Hazard Management Process - Colimore University - Case Study Example

Running Head: Hazard Management Report Occupational Health and Safety Management- Hazard Management Report Name Institution Date Acknowledgment In this report, I would like to thank the Dean of emergency management at the Colimore University, the Principle, other workers and students at the University. They have helped in coming up with the information written in this report. Executive Summary The hazard management process involves risk identification, risk assessment as well as risk control. It is the best method of recognising and addressing hazards in the work place. Hazards are the major causes of diseases, injury and death in the work place. There are different methods of assessing risks. Risk matrices are the simplest and best method of assessing risks. The hierarchy of control measures is the best method of controlling risks. Risks control measures must be reviewed from time to time. The hazard management process is a continuous process and must be undertake regularly. Table of Contents Acknowledgement...............................................................................................2 Executive Summary............................................................................................3 Table of Contents................................................................................................4 Introduction.......................................................................................................5 Hazard Identification...........................................................................................5 Methods of Hazard Identification..........................................................................5 Risk Assessment..................................................................................................6 Risk Assessment Matrix......................................................................................7 Risk Control.......................................................................................................7 Reviewing Control Measures................................................................................9 Action Plan........................................................................................................9 Legal Implications...............................................................................................9 Conclusion........................................................................................................10 References........................................................................................................11 Occupational Health and Safety Management- Hazard Management Report Introduction Hazard is considered as anything that causes harm to health as well as safety leading to the occurrence of a disease, illness, injury and death. Hazard exists in a working environment or working systems when a person is exposed to risks that are beyond human control to cause injury or illness. Hazard management is an important aspect in all working environments. It involves, hazard identification, risk assessment, risk control measures, review of risk measures and action plan. This report describes hazard management in Colimore University. It demonstrates how the duty holder (WHS consultant) uses the guidelines of hazard management in addressing the hazards that may arise in the institution (Government of South Australia, 2011). Colimore University is considered to be a very secure as well as safe University. Here, everyone is aware that emergencies occur rarely. However, it has been established that fire and medical emergencies are the major health hazards that affect the University as well as the community that surrounds the institution. The director of emergency at the Colimore University demanded an investigation by the WHS consultant on these two threatening health hazards to the university. The WHS consultant presented this hazard management report to the director. According to the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 REG 34, as the WHS consultant, the WHS consultant has the responsibility to identify reasonable hazards that are foreseeable and can lead to health and safety risks within the university. Hazard Identification Hazard identification involves an approach which is planned to manage hazards that arise in a working environment. The purpose of hazard identification is to discover the problem areas for the purpose of addressing them prior to the occurrence of the harm. This exercise of hazard identification is not one time; it is an ongoing, regular and a systematic process. It is undertaken continuously when a hazard is recognized due to acquisition of new items, substances, equipment as well as change of work designs and systems. Review of hazards must be undertaken when changes that may affect health and safety are done. This will help in supplementing checks that are ongoing and regular (WorkCover NSW, 2009). Methods of Hazard Identification There are various methods that a duty holder can use to identify hazards in an institution. What determines the activity or exercise is the hazard identification scope. Hazard identification can be done on a particular job, equipment, item, location, work process, machinery, a particular hazard and work area. Some of the methods use to carry out hazard identification in the work place include; observations, worker and user input, product information, published information, analysis of data, work environment monitoring as well as health surveillance. Various methods should be used to identify hazard and identification of hazard should not be based on one method of identification. The reason is that, different people and different methods have the possibility of identifying problems that are different. Therefore, the use of different methods of hazard identification will provide a comprehensive picture of the identified hazard (Government of Southern Australia, 2011). To establish that fire and medical emergencies are the main hazard vulnerable in Colimore University, the WHS consultant inspected and observed the university environment and its surroundings using a checklist. The consultant also consulted with workers as well as students through discussions, interviews and surveying workers to seek out their insight and experience of hazards within the University. The WHS consultant also provided questionnaires to the workers and students to provide any relevant information concerning hazards in the University. From the response, the WHS consultant was able to identify the environment as having a greater risk of fire occurrence due to criminal activities by students. Students were found to be dissatisfied