40-Hour BOSH Training
Department of Labor and Employment
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH CENTER
RISK ASSESSMENT
Session Objective:
At the end of the session, the participants
will be able to perform risks estimate and
evaluation using the DOLE-prescribed
matrix
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 1
40-Hour BOSH Training
What is a risk assessment?
Risk assessment is a term used to describe the overall
process or method where you:
Identify hazards and risk factors that have the potential to
cause harm (hazard identification).
Analyze and evaluate the risk associated with that hazard
(risk analysis, and risk evaluation).
Determine appropriate ways to eliminate the hazard, or
control the risk when the hazard cannot be eliminated
(risk control).
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Why is risk assessment important?
Risk assessments are very important as they form an integral part of an
occupational health and safety management plan. They help to:
Prevent injuries or illnesses, especially when done at the design or
planning stage.
Create awareness of hazards and risk.
Identify who may be at risk (e.g., employees, cleaners, visitors,
contractors, the public, etc.).
Prioritize hazards and control measures.
Determine whether a control program is required for a particular hazard.
Determine if existing control measures are adequate or if more should be
done.
Meet legal requirements where applicable.
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 2
40-Hour BOSH Training
What is the goal of risk assessment?
The goal is to try to answer the following questions:
a. What can happen and under what circumstances?
b. What are the possible consequences?
c. How likely [and severe] are the possible consequences to
occur?
d. Is the risk controlled effectively, or is further action
required?
Canadian Center for Occupational Safety and Health
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Department of Labor and Employment
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When should a risk assessment be done?
There may be many reasons a risk assessment is needed,
including:
Before new processes or activities are introduced.
Before changes are introduced to existing processes or
activities, including when products, machinery, tools,
equipment change or new information concerning harm
becomes available.
When hazards are identified.
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 3
40-Hour BOSH Training
Steps in Risk Assessment
1. IDENTIFY THE HAZARD
2. ESTIMATE THE RISK
3. EVALUATE THE RISK
4. RECORD YOUR FINDINGS
5. REVIEW YOUR FINDINGS
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Risk Assessment
1. Identify the Hazards
Location (s)
People
Equipment
Activities
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 4
40-Hour BOSH Training
Categories of Hazards
Safety Hazards – something that has potential to cause injury
• Poor housekeeping hazards
• Fire hazards
• Machine hazards
• Material handling hazards
• Electrical hazards
Health Hazards – Any agent or activity posing potential hazard to health
• Chemical hazards (vapors, mists, fumes, gases, dusts)
• Physical hazards (noise, vibration, illumination, extreme temperature,
extreme pressure, radiation)
• Biological hazards (bacteria, viruses, molds, fungi, protozoa; and
insects, parasites, plants, animals
• Ergonomics (improperly designed tools or work areas, improper
lifting or reaching, poor visual conditions, repeated motion in
awkward position
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How are the hazards identified?
Walk through/ocular inspection
Review of Processes involved
Knowing the raw materials used, products and
by-products
Gathering workers’ complaints
Safety data sheet
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 5
40-Hour BOSH Training
How are the hazards identified?
To be sure that all hazards are found:
Include non-routine activities such as maintenance, repair, or
cleaning.
Look at accident / incident / near-miss records.
Include people who work off site either at home, on other job sites,
drivers, teleworkers, with clients, etc.
Look at the way the work is organized or done (include experience of
people doing the work, systems being used, etc).
Look at foreseeable unusual conditions (for example: possible impact
on hazard control procedures that may be unavailable in an
emergency situation, power outage, etc.).
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How are the hazards identified?
To be sure that all hazards are found:
Determine whether a product, machine or equipment can be
intentionally or unintentionally changed (e.g., a safety guard
that could be removed).
Examine risks to visitors or the public.
Consider the groups of people that may have a different level
of risk such as young or inexperienced workers, persons with
disabilities, or new or expectant mothers.
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 6
40-Hour BOSH Training
Risk Assessment
2. Estimate the Risk
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 7
40-Hour BOSH Training
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 8
40-Hour BOSH Training
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 9
40-Hour BOSH Training
Department of Labor and Employment
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How do you know if the hazard will cause harm
(poses a risk)?
Each hazard should be studied to determine its' level of risk. To
research the hazard, you can look at:
Product information / manufacturer documentation.
Past experience (knowledge from workers, etc.).
Legislated requirements and/or applicable standards.
Industry codes of practice / best practices.
Health and safety material about the hazard such as safety data
sheets (SDSs), research studies, or other manufacturer
information.
Information from reputable organizations.
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 10
40-Hour BOSH Training
How do you know if the hazard will cause harm (poses a
risk)? Cont.
Each hazard should be studied to determine its' level of risk. To research
the hazard, you can look at: (cont.)
The expertise of an occupational health and safety professional.
Information about previous injuries, illnesses, near misses, incident
reports, etc.
Observation of the process or task.
Results of testing (atmospheric or air sampling of workplace, biological
swabs, etc.).
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In evaluating the risk, consider:
Who might be harmed?
What is the likelihood (probability) that
somebody would be harmed?
How serious would the consequence
(severity) be?
