Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control Management
Will Holmes à Court
Last updated
Scope
Compliance with this policy is a condition of appointment for all workers engaged to provide services on behalf of HWH.
Definitions
Hazard - A source of potential harm to people or a situation with the potential to cause injury or loss to plant, property and equipment. Hazards can be physical, chemical, ergonomic, biological or psychological
Hazard Control - is the process of implementing measures to reduce the risk associated with a hazard
Hazard Identification - Is the process of identifying all situations or events that could give rise to injury, illness or damage to plant and property
Hazard Register - a record of all reported hazards, their risk level, control measure, residual risk, outcomes and completion date
Health - refers to the physical and psychological health of a worker
Health and Safety Representative - as per the WHS Act 2012 is a worker elected to represent a workgroup of which the worker is a member.
Hierarchy of Control - is a sequence of options, which offer ways to approach hazard control
Elimination
Substitution
Engineering
Administration
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Manager - a person who is charged with the management or direction of HWH and its divisions.
Officer - an officer within the meaning of section 9 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) other than a partner in a partnership; " A person who holds a position of rank or authority; Corporations - a director, secretary, or executive officer or the corporation, or a receiver, a receiver and manager, an administrator "
Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking {PCBU). - for the purpose of this policy refers to HWH
PCBU - Duty of Care HWH as a PCBU has a Duty of Care to its clients and workers to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that they are safe from injury and risks to health while at work and to provide and maintain:
a safe working environment
safe systems and methods of work
safe plant, equipment and substances
provide adequate facilities (e.g., first aid, drinking water, toilet facilities)
provide information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure safety
monitor working conditions (e.g., home WHS assessments)
monitor the health and safety of workers (e.g., review injury records)
keep records of work-related incidents and injuries
identify hazards, conduct risk assessments and control risks
implement and monitor Workplace Health and Safety Management Systems.
consult employees and their representatives about Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare issues
workers are familiar with their obligations and entitlements in accordance with this Policy.
Reasonably Practicable - in relation to a duty to ensure workplace health and safety, means that which is, or was at a particular time, reasonably able to be done in relation to ensuring health and safety, taking into account and weighing up all relevant matters including:
The likelihood of the hazard or risk concerned occurring; and
The degree of harm that might result from the hazard or the risk; and
What the person concerned knows, or ought to reasonably know, about-
the hazard or the risk; and
Ways of eliminating or minimizing the risk; and
The availability and suitability of ways to eliminate or minimize the risk; and
After assessing the extent of the risk and the available ways of eliminating or minimizing the risk, the cost associated with available ways of eliminating or minimizing the risk, including whether the cost is grossly disproportionate to the risk.
Residual Risk - The risk remaining after implementation of risk controls.
Risk - the possibility of an adverse event occurring and the potential consequence of that event.
Risk Assessment - is the process of evaluating the possibility and consequences of an event arising from exposure to an identified hazard(s).
Supervisor- Anyperson who has the authority to influence or to direct the actions of a worker e.g. Clinical Care Managers and Team Leaders.
Worker - Is a person who carries out work in any capacity for a person conducting a business or undertaking including work as an employee, contractor or subcontractor, an employee of a contractor or sub-contractor, an employee of a labour-hire company, apprentice or trainee, or a student gaining work experience.
Workplace - is a place where work is carried out for a business or undertaking and includes any place where a worker goes, or is likely to be, while at work.
Responsibilities
Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking - is responsible for the primary duty of care to ensure the health and safety of all workers in the workplace.
Managers, as Officers under the WHS Act 2012, are responsible for ensuring that:
Hazards are identified and assessed in consultation with workers
Risk assessments are undertaken
Control measures are implemented, where appropriate, based on the Hierarchy of Control
Records are maintained of all Environmental Hazard, Incident/Concern reports and Risk Assessments
Workers are appropriately trained in hazard reporting, management and risk assessment.
Some of the functions necessary to comply with the Regulations may be delegated to an appropriately authorised person.