with certain services offered at the University; they may be dissatisfied with a lecture or the principal. Therefore, they were found to carry out demonstrations to seek measures for addressing complains. As a way of demonstrating, some students criminally set out fire in the hostels, library and even classes. Fire could also occur as a result of chemical spill or an explosion. Medical emergencies may also occur as a result of accidents, illness and other medical conditions. Risk Assessment Risk assessment involves making investigations and judging the likeliness of a hazard occurring together with its consequences. It is about predicting the happening of an event in the future by making the best estimate using the available information. It is important to note that, different hazards have different impact potential in terms of consequences that are exposed to them. Therefore, some hazards are more dangerous than others. The likelihood of a hazard occurring is usually influenced by the degree it is exposed to. This gives a reason for carrying out a risk assessment (WorkCover NSW, 2009). Risk assessment involves making an evaluation of the probability as well as the consequences of an injury or sickness resulting from being exposed to a hazard that has been identified (SafeWork Australia, 2011). Risk assessment enables a person or a duty holder to assess risk significance by prioritizing hazards together with the required control measure. Therefore, risks within an institution must be assessed according to significance and priority for the purpose of applying stringed controls. Risk assessment should be carried out by consulting with other workers are parties within the institution. Hazard identification informs risk assessment. A duty holder must understand the potential impact or consequence of exposure. The degree of involved risk can also be gained through observing work process, consulting with fellow workers, monitoring of work environment and health surveillance. When carrying out risk assessment, the following is considered; the nature of the hazard, the degree and frequency of exposure as well as the possible consequences of exposure (Gallagher & Underhill, 2012). Risk assessment has been simplified by the use of risk matrices that are used to compare the known severity of a potential impact or consequences with estimates of the likelihood of the hazard or risk occurring. In assessing the risk of fire and medical emergencies at Colimore University, the WHS used a risk assessment matrix to estimate the consequence, estimate the likelihood and determine the risk level. This helped a lot in avoiding guesswork that could lead to subjective judgment. The following risk assessment matrix was used. Risk Assessment Matrix Likelihood Major Serious Minor Insignificant Very likely (and will almost certainly happen) Likely (and will probably happen at some time) Unlikely (but could happen at sometime Very unlikely (and might happen only rarely) Government of South Australia, (2002) Red – Extreme Risk – risk is of significant concern Amber – High Risk- risk calls for caution Yellow – Medium Risk – risk is acceptable Green – Low Risk – risk is acceptable Fire and medical emergencies were considered as being the extreme risks within the university and therefore of significant concern. Risk Control When controlling risks, the approach of safe work place is mostly preferred that the approach of safe person. The reason is that, human behaviour in the safe person approach is not reliable. Using controls that are focused on individual safe behaviour means that people work without making mistakes and this not possible. Such controls can be used as last resort because it is difficult to ensure that they are effectively practiced. It is important to note that, it is normal for people at work to make mistakes especially when they are tired, work under the influence of pressure or they just want to get the job done. Therefore, it is not advisable to rely on the notion that people should work safely all the time. It is necessary to controls risks. The most preferred safe work place approach is the hierarchy of control measures. In this method, preference is considered to remove hazards at the source (Gallagher & Underhill, 2012). According to Safe work Australia (2011), it is a legal requirement for the WHS consultant to devise ways of eliminating hazards within the institution. It is evident that, most of the accidents within the University occur as a result of activities that are not safe. To completely eliminate hazards, the Australian legislation requires the WHS consultant and other people concerned to focus on hierarchy of control to ensure the work place is safe. What the duty holder/WHS consultant need to understand is that, it is important to ensure that work places are safe before getting exposed to risks. Through safe work place, risks can be effectively minimized than dealing with the hazard after people are exposed to the risks. The hierarchy of control advocates for safe design concerns. Here, upstream decisions that impact positively on the downstream design are made to eliminate hazards occurring at the source. Hazards are eliminated wherever possible within the design of plant, systems f work and work processes. According to the Work Health and Safety Regulations (2012) (SA) REG 35, the person with the duty of minimizing risks that affect health and safety in an organization has the responsibility of eliminating these risks to a reasonable practicable extent. If it is not reasonable practicable to eliminate, then, they should minimise those risks to a reasonably practicable extend (WorkCover NSW, 2009). According to the Work Health and Safety Regulations (2012) - REG 36, there are various measures that must be taken when using the hierarchy of control to eliminate risks at the work place. The hierarchy of control only applies when the duty holder and in this case the WHS consultant is not able to eliminate the risks of health and safety reasonably practicable. There are three applicable levels of eliminating hazards using the hierarchy of control. The first level involves the safe place control measures. Here, the duty holder eliminates the hazard. Here, the duty holder removes the hazard by eliminating the whole process. One can also change the process of activities. In the case of Colimore University, the WHS consultant had to change the whole process and considering taking immediate emergency actions as the best way to eliminate the hazards. The second level involves substitution, isolation and use of engineering controls to remove the risk. The duty holder has the responsibility of substitution the hazard with something which is safer, isolating the hazard from