Risk assessment is not an easy job and it requires a lot of expertise and observation power to foretell any hazards that may be looming but not obvious to a common eye. Ideally, a professional hazard identification expert will identify the entire area and facility to identify the potential hazards and the severity of these potential hazards. They will also assess the frequency of exposure to these probable hazards and most importantly suggest the effective and useful strategies that should be implemented to minimize these probable hazards and to avoid injuries and harm.
Industries That Need Risk Assessments
A few specific industries need a risk assessment and will hire a hazard identification expert. Some of these industries include:
Metal forming and cutting industry where heavy metal is moved, cut, loaded over the head or on the ground
Medical devices and robotics that needs precision and exactness in their production to ensure best results
Insurance and Aerospace industry that is known for their signature risk involvement and
Semiconductor and Transportation industry also recruits qualified and trained hazard identifications experts to stop or minimize any potential future hazards.
Hazard Identification and Assessment
The need for a hazard identification expert cannot be overlooked as they are the ones that can minimize workplace injuries by recognizing the hazards present beforehand. Therefore, this results in a proactive measure to ensure safety and health program. In turn, they help you to reduce unwanted expenses for paying the damages caused to your employees. This can be with reference to identifying sources of both fire and electrical hazards. To identify and assess such hazards the experts follow an immaculate process that includes:
Collection and reviewing information and data about the present and anticipated hazards
Conducting initial as well as periodic workplace inspections to find out recurring and new hazards
Investigating injuries and illnesses, incidents and close calls to find out the underlying hazards along with their causes
Finding out the lacunas and downside of the safety and health programs
Identifying trends in injuries and illness by grouping similar incidents reported before.
Few Other Job Responsibilities
The hazard identification expert will also consider hazards that are associated with non-routine and emergency situations. This will help them to determine the severity of the incidents and its likelihood to occur again. It is also their job to identify each hazard and use the information gathered so that they can prioritize the counteractive actions.
There are a few specific hazards such as tripping, housekeeping hazards that are also identified by these professional experts and remedial measures suggested as, and when these are found.
The Essential Steps
There are ideally four essential steps followed by the hazard identification expert to ensure the best hazard analysis.
They will conduct a jobs hazard analysis in your facility. This is a very important process to identify the hazardous areas in your facility. This will help in establishing safe work practices. They will get it done in specific ways and even get your employees involved in the process.
They will review the history of all recorded and reported injuries, illnesses, narrow escapes and even review reports of any machine or tool damages, replacement or repair. Tallying their findings with the feedback from your employees, they will find out anything that may not be recorded.
They will ask many questions to your employees to find out the specific hazards that exist in the work area and whether or not they are aware of such existing hazards and make note of everything.
Lastly, they will prioritize the highest risks and suggest remedial measures. This is the reason why such experts are now much popular in risk management industries.
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