Hazard Management

Purpose
Definitions
Roles and Responsibilities
Procedure
1. Establishing the hazard management context
2. Identification of Hazards
3. Assessment of risks
4. Risk Control
5. Monitoring and Review
6. Hazard and Plant Registers
Performance Measures
Documents/Forms
References

Purpose

This procedure outlines the requirements for the management of hazards and provides a standard model for hazard management. The procedure fulfils the employer’s duty under the OHS&W Regulations 1995 to identify the hazards associated with the University’s work activities, the working environment, the use of plant and equipment and also to assess levels of risk and implement appropriate risk control measures.

Definitions

Hazard – is a situation that has the potential to harm a person, the environment or damage property.

Plant – is defined in the OHS&W Act, 1986 as including any machinery, equipment, appliance, implement or tool, and any component, fitting, connection, mounting or accessory used in any workplace. It does not include any equipment that is both hand held and hand powered.

Risk – is the probability (likelihood) of harm or damage occurring from exposure to a hazard, and the likely consequences of that harm or damage.

Risk Assessment – is the process of evaluating the probability and consequences of injury or illness arising from exposure to an identified hazard.

Hazard Control – is the elimination or minimisation of risk associated with an identified hazard.

Workplace – is defined as Chancellery, any Division, School, Unit, Research Institute or the Centre for Regional Engagement and its regional centres and includes any place (including any aircraft, ship or vehicle) where a staff member works and any place where a person goes while at work.

Roles and Responsibilities

Line Managers are responsible for:

the implementation of this procedure in their area of responsibility and accountability
completing the online learning program for hazard management
the identification of hazards and the completion of risk assessments using the appropriate Risk Assessment form
the implementation of appropriate risk control measures in consultation with staff

Staff are responsible for:

not placing themselves or others at risk of injury
reporting any hazards associated with the working environment, work tasks or activities to their line manager as soon as becoming aware of them
participating in the development of appropriate risk control measures for identified hazards to eliminate or minimise risk
using control measures as required.

Procedure

Establishing the hazard management context
For all hazards a hazard management process must be undertaken. Establishing the parameters of the process including the criteria by which hazards will be assessed. Staff and contractors are to follow the hazard management model to ensure all hazards are identified, assessed, controlled and evaluated for effectiveness. The level of risk is to be determined through the risk assessment process and recommended control measures implemented.

Hazards are required to be identified, assessed and controlled:
- when planning work processes
- prior to purchase, hire, lease, commissioning or erection of plant or substances
- whenever changes are made to the workplace, system or method of work, plant or substances
- whenever new information becomes available regarding work processes, plant or substances.
Prior to any new process being undertaken or where a new hazard has been identified a risk assessment must be completed to ensure that all risks are adequately controlled.
- For plant risk assessment use OHSW41 - Plant Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment form
- When all risks are adequately controlled or pose minimal risk no further action is required. Should further control measures be required a full risk assessment must be completed. No process should be undertaken unless adequate control measures are in place. The completed form OHSW41 is to be forwarded to the local area nominated document control person who will enter the information into the hazard register, OHSW1 or similar.
- In the case of general hazard assessment, form OHSW2 is to be used. The same process as outlined above is to be implemented.
- Hazardous substances are to be assessed as per the OHSW procedure for Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods.
- Prior to the purchase, hire, lease, installation, erection or commissioning of any plant, equipment or substance assessment is to be conducted in line with the Purchasing and OHSW procedure.
Identification of Hazards
This is the most important step in the risk management process. A hazard which is not identified cannot be controlled. Accordingly, it is crucial that this step is as comprehensive as possible. Hazard identification must be conducted in close consultation with the people performing the activity.

The following are used to assist staff to identify hazards in the workplace:
Assessment of Risks
Once the hazards have been identified, the next step is to assess the risks using form OHSW41 and form OHSW31. The Risk is the probability (likelihood) of harm or damage occurring from exposure to a hazard, and the likely consequences of that harm or damage. The greater the consequences, the greater the risk, similarly the more certain the event, the greater the risk. Risk assessment is a process of analysis and evaluation.

