The document discusses Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) Trigger Boards used to improve the quality of Daily Safety Task Instructions (DSTIs) by prompting workers to consider potential hazards. The trigger boards listed common hazards to help engage workers in actively identifying hazards in their tasks rather than just recording instructions. Their use on one project led to clear improvements in the thoroughness of DSTI documentation. The boards provided can be adapted to different work activities.

1. Hazard Identification and
Risk Assessment (HIRA)
Trigger Boards
Compiled by
Rudi Nieuwoudt
Construction
Safety

2. What are HIRA Trigger Boards?
It is a constant battle to ensure that Daily Safety Task Instructions (DSTI’s or TI’s) are
completed properly and contain all the relevant hazards and mitigations associated with a
specific task. Too often you will find that these task instructions are substandard and not
addressing all the risks and hazards of the task at hand.
In 2012 we started an initiative to try and improve the quality of daily safety task instructions
on our project. We came up with the HIRA Trigger Boards which were placed at strategic
areas for maximum exposure to the workforce.
The function of these boards were to make use of trigger words/phrases to activate the
thought process with the employees conducting these task instructions. The idea was to
better engage the employees in the HIRA process and thus improving the quality of DSTI’s.
To get them thinking for themselves instead of just telling them what to write down.
The HIRA trigger board worked well for my project and there was a clear improvement in the
quality of the DSTI’s.
The application of the boards are limitless and can be adapted to any activity you deem
requires more attention. I have added some of the boards that I used with success. I hope
that it will work for your project as well.

3. Communication?
PPE?
Housekeeping?
Lifting
Weight per
person?
Tripping
hazards?
Stacking
and
Storage?
Walkways?
Fatigue?
Redundant
Material/Unused
material in the
work area?
HIRA TRIGGER BOARD
Manual
Handling
IDENTIFY ALL THE HAZARDS
NOTE THESE HAZARDS IN YOUR
DSTI AND MITIGATE THEM
MAKE SURE YOUR
EMPLOYEES UDERSTAND
REVISIT YOUR DSTI AFTER
LUNCH
IF CONDITIONS CHANGE
YOU MUST CAPTURE IT ON
YOUR DSTI

4. HIRA TRIGGER BOARD
IDENTIFY ALL THE HAZARDS
MAKE SURE YOUR
EMPLOYEES UDERSTAND
REVISIT YOUR DSTI AFTER
LUNCH
IF CONDITIONS CHANGE
YOU MUST CAPTURE IT ON
YOUR DSTI
Inspections/
Soap Tests?
Training/
Competencies?
Hose
Care/Hose
Management?
Storage and
Transport of
Gas bottles?
Cocooning/Spark
Containment
Body
Positioning/Line of
fire?
Interfacing?
Cutting at
Height/Area
below?/Barricading?
Fire Prevention/
Emergency
Equipment?
Gas
Cutting
NOTE THESE HAZARDS IN YOUR
DSTI AND MITIGATE THEM

5. HIRA TRIGGER BOARD
Inspections?
Training/
Competencies?
PPE?
Sparks/Cocooning/
Welding Screens
Access to
work
area?
Assistant’s PPE
Requirements?
Welding at
Heights/Area
Below?
Welding
Rod
Storage?
Cable
Management?
Warning Signs/
Communication
with affected
people?
Housekeeping?
Welding
IDENTIFY ALL THE HAZARDS
MAKE SURE YOUR
EMPLOYEES UDERSTAND
REVISIT YOUR DSTI AFTER
LUNCH
IF CONDITIONS CHANGE
YOU MUST CAPTURE IT ON
YOUR DSTI
NOTE THESE HAZARDS IN YOUR
DSTI AND MITIGATE THEM

6. HIRA TRIGGER BOARD
Inspections?
Training/
Competencies?
PPE?
Sparks/
Cocooning?
Correct
Disc for
the Job?
Disc Storage?/
Disc Exchange?
Cable management/
Tripping Hazards?
Correct size
Grinder for the
job?
Bad
Weather?
Body
Positioning/
Line of Fire?
Grinders
IDENTIFY ALL THE HAZARDS
MAKE SURE YOUR
EMPLOYEES UDERSTAND
REVISIT YOUR DSTI AFTER
LUNCH
IF CONDITIONS CHANGE
YOU MUST CAPTURE IT ON
YOUR DSTI
NOTE THESE HAZARDS IN YOUR
DSTI AND MITIGATE THEM

7. HIRA TRIGGER BOARD
Inspections?
Training/
Competencies?
Working
Platforms?
Access to
work area?
Bad
Weather?
Area
Below/Barricading/
Signage?
Falling Objects/
Hand Tools?
Communication
with other people
in the area?
PPE?/Safety
Harness?
Working
at Heights
IDENTIFY ALL THE HAZARDS
MAKE SURE YOUR
EMPLOYEES UDERSTAND
REVISIT YOUR DSTI AFTER
LUNCH
IF CONDITIONS CHANGE
YOU MUST CAPTURE IT ON
YOUR DSTI
NOTE THESE HAZARDS IN YOUR
DSTI AND MITIGATE THEM

8. HIRA TRIGGER BOARD
Inspections?/Green
Tag?
PPE?/Safety
Harness/PPE
Inspections?
Fatigue?
Material Handling/
Communication
Falling
Objects/Area
Below?
Snow Netting/
Barricading?
Warning
Signs?
Bad
Weather?
100% Tie
Off?
Housekeeping/
Stacking
Material?
Competencies/
Training?
Scaffolding
IDENTIFY ALL THE HAZARDS
MAKE SURE YOUR
EMPLOYEES UDERSTAND
REVISIT YOUR DSTI AFTER
LUNCH
IF CONDITIONS CHANGE
YOU MUST CAPTURE IT ON
YOUR DSTI
NOTE THESE HAZARDS IN YOUR
DSTI AND MITIGATE THEM

9. HIRA TRIGGER BOARDInspections?/
Checklists?
PPE?
Communication
with Affected
People
Rigger signals/
Line of site with
Crane operator?
Falling
Objects/Area
Below?/ Guide
Ropes?
Snow Netting/
Barricading?
Warning
Signs?/Whistles?
Bad
Weather?
Lifting Tackle
Care and
Inspections
Housekeeping/
Stacking
Material?
Competencies/
Training?
Rigging
IDENTIFY ALL THE HAZARDS
MAKE SURE YOUR
EMPLOYEES UDERSTAND
REVISIT YOUR DSTI AFTER
LUNCH
IF CONDITIONS CHANGE
YOU MUST CHANGE IT ON
YOUR DSTI
NOTE THESE HAZARDS IN YOUR
DSTI AND MITIGATE THEM