Supervisors are responsible for ensuring:
Workers are encouraged to be aware of potential hazards and report them promptly
Workers are trained to complete Hazard Report Forms
That workers receive assistance, where necessary, to complete Hazard Report Forms
Inspections of all workplaces are conducted regularly (no less than once a year); and that identified hazards are reported in a timely manner, assessed and eliminated (where reasonably practicable) or controlled
Completed Hazard and Incident/Concern/Injury Report Forms are provided to the Principal responsible for Human Resources.
Workers are responsible for ensuring that:
Hazards, Incidents/Concerns/Injuries and near misses are reported as soon as possible
Hazard and Incident/Concern/Injury Report Forms are provided to your Manager/Supervisor
They follow procedures established to protect workers' health and safety in the workplace.
Principal responsible for Human Resources or nominee is responsible for:
Maintaining and updating WHS Policies and Procedures
Undertaking or supervising recording of Risk Assessments on all WHS processes undertaken by HWH
Monitoring all WHS Hazard and Risk Assessment Training.
The WHS&E Committee is responsible for:
Reviewing the Hazard and Incident/Cancer/Injury reports tabled at the WHS&E Committee meetings
Eliminating or minimising hazards in the workplace wherever possible.
Policy
HWH aims to achieve a consistent approach to the assessment of risks associated with their activities in the workplace and in the process of client support in their home. HWH has adopted a single risk assessment matrix.
Risk Assessments are to be undertaken prior to the introduction of any equipment, substance, work practice or change to the workplace. A risk assessment should, where reasonably practicable, eliminate hazards or at least minimise it in accordance with the Hierarchy of Control. It is policy to seek to eliminate the risk before considering other risk minimisation options.
There will be ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the controls in place through:
HWH premises assessments
Client Home assessments
Hazard reporting
Incident/Concern reporting
Incident investigations and risk assessment
Reporting to the WHS&E Committee, Leadership Committee and the Board.
Procedure
The following procedures have been formulated to ensure hazards that could give rise to potential injury or illness are identified, reported, assessed and controlled in a prioritised and systematic manner.
Premises Inspections Quarterly inspections of all premises managed or controlled by HWH will be conducted by members of the WHS&E Committee and/or Managers. Any identified hazards will be documented on the Safety Inspection Checklist and managed in accordance with this procedure.
A comprehensive Legislative Compliance Audit will be undertaken every 12 months by the Principal responsible for Human Resources or their nominee and a comprehensive Audit Report will be completed and tabled at the following WHS&E Committee, Leadership and Board meetings.
Client Home Inspection A Supervisor will conduct an inspection of all new client homes before the commencement of services. Any identified hazards will be documented on the Environmental Hazard Report Form and managed in accordance with this procedure.
Client Home Inspections will be conducted annually for all ongoing clients. Any identified hazards will be documented on a Hazard Report (Google Form) and managed in accordance with this procedure.
Hazard Reporting and Risk Assessments must accompany any proposal for the introduction of new equipment or process or the modification of equipment or processes where the hazard impacts on the welfare of workers.
Hazard reporting
A Worker identifies an environmental hazard in the workplace; they then notify a Manager/Supervisor and complete a Hazard Report (Google Form)
A worker receiving a verbal report of a hazard must complete a Hazard Report
All Environmental Hazard Report Forms are to be forwarded to the Principal responsible for Human Resources for review and referral to a Supervisor for a Risk Assessment to be completed
The reporting worker must be consulted throughout the assessment process and the hazard controlled using the Hierarchy of Controls
The Supervisor should complete a worksite inspection, assess the risk and implement appropriate controls. Situations rated High or Extreme risk ratings will be addressed immediately to prevent serious injury or death. Moderate to low-risk ratings will be addressed within seventy-two (72) hours of the Hazard being reported.
The Principal responsible for Human Resources or their nominee will ensure the Hazard Report is completed and recorded in the Hazard Report responses.
