Risk Management and Inspections

What is risk management?

How do I assess the risk?
How do I control a hazard?

Workplace Inspections (Identifying the Hazard)

Background
Completing an Inspection Report
Definition of Class of Hazard
Remedial Action
Hazards identified, not during an inspection

 

Risk Management

Risk Management involves having a systematic process for addressing hazards in the workplace.
It is the process of:

• Identifying any foreseeable hazard - anything in the workplace that has potential to harm anyone at the workplace, e.g. moving parts in the machinery, toxic chemicals, manual handling tasks.
  
• Assessing the risk from the hazard - finding out how significant the risk is, e.g. will it cause a serious injury, illness or death and how likely is this to occur?
  
• Eliminating the hazard or if this is not possible, controlling the risk from the hazard - implementing strategies to eliminate or control the hazard, e.g. design equipment differently, add machine guards, use safer chemicals, providing lifting devices to minimise manual handling or use personal protective equipment.
  
• Reviewing risk assessment - to monitor and improve control measures and find safer ways of doing things.
  

How do I assess the risk?

Using the above risk matrix, you can determine whether the hazard presents a high, medium, low, or insignificant risk.  Intersecting what the likely consequence of hazard exposure would be, with how likely it is that exposure will occur, gives you the risk rating.

How do I control a hazard?

In the order of most to least preferable, the various means to control a hazard are indicated below in the Hierarchy of Controls.

Workplace Inspections

One major component of risk management is Workplace Safety Inspections.  Inspections are a major tool in ensuring that a workplace remains safe.  They help to identify and address new hazards or unsafe conditions.  OH&S Regulatory details about Workplace Safety Inspections can be found in Part 3.5 - 3.8:  Rights and Responsibilities - Workplace Inspections .  This regulation states that:

Thompson Rivers University uses a Hazard Inspection & Control Program to assist in the workplace inspection and hazard control process.  Area specific and general checklists were created and available for use during inspections.  To find the checklist for your area, go to the Forms and Checklists section of this website.  There are two formats for these checklists depending on the area.  Some will follow the format reflected in the above protocol, while others take on a Yes/No format.  Both are very simple to use.  All areas should be inspected for fire safety.  If your area isn't on the list, depending on the hazards present, you can use a combination of the general checklists.
 

Background

Inspections are best performed by two people, with at least one being familiar with the area.  Safety committee members are encouraged to participate whenever possible.  It is also suggested to have inspections carried out in the presence of at least one different person each time, rather than having the same people perform inspections every time.  A new set of eyes can be very useful for identifying unsafe situations that people who are regularly in the area may walk right past without noticing.

When:  Regular inspections should be done at intervals that will prevent the development of unsafe working conditions.  Each area will vary.  In a high risk area (Trades, Science, Culinary Arts,and  VPA),inspection are required to be completed every 2 months.  In lower risk areas,(A&E, Library, Clock Tower, BCCOL etc.) inspections are to be completed in January, April, July and October .  All inspections forms are to completed and copies forwarded to the OH&S Department.

For general building inspections, the inspection should consider all parts of the building/location being inspected - not just those at eye level.  The area specific checklists are quite comprehensive although it is expected that some hazards were missed and also that new hazards will emerge.  Add on anything that is missing.  Be sure to make comments in the space on your checklist.
 

Completing an Inspection Report

More detailed instructions are included in the protocol.

1. Fill in the name of the area inspected if not already indicated on the sheet, the date and inspectors' names in the area provided.  Make sure all pages are attached and kept together with the front page.
2. Check either yes or no according to the situation or item listed, or put a check next to each listed control.  If you can't check off the presence of a control, or answer no to any of the questions, this indicates action is needed.  To better prioritize action, evaluate the hazard's severity.  (see below)
3. Record suggested remedial action in the comments for the identified action items.  State what needs to be or should be done to correct and better control the hazardous situation.  Also, using the action coding system in the protocol, indicate who is responsible for ensuring the situation is remedied.
4. Submit completed report to immediate supervisor and a copy to the OH&S Department.

Definition of Class of Hazard

Remedial Action

Remedial action should be completed as soon as possible.  Apply these guidelines to expedite correction of the hazardous conditions.

1. Give remedial action priority to hazards with more severe loss potential.
2. Give to your Chair/Dean as they will need to be involved in or at least aware of the action.  Obtain target dates for correction.  Use hazard classification to motivate correction.
3. Review at the monthly Departmental Safety Meeting.
4. Write a detailed explanation of the hazard and its potential loss severity as justification for any action requiring a major expenditure and forward it to the person most responsible for corrective action.
5. Encourage responsible persons to take permanent corrective action (repetitive remedy is costly).
6. Make sure intermediate (temporary) safety measures are taken whenever permanent or complete remedy will require additional time.
7. At a reasonable time after the inspection is conducted and necessary action is submitted, do a follow-up walk through to ensure that the corrective action has been completed.
8. Make sure all reports are properly filed and maintained for record purposes.

Hazards identified, not during an inspection.

If hazards are identified at some other time, not during an inspection, please obtain a blank Hazard/Incident Report Form and fill it out with as much detail as possible.  Being clear will help those responsible to easily correct the situation and eliminate the hazard.  The key to this form is the section on Recommended Corrective Action.  The person who identified the hazard will likely have a good idea about how it can be controlled or mitigated so be sure to make a few suggestions.  Give a copy of this form to the OH&S Department.