Assignment 95

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Risk Assessment

• Responsibilities of engineers

• Hierarchy of Control

• Individual Reflection

Do engineers cause accidents?

Engineering Deficiencies which might partly contribute to or cause accidents

Adverse Environment

Poor Management

Malfunction and Failure

Operator Error

Poor Maintenance

Other Lack of

Knowledge Design

Deficiency

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Hazards versus Risks • A hazard is a situation in the workplace that

has the potential to harm the health and

safety of people or to damage plant and

equipment. The situation could involve a

task, material or equipment that is used.

• A risk is the likelihood, that a hazard will

actually cause harm or damage. E.g. sharks

are a hazard, but if you don’t enter the water

there is no risk of a shark attack.

General Risk Assessment Framework

1. Identify Risk

2. Assess Risk

3. Determine Control Measures

4. Monitor Risk and Control Measures

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1. Identify Risk

Strategies to identify risks include:

• Brainstorming

• Comparison with previous similar projects

• Using cause-effect analysis

• Utilizing a Work-Breakdown-Structure

(WBS)

2. Assess Risk

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3. Determine Control Measures

• A hierarchy of preferred options: “hierarchy

of control” (on following slide)

• It is based on a safe place approach, rather

than a safe person approach

Hierarchy of Control 1. Elimination

The most desirable option  If you eliminate a hazard you completely eliminate the associated risk.

2. Substitution  You can substitute something else (a substance or a process) that has less

potential to cause injury.

3. Isolation/engineering  You can make a structural change to the work environment or work process

to interrupt the path between the worker and the risk.

4. Administrative  You may be able to reduce risk by upgrading training, changing rosters or

other administrative actions.

5. Personal protective equipment The least desirable option

 When you can't reduce the risk of injury in any other way, use personal protective equipment (gloves, goggles, etc.) as a last resort.

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4. Monitor Risk and Control Measure

• Does the control measure introduce a new

risk?

• Is the control measure effective?

Individual Reflection during class time

Reflect individually and write in your workbook:

• In which situation in the past did you assess

risks? (What?, So what?, What now?)