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Hazard Identification is Conducted Correctly (SO3-AC1)
Completion requirements
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Hazard identification is part of the process used to evaluate if any situation, item, thing, etc. may have the potential to cause harm.
Determine appropriate ways to eliminate the hazard or control the risk when the hazard cannot be eliminated (risk control).
Overall, the goal of hazard identification is to find and record possible hazards that may be present in your workplace. It may help to work as a team and include both people familiar with the work area, as well as people who are not – this way you have both the experienced and fresh eye to conduct the inspection.
Hazard identification can be done:
- During design and implementation.
- Designing a new process or procedure.
- Purchasing and installing new machinery.
- Before tasks are done.
- Checking equipment or following processes.
- Reviewing surroundings before each shift.
- While tasks are being done.
- Be aware of changes, abnormal conditions, or sudden emissions.
- During inspections.
- Formal, informal, supervisor, health and safety committee.
- After incidents.
- Near misses or minor events.
- Injuries.
To be sure that all hazards are found:
- Look at all aspects of the work and include non-routine activities such as maintenance, repair, or cleaning.
- Look at the physical work environment, equipment, materials, products, etc. that are used.
- Include how the tasks are done.
- Look at injury and incident records.
- Talk to the workers: they know their job and its hazards best.
- Include all shifts and people who work off-site either at home, on other job sites, as drivers, teleworkers, with clients, etc.
- Look at the way the work is organised or done (including experience of people doing the work, systems being used, etc.).
- Look at foreseeable unusual conditions (for example possible impact on hazard control procedures that may be unavailable in an emergency situation, power outage, etc.).
- Determine whether a product, machine or equipment can be intentionally or unintentionally changed (e.g. a safety guard that could be removed).
- Review all of the phases of the lifecycle.
- Examine risks to visitors or the public.
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