Hazard Assessment

Employer Duties

Workplaces with 20 or more workers must establish an occupational health and safety program, which includes a hazard assessment process. [OHS Act, S. 23] This process must include: [OHS Act, S. 23 (3)(e)(f)]

• A method to evaluate the workplace and identify potential hazards;
• Procedures and schedules for regular inspections;
• Procedures to make sure hazards are reported, and that a person is accountable for correcting the hazards;
• Procedures to outline the circumstances when a hazard must be reported by the employer to the committee or representative, and how this report will be made; and
• A system for workplace occupational health and safety monitoring, prompt follow-up and control of identified hazards.

The Hazard Assessment Process

In general, the workplace should include a three step hazard assessment process. The process includes:

• 1. Hazard Identification
• Identify sources that expose a worker to a risk of injury or disease.
• 2. Risk Assessment
• Determine the risk to rank the hazard by priority. Risk is a combination of the likelihood of harm and its severity.
• 3. Hazard Control
• Identify actions necessary to eliminate the hazard, or control the risk using the hierarchy of risk control methods.

It is important to monitor the hazard to ensure that implemented controls continue to be effective. Keep documents and records that may be necessary, including detailed procedures to assess the risk, evaluations and details regarding decisions made to control the hazard.

Performing Hazard Identification

There are many ways that one can identify a hazard. The simplest approach is by performing an inspection while walking around the workplace. During the inspection, discuss hazards with workers and seek input into how the hazard may be controlled. The safety committee or representative is also a valuable source of information and can provide incident records to help identify hazards.

Performing a Risk Assessment

To properly assess the risk associated with a hazard, you must determine:

1. The Probability - the likelihood that exposure to a hazardous thing or condition would cause an injury, disease or some incidence causing damage. When determining probability, consider how a person is exposed (route of exposure), how often, and how much exposure occurs.
2. The Severity - the gravity of the harm or the level of damage that may result.

A risk matrix is a common tool that can be used to increase the visibility of risk and help in the decision making process. To summarize, Risk = Probability X Severity.

It is important to remember that the assessment must take into account both the current state of the workplace and any potential situations that may occur. Consider normal operational situations as well as non-standard events such as maintenance shutdowns, power outages, emergencies, extreme weather, etc. To better understand the hazard, review all available health and safety information such as Safety Data Sheet (SDS), manufacturer’s literature, information from reputable organizations, results of testing, workplace inspection reports, and records of workplace accidents (including information about the type and frequency of the occurrence, illnesses, injuries, near misses, etc.).

Identifying Hazard Controls

By determining the level of risk associated with the hazard, the employer in collaboration with the safety committee or representative can set a priority and determine what actions are necessary to control the hazards. Using the hierarchy of hazard controls, risk of harm can be minimized, or even eliminated, by implementing the control components such as:

1. Elimination
2. Substitution
3. Engineering Controls
4. Administrative Controls
5. Personal Protective Equipment

Workers Duties

Workers can assist by:

• discussing their concerns with the inspection team;
• actively participating in the hazard assessment process; and
• reporting concerns to their supervisor, safety committee or representative.