Outcomes/controls are to be documented by the supervisor in the Hazard Report Response Form (Google Form) and were appropriated documented in the Client Care Plan and/or their Care Instructions in Basecamp.
The Hazard Responses will be reviewed by the Leadership team, the WHS&E committee and will be presented to the Board.
Risk Assessment
Risk assessment is the process of assessing all the risks associated with each of the hazards identified during the hazard identification process. In assessing the risks, three essential steps are taken:
The likelihood of an incident occurring is evaluated
The severity of the potential consequences is calculated or estimated.
Based on these two (2) factors, the risks are assigned priority for risk control using a risk rating.
Risk assessment involves examining and evaluating the likelihood and severity (or consequence) of the potential outcomes to prioritise risks for control. The Risk Management Matrix was adopted from AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009, Risk Management - Principles and Guidelines
Step One - Consequence What might be the consequences of a hazardous event or situation occurring?
The result of the risk matrix is compared with the criteria defined below and the required control strategies are implemented as outlined in the Risk Control Section below.
The higher the risk rating the greater priority to control the hazard:
Extreme - Immediate action required; notify the office. The activity must be ceased immediately.
High - Notify the office and implement immediate action to minimise injury.
Medium - Remedial action within one month (if possible), supervisor attention required.
Low - Monitoring only required. Beware!
Risk Control
Risk Control requires actions to be taken to eliminate or reduce the likelihood that exposure to a hazard will result in injury or disease. It provides a means by which risk can be systematically evaluated against a set of control options (the Hierarchy of Controls) to determine the most effective control method(s) for the risk(s) associated with each hazard.
This process involves analysing the data collected during the hazard identification and risk assessment processes and developing a plan to eliminate or control the risks identified. It must be noted that not all risks can be eliminated but with control measures, in place, the risk rating can be reduced.
Methods of Risk Control When planning how hazards are to be controlled and risks reduced, the Hierarchy of Control should be used. Controls closer to the top of the hierarchy are preferable to those lower down the hierarchy (such as PPE) because they are less dependent on human behaviour. In many circumstances, control solutions will incorporate a combination of controls.
Hierarchy of Control in the preferred order as listed:
Eliminate the hazard
Substitution the process, equipment or chemical with a lesser hazard
Engineering control - redesign the process or equipment to reduce the hazard
Administrative control - develop procedures such as training, safe operating procedures, job rotation or signage to draw attention to the hazard
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
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View full-sizeDownload Evaluation All control measures implemented, including temporary solutions, should be assessed to evaluate their effectiveness.
Consultation If practicable, there must be consultation with the relevant health and safety representative(s) when identifying, assessing and controlling risks. Consulting directly with employees/volunteers and drawing on their experience and knowledge is more effective in reducing risk.
Records All identified hazards are recorded in the Hazard Report Responses as well as the assessment of risk and implemented control(s). The Hazard Responses is a method of reviewing the appropriateness of controls and identifying those higher risk hazards and trends.
Training Information, instruction and training provide workers with the skills and knowledge to perform their work in a manner that is safe and without risks to health. It enables them to:
Follow health and safety procedures
Use risk controls set in place for their protection
Have an appreciation of the nature of hazards, the risks associated with them and the reason why risk controls are used.
Supervisors, Health and Safety Representatives and others who may be required to perform risk assessment by agreement with Management, shall be trained in hazard identification, risk assessment and control methods. They must be trained in the risk assessment process.
Related Legislation
AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009, Risk Management - Principles and Guidelines
A breach of this policy is grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Ignorance of these procedures will not generally be accepted as an excuse for non-compliance. Only in extreme circumstances and where such ignorance can be demonstrated to have occurred through no fault of the individual concerned will HWH accept such an argument.
Distribution and Review
HWH will ensure all persons engaged to provide services either paid or unpaid will be aware of this policy and will have easy access to it in an appropriate format. All policies are to be reviewed on a periodic basis or when legislation or government policy determines.