Risk Control
Risk control must be achieved by using a predetermined hierarchy of controls. The primary aim of risk control is to eliminate the risk and the best way of achieving this is to remove the hazard. If this is not possible the risk must be minimised by using one or more of the other control options from the hierarchy. The risk control measure selected must be the highest possible option within the hierarchy to minimise the risk to the lowest level as reasonably practicable. Existing controls should be re-evaluated to determine if the most appropriate control measure is in place.

The hierarchy of controls includes:

Preference	Control	Example
1.	Eliminate	Removing the hazard, eg taking a hazardous piece of equipment out of service.
2.	Substitute	Replacing a hazardous substance or process with a less hazardous one, eg substituting a hazardous substance with a non-hazardous substance.
3.	Isolation	Restricting access to plant and equipment or in the case of substances locking them away under strict controls.
4.	Engineering	Redesign a process or piece of equipment to make it less hazardous. Isolating the hazard from the person at risk, eg using a guard or barrier.
5.	Administrative	Adopting standard operating procedures (SOPs) or safe work practices or providing appropriate training, instruction or information.
6.	Personal Protective Equipment	The provision and use of personal protective equipment could include using gloves, glasses, earmuffs, aprons, safety footwear, dust masks.

In many cases, it will be necessary to use more than one control. Back-up controls, such as personal protective equipment, should only be used as a last resort.

While the risk control process concentrates on controlling the highest ranked risks first, this does not mean that lower ranked risks which can be controlled quickly and easily should not be controlled simultaneously. The best available control measures should be put in place as soon as possible, noting that in some cases it may be necessary to put temporary controls in place until better controls can be implemented. Wherever there is a high risk the activity must cease until adequate controls are implemented.

The risk control phase must take account of any necessary changes to existing control measures to ensure that the best available protection is afforded. In doing so, it important to check current controls against the hierarchy of risk controls to determine whether the highest option on the list is used. Where controls have been in place for some time they are to be re-evaluated to identify improvement.

As with all stages of the hazard management process, consultation is required to ensure that management, staff at all levels and contractors can make a contribution to the identification, assessment and control of risks associated with hazards. For specific OHS hazards there may be legislation, codes of practice or Australian standards that will provide information to assist in the identification of what controls should be implemented.

If an identified hazard does not meet legislative requirements the use of plant, substance or work process is to be ceased immediately and locked out (if necessary) until modifications have been made that make the plant, substance or work process legally compliant.

Controlling hazards is critical to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. Depending on the level of risk of the hazard involved, the review periods in the Priority Table in the risk assessment form OHSW2 is to be used as a guide:

Monitoring and Review
Hazard management should be an ongoing and constantly improving process. To ensure the effectiveness in eliminating or minimising risk, the process must be continuously reviewed and steps taken to implement revised control measures, where appropriate. It ensures that new hazards and those overlooked in the original exercise are identified and controlled.

The monitoring and review process involves:
- systematically checking existing risk control measures to assess their effectiveness;
- collecting data on any new hazards which have arisen;
- formulating new control measures.
In repeating the original elements of the hazard management program, other related activities should be undertaken periodically and systematically as part of the monitoring and review process. These include:
- scheduled inspections;
- ongoing measurement and testing;
- workplace monitoring where necessary (for hazards such as noise or contaminants) etc;
- periodic accident and injury analysis;
Hazard and Plant Registers
The data collected from identifying, assessing and controlling hazards is to be recorded in the local area Hazard Register OHSW1 or similar.

All plant shall be recorded in the Plant Register OHSW40 and in addition plant that is required to be registered with SafeWorkSA is to be recorded in the Plant Registration Register OHSW31.

Performance measures

All hazards identified by the work area are accurately recorded in the hazard register.
Risk assessments have been properly completed for all identified hazards.
All control measures have been implemented for identified hazards and any failure of control measures recorded and reported to the line manager.
All plant registers have been properly completed and all registrations are current.