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 11
40-Hour BOSH Training
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 12
40-Hour BOSH Training
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 13
40-Hour BOSH Training
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 14
40-Hour BOSH Training
Likelihood/Probability ratings in this example represent:
High
3 6 9
High: likely to be experienced once or twice a year by
Likelihood/probability
Med
2 4 6
Low an individual
1 2 3
Low Med High Medium: may be experienced once every five years
by an individual
Consequence/Severity
Low: may occur once during a working lifetime
Consequence/Severity ratings in this example represent:
High: major fracture, poisoning, significant loss of blood, serious head injury, or fatal
disease
Medium: sprain, strain, localized burn, dermatitis, asthma, injury requiring days off
work
Low: an injury that requires first aid only; short-term pain, irritation, or dizziness
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3. Evaluate the Risk
Table 1. Risk Matrix Table 2. Risk Ratings
High Description Color
3 6 9
Code
Likelihood/probability
Med Immediately Dangerous 9
2 4 6
Low High Risk 4-6
1 2 3
Low Med High Medium Risk 3
Consequence/Severity Low Risk 2
Very Low Risk 1
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 15
40-Hour BOSH Training
Table 2: Risk Ratings
Description Color
These risk ratings correspond to recommended
Code actions such as:
Immediately Dangerous 9 Immediately dangerous: stop the process and
High Risk 4-6
Medium Risk 3
implement controls
Low Risk 2 High risk: investigate the process and
Very Low Risk 1 implement controls immediately
Medium risk: keep the process going;
however, a control plan must be developed
and should be implemented as soon as
possible
Low risk: keep the process going, but monitor
regularly. A control plan should also be
investigated
Very low risk: keep monitoring the process
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Workshop
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 16
40-Hour BOSH Training
Workshop on the Use of Risk Assessment Tool
1. Hazard Identification 2. Risk Analysis/Evaluation 3. Risk Control
No Work Activity Hazard Which can cause Existing Risk Likeli- (Conse- Risk Propose Due
(Harm) Control (if any) Hood quence) dControl Date/
(Prob- (Severity) Measure Status
ability)
1 a. Safety Hazards
1.
2.
b. Health Hazards
1.
2.
2 a. Safety Hazards
b. Health Hazards
3 a. Safety Hazards
b. Health Hazards
4 a. Safety Hazards
b. Health Hazards
Department of Occupational Safety and Health Ministry of Human Resources
Malaysia [Link]/images/dmdocuments/glx/ve_gl_hirarc.pdf
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Hierarchy of Controls
Engineering Controls Physically remove the
Elimination hazard
Substitution Replace the hazard
Others • Provide adequate ventilation
• Ventilation • Modification of the process or
• Modification procedure
• Isolate people from the hazard
• Isolation
• Provide enclosure to the hazard
• Containment
Administrative Controls • Necessary OSH Issuances
• Work Scheduling
• Training and Education
• Emergency preparedness
PPE
• Protect the worker with PPE
• Last line of Defense
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 17
40-Hour BOSH Training
How are risks ranked or prioritized? (cont.)
These risk ratings correspond to recommended actions such as:
Immediately dangerous: stop the process and implement controls
High risk: investigate the process and implement controls immediately
Medium risk: keep the process going; however, a control plan must be developed
and should be implemented as soon as possible
Low risk: keep the process going, but monitor regularly. A control plan should
also be investigated
Very low risk: keep monitoring the process
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Department of Labor and Employment
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CLASSIFICATION OF RISK LEVELS
Low risk establishment – refers to a workplace where there is low level of danger or
exposure to safety and health hazards and not likely or with low probability to result in
accident, harm, injury, or illness.
Medium risk establishment – refers to a workplace where there is moderate
exposure to safety and health hazards and with probability of an accident, injury or
illness, if no preventive or control measures are in place.
High risk establishment – refers to a workplace where there is high level of
exposure to safety and health hazards, and probability of a major accident resulting to
disability, death or major illness is likely to occur if no preventive or control measures are
in place.
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 18
40-Hour BOSH Training
The following are workplaces commonly associated with
potentially high-risk activities:
1. Chemical works and chemical 11. Power generation, transmission and
production plants; distribution in the energy sector;
2. Construction; 12. Storage and distribution center for toxic
3. Deep sea fishing; or hazardous chemicals;
4. Explosives and pyrotechnics factories; 13. Storage of fertilizers in high volume;
5. Firefighting; 14. Transportation;
6. Healthcare facilities; 15. Water supply, sewerage, waste
7. Installation of communication management, remediation activities;
accessories, towers and cables; 16. Works in which chlorine is used in bulk;
8. LPG filling, refilling, storage and and
distribution; 17. Activities closely similar to those
9. Mining; enumerated above and other activities as
10. Petrochemical works and refineries; determined by DOLE in accordance with
existing issuances on the classification of
establishments.
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Review
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 19
40-Hour BOSH Training
Review questions
1. What are the three major steps in HIRAC?
2. Give the formula in calculating risk?
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CLEAR POINTS
When conducting hazard identification, it may help to work as a team
and include both people familiar with the work area, as well as people
who are not - this way you have both the experienced and fresh eye to
conduct the inspection.
There is no one simple or single way to determine the level of risk. Nor
will a single technique apply in all situations. The organization has to
determine which technique will work best for each situation.
Ranking or prioritizing hazards is one way to help determine which risk
is the most serious and thus which to control first.
Any violation of the OSH Standards and other laws must be considered
as immediately dangerous or totally unacceptable.
There are many factors to be considered to determine the effects of
health hazards (i.e. worker’s susceptibility and workplace factors).
Medical surveillance is necessary to establish that the illnesses are
work-related.
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Attribution/Author: Occupational Safety and Health Center 20
