Introduction to risk assessment for students and novice researchers.

1. Safety Health & Environment
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2. What is a Risk Assessment?
• Risk Assessments are procedures to analyse job related risks.
• Can be basic or complex - depending on the hazards (job +
area specific).
– Basic risks e.g. Office workers (slips, trips)
– Complex risks e.g. Policemen (firearms, physical violence)
Assignment 1:
Write a short essay. Include the nine questions to ask when considering credible
consequences.
• To complete this task, follow the link below and read section 3.3 of the online
resource book extract.
Resource Book:
Ostrom, L. T., & Wilhelmsen, C. A. (2012). Risk assessment: tools, techniques, and their
applications. John Wiley & Sons.
https://books.google.co.za/books?hl=en&lr=&id=cNJ-
0p9sAy4C&oi=fnd&pg=PT21&dq=+Risk+assessment+OStrum&ots=Kx5f4d7SD2&sig=6xiWZ
NNLXJeqA5Nm80V7gV4Gc-s#v=onepage&q&f=false
Plan
it
Do
it
Check
it
Change
it
Evaluate
it
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3. Hazard or Risk: What's the difference?
Short video clip: Hazard vs Risk
https://youtu.be/_GwVTdsnN1E
Assignment 2:
– View the video clip.
– In the Chat Room mention 1 hazard that has or could
become a risk in your work area.
– Upload a short paragraph in the Assignments folder to
describe 1 suggestion to minimize (reduce) /eliminate
(remove) the risk that you identified.
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4. Why Risk Assessment matters to you?
Higher Education settings have:-
i. a unique safety climate.
ii. specific hazardous activities
– Some workers are more predisposed to risk exposures.
– Risk assessment aids workers to become self-aware.
• Falls, musculo-skeletal injuries & other single report
injuries e.g. cuts, blunt force trauma; are commonly
reported in our work setting.
• Some interesting findings in the Higher Education setting.
– ZHAO, Q. S., LI, M., & WEN, X. H. (2007). Safety education being the key to keep
the laboratories safe in universities [J]. Experimental Technology and
Management, 9, 002.
http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-SYJL200709002.htm
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5. South African Laws & Risk Assessment
South Africa has many progressive legislative documents.
• To be effective these directives require robust application, ongoing
monitoring and evaluation.
• The OHS Act 85 of 1993 (as amended) is the foremost document
instructing employers to conduct risk assessments.
OHS Act 85 of 1993:
http://www.labour.gov.za/DOL/legislation/acts/occupational-health-and-
safety/occupational-health-and-safety-act-and-amendments
Assignment 3:
Write an essay listing 5 sections of the OHS Act 85 that are relevant to
your work setting?
– In your essay identify one of the sections that you have listed and how
it is relevant in your work setting.
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6. International Standards
International Standards & Guidelines for Risk Assessment
promoted by the:-
• International Labour Organization
http://www.ilo.org/global/standards/lang--en/index.htm
• World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/en/
• International Standards Organization
http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/iso31000.htm
Assignment 4:
In your opinion - which standards are relevant to your work setting and why?
Or do you find these standards not applicable in your setting – briefly explain
why?
• Upload a short paragraph.
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7. Making Risk Assessment Relevant
There are no “one size fits all” risk assessments.
• It is important to learn and apply the basic principles in your
environment.
• Risk assessment is a skill acquired by doing (implementation).
Risk assessment should be simple and user-friendly.
– NB. - Certain work environments and jobs require specific and more
complex assessments.
– This introductory does not cover complex Risk Assessments.
– Contact the SHE Office for assistance if your work involves complex risks.
– Email ohs@uct.ac.za for assistance.
Resource:
• Hughes, P., & Ferrett, E. (2010). Introduction to International Health and Safety
at Work. Routledge.
https://books.google.co.za/books?hl=en&lr=&id=TkfJAwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg
=PP1&dq=related:nmll9Spc5zg3-M:scholar.google.com/&ots=-
terkrAZ5Q&sig=-
Ntn0GAZUUczjodskoBr4XLnmh8&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
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8. Make It Your Own
• The UK based Health & Safety Executive has an easy to follow
5 Step Guideline
– http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/controlling-risks.htm
• Health & Safety Executive Interactive online tool
– http://records.hse.gov.uk/connect.ti/officeriskassess/view
?objectId=23667
Assignment 5:
Follow the links to the Health & Safety Executive 5 step Guideline and Online
Interactive Tool.
• What was it like to use the 5 Step Guideline and the Interactive Online
Tool? Was it easy to follow? Was it helpful?
• Suggest ways to adapt the tool or ways to use it in your University-
based setting.
