This document discusses risk assessment and management. It defines hazard and risk, and describes how to classify aerosols. It then covers the process of risk assessment including hazard identification through workplace inspections, exposure assessment using industrial hygiene surveys, and risk characterization to estimate health outcomes. The document outlines risk management through prevention and control methods like engineering solutions and PPE, as well as risk communication and health surveillance of exposed workers.

1. Risk Assessment and Management
Faisal Al Hadad
Consultant of Family Medicine
& Occupational Health
PSMMC

2. Hazard vs. Risk
Hazard is any source of potential damage, harm or
adverse health effects on something or someone under
certain conditions at work.
Risk is the chance or probability that a person will be
harmed or experience an adverse healtheffect if exposed
to a hazard.

4. Classification of aerosols
Dusts solid particles made airborne by mechanical disintegration of bulk
solid material e.g. cutting, grinding, abrasion, crushing, handling,
transportation
Inhalable dust is fraction of total airborne particles that are inhaled through
the nose and or mouth e.g. wood dust, cement dust, flour dust
Respirable dust is fraction of total airborne particles that penetrate the
unciliated airways of the lung (alveolar region) where gas exchange occurs
e.g. silica, coal dust
Fibres: respirable fibre is defined as a fibre >5 µm in length, with a length
to width ratio of at least 3:1 and a diameter <3 µm e.g. asbestos, machine
Made mineral fibre

5. Classification of aerosols
Fumes formed when material from a volatilized solid condenses in cool air
e.g. rubber fume, diesel fumes, welding fume
Mists are suspended liquid droplets generated by condensation of liquids from
the vapour back to the liquid state or by breaking up a liquid into dispersed
state e.g. paint spraying mist, oil mist
Gases are formless fluids which expand to occupy the space or enclosure in
which they are confined e.g. CO
Vapours are volatile forms of substances that are normally in the solid or
liquid state at room temperature and pressure e.g. toluene

7. Risk Assessment
Definition:
RA is a structured and systematic procedure, which is
dependent upon the correct identification of hazards and
an appropriate assessment of risks arising from them for
purposes of their control and avoidance
(HSE, 1995)

8. Risk Assessment
Purpose of risk assessment: to enable a valid decision to be
made about measures necessary to control exposure to
substances hazardous to health arising in any workplace
Process of risk assessment
1. Hazard identification
2. Exposure assessment
3. Risk characterization

9. Hazard identification
Definition: hazard identification is determining the presence and
characteristics of contaminants that affect human health
Methods:
 Accident and ill health statistics
 Investigation of accidents, ill health effects and complaints
 Audits
 Workplace inspections (walk-through survey)
 List of the chemicals purchased and used (MSDS)
 Understanding the process in order to determine the intermediate and final
products
 Brain-storming of those who work in specific areas

10. Exercise: Hazard identification

11. Exposure assessment
Definition: exposure assessment is determining the
conditions of exposure and the doses received by those
exposed
Methods:
 Workplace inspections
 Industrial hygiene surveys (e.g. sampling, noise survey)

Biological monitoring

12. Risk characterization
Definition: risk characterization estimating the likelihood
of an adverse health outcome in exposed populations
and the uncertainties associated with the estimate
Level of risk
 intolerable
 tolerable
 negligible

14. Risk Management
Definition: risk management is the eradication or minimization of the
adverse effects of the pure risks to which an organization is exposed
(Bamber, 1990)
Purpose : to prevent injuries and ill health from hazards
Process:
 Prevention and control
 Risk communication
 Health surveillance

15. Prevention and control

Organizational solutions

Engineering solutions

Use of personal protective equipments

16. Organizational solutions

Complete elimination of the process that leads to the exposure

Complete elimination of the substance (s) causing the risk

Substitution by a less toxic substance

Substitution by the same substance, but in a form that reduces the risk of
exposure

Designing or redesigning the process so that exposure is minimized

Suppressing the substance

17. Engineering solutions

Total enclosures under negative pressure

Partial enclosures with extract ventilation

Extracted canopies

Hood or slots

General or dilution ventilation

18. Use of personal protective equipments

Respiratory protective equipment (e.g. respirator, breathing apparatus)

Hearing protectors (earmuffs/earplugs)

Gloves/sleeves

Protective clothing (e.g. jacket, trousers, aprons, overalls, coveralls,
body suits)

Eye and face protectors (e.g. safety spectacles, goggles, face shields
or visors)

19. Risk communication


Risk communication is communicating information
on risks to the stakeholders
Communication on risk should aim to bridge the gap
between perceived risks and real risks

20. Health surveillance
Definition:
The periodic medicophysiological examination of exposed workers
with the objective of protecting and preventing occupationally
related diseases (Notten et al, 1986)
Rationale:
to detect adverse health effects from occupational exposures at as
early a stage as possible

21. Indications of health surveillance
Where the RA indicates that it is required or it meets the following criteria:

An identifiable disease or adverse effect is associated with the work activity

Appropriate methods are available to identify such ill effects

It is reasonably likely that the adverse effect will occur giving the prevailing
work conditions

HS will offer additional protection to the workforce's health

22. Methods of health surveillance

Symptom review

Clinical assessment

Medical examination

Special investigations (lung function tests, audiometry, chest x-rays,
bladder cytology, periodic eye tests)

Determination of immune status (anti-HBS, tuberculin testing)

Biological monitoring (blood, urine, expired air samples)