This paper focuses on setting a frame of reference with regard to the real scientific basis of real safety hazards and the hazards that contribute to safety risk.

2. The basics of safety hazards
and
The origins of safety risk
Sarel Smit
PP & Unisa

3. Sarel Smit
PP & Unisa
Objectives
1. To proclaim study object of safety as a science
2. To qualify the real/true nature of safety hazards
3. To profess the origin of safety risk
4. The identify characteristics that contribute to safety risk
5. To stipulate the implications for safety management

4. Sarel Smit
PP & Unisa
Study object of safety as a science
• Harm and damage as result of contact with some thing
• Some thing must be a hazard – safety hazard
• No contact no harm or damage
• Science of safety study object:
Natural
Interaction of safety hazards Planned
Unplanned

5. Safety hazards : current definitions = Yes/No
No Current definitions of safety hazards
Criteria: real safety
hazard
Madeofmatter
Contactability
Moveability
Interactability
Unambiguous-
ness
Realhazard
1 A situation is a safety hazard N N N N N N
2 A condition is a safety hazard N N N N N N
3 A predisposition is a safety hazard N N N N N N
4 A method/process or practice is a safety hazard N N N N N N
5 A human act is a safety hazard N N N N N N
6 Exposure is a safety hazard N N N N N N
7 Departing from normal is a safety hazard N N N N N N
8 A source of physiological and behavioural factors that
causes harm or damage is a safety hazard
N N N N N N
9 Safety risk associated with loss /damage is a safety hazard N N N N N N
10 Stress is a safety hazard N N N N N N

6. Sarel Smit
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A safety hazard
A safety hazard is any tangible object
(thing/substance)
that can affect life in any circumstances
positively or adversely
as result of its
closing, collision and interactive potential

7. Sarel Smit
PP & Unisa
Basic types of safety hazards
1. Single One only = element on periodic table
2. Compound Combination in one
3. Multiple Mixture of a number of 1 and or 2

8. Sarel Smit
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Structural and functioning characteristics
of safety hazards
that
contribute to / influence
safety risk

9. Sarel Smit
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Structural characteristics
1. Tangibility
2. Density
3. Size/volume
4. Weight/mass
5. Form
6. Surface/texture

10. Sarel Smit
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Functioning characteristics
7. Energy
8. Consistency
9. Interaction
10. Inconsistency (Humans)

11. Sarel Smit
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Human as a safety hazard
Meets all required characteristics of safety hazard
Inconsistency

12. Sarel Smit
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10. Inconsistency
Human body - Law based
Human mind - Norms based (ought to)
* Focus of mindset
* Determines choice
* Unpredictable
* Adds risk – human error

13. Sarel Smit
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Origin of safety risk
• Threats that safety hazards offer in energy exchange
• Energy exchange only during safety hazard interaction
• Threats originate during safety hazard interaction

14. Sarel Smit
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Valid observation
Safety risk originate
through safety hazard interaction
and energy exchange

15. Sarel Smit
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Safety per situation
A situation is safe
when the level of safety risk is acceptable
in direct relation to the competencies
of individuals, all other substances
and environment involved
(Individual threshold limits of all)

16. Sarel Smit
PP & Unisa
Conclusions
1. All substances on earth are safety hazards
2. Once a safety hazard always a safety hazard
3. No potential safety hazard
4. Humans need and use safety hazards purposefully
5. Safety is always situationally determined
6. Safety always relates to interaction and energy
exchange of safety hazards in a given situation
7. Implications for safety practice

17. Sarel Smit
PP & Unisa
Implications for safety management
1. Focus on safety hazard interaction and energy exchange
2. Different approach to
• Safety hazard analysis
• Safety risk assessment
• Developing and implementing safety controls
• Auditing
• Incident analysis
• Safety competence
• And many more

18. Sarel Smit
PP & Unisa
The END
Thank you very much