The document discusses hazard recognition training, focusing on identifying workplace hazards through observational techniques rather than checklists. It emphasizes understanding the underlying causes of unsafe conditions and actions, including various types of hazards such as falls, contact with objects, and over-exertion. The training aims to improve workplace safety by fostering proactive awareness and understanding of potential hazards and their prevention.

1. Hazard Recognition Training
The “What if…” of Accident
Prevention
Allen Jingst, CIE
Safety / Ergonomics Consulting

2. What is “Hazard Recognition”
 A method to identify workplace hazards.
 An observation tool for understanding how
both unsafe conditions and actions occur.
 Hazard Recognition goes “beneath” the
obvious hazards to their underlying causes.

3. Why Hazard Recognition?
 Facility Inspections -  Hazard Recognition -
– Focus is mostly on – Universally applicable.
unsafe conditions. – Uses a questioning
– However, Unsafe format, rather than a
Actions account for checklist or audit.
most workplace – Can be used to
hazards. augment or better
– Requires an in-depth address other facility
knowledge. inspection methods.
– Limited by “checklist – Provides a “Pro-active”
approach”. approach.

4. Hazard Recognition Concept
 Key Concept / Question:
– What hazard Causes exist here?
 Look for Causes in a given work situation:
– General duties of a Job .
– Specific Tasks within the job.
– Workstation or site.
– Work method or process.
 Ask “What if…?”

5. The Basic Causes of Hazards
Falls - Struck by -
Striking against - Caught -
Contact by / with - Inhalation / Ingestion -
Over-exertion - Cumulative Trauma -

6. Falls -
 On the Same Level
– Slip due to…
– Trip due to…
– Haste, slope, etc.
 To a Lower Level
– Balance / posture
– Slip or Trip due to…
– 3 points of contact?
– While performing
another task.

7. Struck by -
 The object provides the force or action, such as the
following:
– A Moving Object strikes the worker...
• Misdirected Hand Tool; Workpiece that is
dislodged; Point of Operation area in a machine.
– A Flying Object is projected toward a worker...
• Foreign body in the Eye is typical.
– A Falling Object drops from above...
• Can you give an Example?

8. Striking against -
 The Object is
stationary and the
person provides the
force or motion.
– Hand slips from tool.
– Worker rounds a
corner and strikes a
stack of boxes.
– Tiger Woods strikes a
golf ball.
– Donald Duck’s irate
brother attacks a PC!

9. Caught -
 In, On or Between - Stationary and / or Moving
Objects
– Caught In: Worker trapped in confined space.
– Caught On: Pant leg snagged by a loose steel cable
end, leading to fall.
• Note: The Fall might be accident type, but the “underlying
cause” is the Caught On hazard.
– Caught Between: Hand crushed between pinch rollers
on a conveyor.
 Many machine and equipment accidents involve
Caught - type hazards.

10. Contact by / with -
 The substance or
object’s composition
or nature is inherently
Hazardous.
 The substance or
object may be
Hazardous only in
certain situations or
when specific
conditions are met.

11. Contact by / with -
 Electricity
– Voltage, amperage, etc.
 Cold or Heat
– Skin contact / body.
 Chemicals
– Skin contact hazard.
 Noise / Vibration /
Shock
– Intensity + Duration

12. Inhalation / Ingestion -
 Similar to Contact as the substance has an
inherent hazard.
– However, the substance must be internalized to
be hazardous or toxic.
 Some substances are both contact and
inhalation / ingestion hazards.
– Remember, you can be “unexpectedly” exposed
to these hazards (e.g. airborne toxins settle on open
beverages or food).

13. Over-exertion -
 Situations or conditions that create or cause
the need for more force, strength or
endurance than the person is capable of
performing.
 Manual Materials Handling - whole body:
– Lifting, Lowering, Pushing, Pulling, Carrying.
– Underlying Causes of Manual Handling -
• Weight or force, Posture & position, Frequency and
duration of task, Location of object handled.

14. Over-exertion -
 Other forms of Over-exertion include:
– Hands - type of grasp and grip force.
– Overhead or above - shoulder work.
– Physically demanding work -
• Shoveling, carrying long distances.
– Extensive tool use.

15. Cumulative Trauma -
 Repeated motions -
– Every few seconds
– Every couple minutes
 In combination with
poor postures, difficult
hand grasps, etc.
 Generally involving
physical stresses to
specific body joints.

16. Using Hazard Recognition -
 When Conducting Facility Inspections -
– People
• Observe the worker’s motions, postures, sequence of job or
task steps.
– Equipment
• How do tools, machines and equipment create or act as a
source for hazards?
– Environment
• Floors, work surfaces, lighting, noise, other jobs.
– Management
• Does management act to correct, warn or train to minimize
hazards?

17. Hazard Recognition -
 How else is it Valuable?
– When Investigating Accidents.
– To determine the causes of a “Near Miss”
incident.
– For Job Safety Analysis .
– As a part of New Employee Training.
 Make it a part of Employee Hazard
Awareness!