required by the WHS regulations for specific hazards It is also important to use the risk management approach when designing and planning products, processes or places used for work, because it is often easier and more effective to eliminate hazards before they are introduced into a workplace by incorporating safety features at the design stage. 2. STEP 1 HOW TO IDENTIFY HAZARDS – Identifying hazards in the workplace involves finding things and situations that could potentially cause harm to people. Hazards generally arise from the following aspects of work and their interaction: physical work environment equipment, materials and substances used work tasks and how they are performed work design and management Table 1 below lists some common types of workplace hazards. Some hazards are part of the work process, such as mechanical hazards, noise or toxic properties of substances. Other hazards result from equipment or machine failures and misuse, chemical spills and structural failures. A piece of plant, substance or a work process may have many different hazards. Each of these hazards needs to be identified. For example, a production line may have dangerous moving parts, noise, hazards associated with manual tasks and psychological hazards due to the pace of work. Table 1 Examples of common hazards Hazard Potential harm Manual tasks Overexertion or repetitive movement can cause muscular strain Gravity Falling objects, falls, slips and trips of people can cause fractures, bruises, lacerations, dislocations, concussion, permanent injuries or death Electricity Potential ignition source. Exposure to live electrical wires can cause shock, burns or death from electrocution Machinery and equipment Being hit by moving vehicles, or being caught by moving parts of machinery can cause fractures, bruises, lacerations, dislocations, permanent injuries or death Hazardous chemicals Chemicals (such as acids, hydrocarbons, heavy metals) and dusts (such as asbestos and silica) can cause respiratory illnesses, cancers or dermatitis Extreme temperatures Heat can cause burns, heat stroke or fatigue Cold can cause hypothermia or frost bite Noise Exposure to loud noise can cause permanent hearing damage Radiation Ultra violet, welding arc flashes, micro waves and lasers
required by the WHS regulations for specific hazards It is also important to use the risk management approach when designing and planning products, processes or places used for work, because it is often easier and more effective to eliminate hazards before they are introduced into a workplace by incorporating safety features at the design stage. 2. STEP 1 – HOW TO IDENTIFY HAZARDS Identifying hazards in the workplace involves finding things and situations that could potentially cause harm to people. Hazards generally arise from the following aspects of work and their interaction: physical work environment equipment, materials and substances used work tasks and how they are performed work design and management Table 1 below lists some common types of workplace hazards. Some hazards are part of the work process, such as mechanical hazards, noise or toxic properties of substances. Other hazards result from equipment or machine failures and misuse, chemical spills and structural failures. A piece of plant, substance or a work process may have many different hazards. Each of these hazards needs to be identified. For example, a production line may have dangerous moving parts, noise, hazards associated with manual tasks and psychological hazards due to the pace of work. Table 1 Examples of common hazards Hazard Potential harm Manual tasks Overexertion or repetitive movement can cause muscular strain Gravity Falling objects, falls, slips and trips of people can cause fractures, bruises, lacerations, dislocations, concussion, permanent injuries or death Electricity Potential ignition source. Exposure to live electrical wires can cause shock, burns or death from electrocution Machinery and equipment Being hit by moving vehicles, or being caught by moving parts of machinery can cause fractures, bruises, lacerations, dislocations, permanent injuries or death Hazardous chemicals Chemicals (such as acids, hydrocarbons, heavy metals) and dusts (such as asbestos and silica) can cause respiratory illnesses, cancers or dermatitis Extreme temperatures Heat can cause burns, heat stroke or fatigue Cold can cause hypothermia or frost bite Noise Exposure to loud noise can cause permanent hearing damage Radiation Ultra violet, welding arc flashes, micro waves and lasers
how-to-manage-whs-risks.docx