong.
In some situations, work health and safety legislation requires you to review controls. These are:
- when you become aware a control measure is not effectively controlling a risk
- before a change that might give rise to a new risk
- when you identify a new hazard or risk
- when consultation with workers indicates a review is needed
- after a health and safety representative requests a review.
How do I review control measures?
You can repeat the 'identify hazards' step of the risk management process to review your existing controls. If you find problems, you should then work through the full risk management process to develop more effective ways to manage risk.
What records should I keep?
You should keep a written record of all your business's risk management decisions and activities. This will make future risk assessments simpler and easier. If an incident occurs, well-kept records will also help you demonstrate that you’ve met your duty of care for your workers.
You should record:
- the types of hazards, the assessed risks and the chosen control methods (including any hazard checklists and worksheets you've used)
- how and when you implemented, monitored and reviewed the control measures
- the names of any people you consulted with
- records of training
- any plans for changes.2