• Upload your responses in the “Assignments” folder.
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9. Who has to do the Risk Assessment?
The law states that risk assessment is a management
responsibility.
– Risk assessment is mandatory and must be done whenever a
person/process changes in the work environment.
– Delegating the duty does not remove accountability.
Safe working environments have controlled risks.
– Pay special attention to sections 8, 13, 14 & 37 of the OHS Act.
Resources:
• OHS Act 85 of 1993 (as amended)
http://www.labour.gov.za/DOL/legislation/acts/occupational-health-and-
safety/occupational-health-and-safety-act-and-amendments
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10. How to do a Risk Assessment?
South Africa ratified many international guidelines.
– The focus should be on promoting safer work practices.
– Proactive actions and not reactive responses.
• Watch this short "How To" Video as a resource for a novice Risk Assessor.
– Find the video and related articles in the “Resources” tab
– The next slide contains the procedure endorsed by the European Commission.
Assignment 6:
– Go online, search for a short instructional video that you found helpful on how
to do a basic risk assessment.
– What was helpful to you, in the video that you found?
• Answer the question, copy the video link and share it in the
“Assignments” folder.
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11. EC Risk Assessment programme in Hughes & Ferrett (2010).
1. Establish a risk assessment programme at work.
2. Structure the assessment: site or process-based approach
3. Collect information: past experience, environment, management methods, job tasks.
4. Identify hazards: look around, listen to what colleagues are reporting to you, check
maintenance logs.
5. Identify who is at risk
6. Those at risk may experience patterns of exposure. Identify patterns of exposure.
7. Evaluate significant risks - severity and probability of harm.
8. Check if control measures in place are adequate to control the risks.
9. Investigate alternative options to control or eliminate the risk.
10. Prioritize decisive actions and suitable control measures
11. Implement the controls
12. Document (Record) the risk assessment
13. Regularly measure the effectiveness of the control measures.
14. Periodically review the Risk Assessment or whenever changes are introduced. Revise
the Risk assessment as needed.
15. Monitor the risk assessment programme.
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12. Risk Assessment is an iterative process
1.Plan
2. Do
3.Check
4. Make needed
changes
5. Re-evaluate
ADAPTIVE
LEARNING
PROCESS
1. By microTOOL GmbH (microTOOL GmbH) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
2. By Sgt. 1st Class Vaughn Larson (https://www.dvidshub.net/image/107947) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
3. [Public Domain] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crystal_Clear_teamwork.png#filehistory
4. By Deutsche Fotothek, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7936716
5. Benjamin D. Esham [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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13. Congratulations! You've reached the end of this asynchronous online training session.
To receive your certificate:
1. Apply the Risk Assessment principles by completing a basic risk assessment of
your work area. Involve your Line manager, colleagues and other Safety
Appointees in your risk assessment (SHE Reps, First Aiders, Evacuation Marshals).
– Upload your completed Risk Assessment to the “Assignments” folder.
2. Ensure that you have completed all the assignments.
3. Complete the Course Evaluation.
• NB – a Risk Assessment template is available in the “Resources” tab.
• All resource links and downloads are available in the “Resources” tab.
• Please post any additional questions about risk assessment in the “Chat Room”
after you completed your risk assessment.
• All suggestions to improve this training are welcomed. Forward additional
comments via the “Message” facility on this site.
Your certificate will be emailed to you after the Course Assessor confirms that all items
(1 – 3) have been completed.
- - - - Thank You for participating in and completing this short course - - - -
Receiving Your Certificate
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14. Resource List
• Moen, R. D., & Norman, C. L. (2010). Circling back. Quality Progress, 43(11), 22.
http://search.proquest.com/openview/58202944e6438c19647222e251c5c42f/1?pq-origsite=gscholar
• Moen, R., & Norman, C. (2006). Evolution of the PDCA cycle.
http://pkpinc.com/files/NA01_Moen_Norman_fullpaper.pdf
• Prevention and management of occupational injuries at selected higher education institution in the Western
Cape, South Africa. http://digitalknowledge.cput.ac.za/xmlui/handle/11189/2455
• OHS Act 85 of 1993 (as amended) http://www.labour.gov.za/DOL/legislation/acts/occupational-health-and-
safety/occupational-health-and-safety-act-and-amendments
• International Labour Organization http://www.ilo.org/global/standards/lang--en/index.htm
• World Health Organization http://www.who.int/en/
• International Standards Organization http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/iso31000.htm
• The HSE has a 5 Step Guideline that is easy to follow http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/controlling-risks.htm
• Interactive online tool http://records.hse.gov.uk/connect.ti/officeriskassess/view?objectId=23667
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