LO 7.1 - Carry out risk assessment

Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 Section 19 of the SHWWA 2005 requires that employers and those who control workplaces must: * Identify the hazards in the workplaces under their control. * Assess the risks presented by these hazards. Risk Assessment

• Something with the potential to cause harm. • Includes injury/death, damage to property, damage to environment . . . Risk Assessment

Physical hazards: * Manual handling * Slip/trip hazards * Poor housekeeping * Fire * Work at height * Hot items * Cold environments * Driving for work * Poorly maintained equipment Risk Assessment

Health hazards * Noise * Vibration * Unsuitable light levels * Harmful dusts * Stress Risk Assessment

Chemical hazards * Cleaning agents * Glues * Industrial solvents * Dyes * Pesticides * Acids Risk Assessment

Human factor hazards * Bullying * Violence from other employees * Violence from public Risk Assessment

Risk A combination of likelihood of an adverse event and severity of outcome. * How likely is it that the harm will occur? * What’s the potential severity of that harm? * How many people might be harmed? Risk Assessment

• There are various quantitative and qualitative methods for carrying out risk assessments. • Quantitative methods use numbered scales; qualitative methods use descriptive terms. • A sample qualitative methodology is presented as an example. Risk Assessment

Risk Matrix Risk Assessment

• ‘Reasonably practicable’ • Legal requirements • Industry standards/guidelines • Engineering controls • Administrative controls • Anything else that can ‘reasonably’ be done. • Seeking to reduce the likelihood of the adverse event, or the severity of the outcome, or both Risk Assessment

Decide precautions * Can the hazard be removed? * Can the job be changed to make it safer? * If not, what precautions are necessary to reduce the risk? Risk Assessment

• Identified the hazards and risks relating to the place of work; • Exercised care in putting in place necessary preventive measures; • Put in place appropriate measures such that it would be grossly disproportionate to do more. Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment Risk Assessment