Page 5 - June 2021 Track N Times

SAFETY FOCUS

5-Step Assessment By Cliff Cagle, Field Safety Specialist

The world is a dangerous place in which to live and work despite
advances in science, engineering and medicine. New risks associated
with materials, processes and products need to be properly antici-
pated, recognized, evaluated and controlled. Methods exist to proac-
tively anticipate, recognize, evaluate and control hazards
Risk assessment is a term used to describe the overall process or
method where you Identify hazards and risk factors that have the potential to cause harm. Analyze and evaluate the
risk associated with that hazard. Determine appropriate ways to eliminate the hazard or control the risk when the
hazard cannot be eliminated. A risk assessment is a thorough look at your workplace to identify those things, situa-
tions, processes, etc. that may cause harm, particularly to people. After identification is made, you analyze and evalu-

ate how likely and severe the risk is. When this determination is made, you can next decide what measures should be
in place to effectively eliminate or control the harm from happening.

Within the context of workplace safety and health, occur-

rences of harm stem from hazard exposure experienced in
the workplace, as well as the ambient environment. These
exposures include inhalation of or contact with hazardous
chemicals, unguarded machinery, fire and explosion situa-
tions, and environmental pollutants. Therefore, a more
comprehensive definition of risk could be “the measure of
the probability that exposure to a hazard will result in a
negative consequence.” Risks are acceptable if they are
judged to be tolerable (“acceptable risk”). Minimum risk is
achieved when all risks deriving from hazards are at a real-
istic minimum. Minimum risk does not mean zero risk,
which may not be attainable. Safety is defined as that state
for which the risks are judged to be acceptable.

Traditional hazard analysis has long advocated the identification and evaluation of all hazards. The risk reduction pro-
cess is not completed until tolerable risk is achieved. When workers have even a basic understanding of hazards and
can assign risk to hazards, they will not be overwhelmed and can focus on performing their tasks safely.

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