What is a Hazard?
Hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm. It might be a substance, human acts, events or condition. The potential consequence may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage. (Wikipedia.org)
Type of hazards in the workplace:
Hazards can be broadly classified into several types based on their nature and potential impact. Each of these hazards presents different risks and requires specific measures to manage or mitigate them effectively.
Here are some of the main categories of hazards:
Physical Hazards: These include hazards from Noise, vibration, extreme temperatures (hot or cold), radiation, high-pressure environments, sharp objects and can cause harm to people through physical factors.
Chemical Hazards: These involve harmful substances such as Acids, solvents, pesticides, heavy metals, toxic fumes, gases (e.g carbon monoxide, chlorine), and flammable substances that can cause injury or illness when inhaled, ingested, or come into contact with the skin.
Biological Hazards: These involve harmful organisms or substances derived from living organisms e.g Bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, molds, and other biological agents that can cause health effects in humans, animals, or plants.
Ergonomic Hazards: These relate to poorly designed chairs, repetitive movements, awkward postures, manual handling, lifting heavy loads, and long hours in uncomfortable positions potentially causing musculoskeletal injuries.
Psychosocial Hazards: These are hazards that relate to mental health and social well-being, often arising from stress in the workplace or society. Example include, workplace violence, bullying, job insecurity, excessive workload, harassment, lack of support, and poor work-life balance.
Environmental Hazards: These are Hazards associated with natural phenomena or environmental conditions such as Earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, wildfires, droughts, landslides, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis.
What is Risk
Risk can be described as the probability or likelihood that a hazard will cause harm or damage, combined with the severity of the potential consequences. It is mostly used to determine the potential for negative outcomes, such as death, injury, illness, environmental damage, financial loss, or other harmful impacts.
Risk is typically defined by the formula:
Where:
Likelihood is the probability that the hazard will lead to an accident.
Severity is the magnitude or seriousness of the potential consequences or harm that may result from the hazard.
Key Elements of Risk
- Hazard: The source of potential harm (e.g., chemicals, machinery, or extreme weather).
- Exposure: The degree to which a person, environment, or system is exposed to the hazard.
- Vulnerability: The extend to which individuals or systems are susceptible to harm from exposure to the hazard.
- Control Measures: Measures or precautions taken to reduce the likelihood or severity of harm.
Risk Management and Control Measures
The first step towards managing risk is usually through an evaluated risk assessment, a process that involves:
– Identifying the hazards.
– Assessing the likelihood of harm and the severity of potential consequences.
– Determining who or what may be affected.
– Implementing control measures to mitigate the risk.
– Review the risk assessment after some time.
By managing risk, organizations or individuals can minimize the negative effects of hazards, improving safety, security, and efficiency.
