procedure for hazard identification and evaluation

1. Workplace –walk through survey
By Dr. Ashok Laddha
Emergency Medicine
Occupational health physician

2. Introduction
• This procedure outlines the requirements for
the conduct of regular worksite inspections in
workplaces. Regular workplace inspections are
performed to ensure a safe working
environment is maintained. These inspections
aim to identify hazards in the workplace and
to minimise risks to health, safety or
environmental harm.

3. Definition-1
• The recognition of hazards in the workplace begins
with a walk-through survey. This provides the industrial
hygienist/occupational health specialist information on
the different plant processes and operations, the
health services available in the company, the health
status of employees, the safety provisions for workers,
and the condition of facilities such as food service,
sanitary, and waste disposal facilities. Occupational
hazards are initially identified during the walk-through
to facilitate subsequent hazard evaluation using
appropriate industrial hygiene methods.

4. Definition-2
• Type of plant test in which each section of a plan
is described, discussed, and reviewed to verify its
elements and the coordination between different
materials.
• The walkthrough survey is not a site inspection
but rather a technical review of the operations,
workers, and materials in a workplace used to
more clearly identify potential health hazards and
help guide a qualitative assessment

5. objective
• To identify potential workplace health hazard
and assess the presence appropriate
measures for their control

6. Purpose
• The Occupational Hygiene Program provides
information to departments, supervisors and
workers to allow for informed decision-making
regarding exposure to hazardous agents in the
workplace

7. How does survey help u?
• Walk through survey a part of occupational
hygiene surveys is useful for evaluation of
employee exposures to hazardous chemical
substances and physical agents in the
workplace environment and anticipate the
hazards that may result from process, as
required by legislation.

8. Advantage of survey
• A survey is a way to
• gather data about a specific topic, often in a confidential manner.
• Conducting surveys in the workplace can help you gauge employee
attitudes and perceptions .
• The advantage of conducting surveys in the workplace is that the
process will give you a detailed picture about the operation and
process.
• Help in identification of new hazards
• Useful in obtaining factual information
• Help in hazard identification
• Help in risk assessment
• Help in risk prioritization

9. Interactions between people and the environment

10. Scope

11. components
• Plant operation
• Process operation/description
• Process flow chart
• Material and chemical used
• By-product
• MSDS
• Over all sanitation
• Hazard identification
• Risk assessment
• Staff strength
• Safety procedures
• PPE
• Control Procedure
• Sop

12. Check list for WTS
Particulars Available Y/N Reviewed Y/N Comment
/Remarks
Type of operation
Process involved
Description of
process
Material and
chemicals involved
Details about bi
product
Availability of MSDS
Staff strength
Female employee

13. Check list for WTS-2
Detail information
on intermediate
product
Contract employees
Information on
manual work
Noise level
Ventilation
Lightening level
Process flow chart
House keeping
Sequence of
operation
Time required for
each process

14. Check list for WTS-3
Information on PPE
PPE Compliance
Availability of
drinking water
Availability of
urinals/toilets
Availability of
changing room/rest
room
Information on
signage and their
placement
Maintenance
schedule
Maintenance
record

15. Check list for WTS-4
Information on
maintenance of TLV
Availability of Anti
dotes
Availability of eye
shower
Information on
personal habits
Occurrence of
odour
Vibration
Floor condition
Information on
leakage
Medical check up
compliance

16. Check list for WTS-5
Incident data
FAC cases
MTC cases
Lost time cases
CORRECTIVE action
Preventive action
Availability of First
aider /Shift
Sickness
absenteeism
Information on
hazard toxicity
Availability of first
aid box

17. Check list for WTS-6
Availability of AED
Availability of
stretcher
Information on
dangerous
occurrence
Information on
hazard
identification
Exposure history
with duration
Administrative
control
Engineering control
Information about
equipment

18. WTS Form
Nature of
operation
Raw
material/chemic
als/used
Equipment and
machinery
Hazard/exposur
e/duration/rout
es
PPE CONTROL
METHODS
NO OF
employees
exposed

19. Content of walk through survey form
• Name of plant
• Name of Department
• Name of supervisor
• Date
• Location
• Name of person who conducted survey
• Remark
• Suggestion
• Signature of supervisor
• Signature of OH Specialist

20. Responsibility
• Occupational health specialist
• Occupational health nurse
• Safety personnel

21. Out come
• A strengthened advocacy in both the
implementation of these regulations and in
the evaluation and control of these hazards
could further help in reducing the outcomes
that these hazards may cause. Note that a
workplace that is free from occupational
hazards will create a safe working
environment which would increase employees
performance and productivity.