people and reducing the risks by the use of engineering controls. Here, it is necessary to use a form which is less hazardous and ensure the hazard is separated from the person by use of barriers (RMIT University, 2014). In the case of Colimore University, in the event of fire, everyone is required to vacate the premises where the fire has occurred. In the event of a medical emergency, the person at risk is taken to the emergency personnel immediately for further care after first aid. The third level involves the safe worker control measure and the duty holder has the responsibility of reducing the exposure to the hazard by the use of administrative controls as well as personal protective equipment. Here, it is important to ensure everyone is safe by training the workers in handling emergencies, proper supervision at work, provide work procedures and ensure job rotation. In the case of Colimore University, the WHS consultant ensured that workers and students were well trained on risks that are vulnerable in the institution; workers and students were also supervised to ensure that there were no accidents, workers were also provided with protective clothing and worked in rotation. Combining the three control measures is important to the purpose of optimising control in a specific condition (Archer, Borthwick & Tepe, 2012). Reviewing Control Measures According to the Work Health and Safety Regulations (2012) - REG 38, the duty holder has the responsibility to review, revise and maintain the measures of controlling risks reasonably practicable to ensure the institution is free from health and safety risks. Reviews on control measures are carried out when the control measures are not effecting to control the prevailing risk. It is also necessary to carry out a review on the control measures before making any change in the institution. This is necessary because the change may bring up new health and safety risks that cannot be controlled effectively using the current control measures. It is also important to make reviews on control measures after identifying anew risk or hazard (SafeWork Australia, 2011). It is important to keep a hazard register to keep a summary of hazard records that are identified within the institution. One can also use the register to record the place where the hazards occur with the associated situations, tasks as well as machines (SafeWork Australia, 2011). The hazard information is recorded initially then recording of later activities is done after assessing the level of risk for the hazard as well as the available control measures that are put in place. It is important to use a hazard register because it provides a record of hazards that have happened in the organization. This helps the duty holder to plan, budget and minimise risks. It also helps the duty holder to plan for reviews on hazard audit. The duty holder will also be able o identify control measures that can be used to eliminate the identified hazards. Action Plan The WHSMS in Australia requires institutions to adopt and implement a hazard management action plan to ensure hazards are minimised as much as possible in the work place. The action plan calls for the following steps; commitment, organizing, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation as well as reviewing and improving (Archer et al, 2012). Legal Implications There are various legislations that are applicable in hazard management. The Work Health And Safety Regulations 2012 - REG 43 requires the duty holder to prepare, maintain and implement emergency plan for the work place. the emergency plan provides for; emergency procedures, a response which is effective for the emergency, procedures for evacuation, procedures for notifying emergency service, medical treatment as well as assistance among other provisions (WorkCover NSW, 2009). The WHS consultant has the responsibility of testing the emergency procedures and training workers on the implementation of emergency procedures. The Work Health And Safety Regulations 2012 (SA) - REG 35 requires the duty holder to manage risk to health and safety. The Work Health And Safety Regulations 2012 - REG 36 requires the duty holder to use hierarchy of control measure in controlling risks. The Work Health And Safety Regulations 2012 - REG 38 requires the duty holder to review the control measures. Other legislations include; the AS/NZS 4801:2001 Occupational health and Safety Management Systems – General Guidelines on principles, systems and supporting techniques (Australia and New Zealand), the ILO-OHS 2001 International Labour Organisation Guidelines on Occupational safety and Health Management systems (International), the SA Workcover Corporation Self Insured Performance Standards and the Victorian Government, Safety Map. Conclusion The hazard management process as described above is the best method of assessing and controlling risks in the work place. It is a continuous process that needs to be undertaken regularly to ensure efficiency. References Archer, R, Borthwick, K & Tepe, S (2012) WHS - A Management Guide, 3rd Edition, Cengage Learning Australia, Victoria. Safework Australia Code of Practice, (2011) How to manage work health and safety risks WHS Regulations 2012 (SA) Gallagher, C. & Underhill, E., (2012) Managing Work Health and Safety: Recent Developments and Future Directions, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, Vol, 50, Iss. 2, pp. 227-244 Government of South Australia, (2002) Safe Work Incentive: Activity 6 - Managing risks to your business - Assess your problems. Retrieved from http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/contentPages/docs/swiY1A6T2RiskAssessmentMatrix.pdf Government of South Australia, (2011) Hazard Management Procedure. Department of Education and Children Services. Retrieved from http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/HazardManagementProcedure.pdf RMIT University, (2014) Policies and Procedures: Hazard Management Procedure. Retrieved from http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse/Staff%2FAdministration%2FPolicies%20and%20procedures%2FHealth%20and%20safety%2FEmergencies%20and%20critical%20incidents%2FHazard%20management%20procedure/ Safe Work Australia, (2011) Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks. Retrieved from http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/633/How_to_Manage_Work_Health_and_Safety_Risks.pdf Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA) REG 35 Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA) REG 36 The Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 - REG 38 Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 - REG 43 WorkCover NSW, (2009) National Self Insurers Audit Tool User Guide and Work Book Read More