Our latest Safetip is about maintaining an inventory of internal and external sources of information on workplaces hazards. Show
Hazards and Risks: What’s the Difference?Many people use “hazards” and “risks” interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing! A hazard is a source of potential damage, harm or adverse effect. It can affect something or someone. A hazard has the potential to cause illness or injury to people, or damage to property or equipment. A risk is the likelihood of an adverse event due to exposure to a hazard. A risk assessment determines the likelihood that an incident would take place because of the hazard, and the severity of the potential incident. In essence, an incident is a risk that has materialized because of: 1) the presence of a hazard, and 2) exposure to the hazard (contact, interaction, close proximity, etc). It is theoretically possible for a hazard to exist without any serious risk of incident. But that’s not the proper mindset to adopt. All hazards should be taken seriously and investigated for their potential to cause harm. Once a hazard is identified, it can either be eliminated, or control measures can be used to reduce risks of incidents caused by the hazard. The hierarchy of controls shows the effectiveness of control measures. Let’s use an example. Inspecting a communication tower is a hazardous situation because someone has to work at heights. You can either eliminate the hazard by using a drone to conduct the inspection, or you can mitigate the risk of injury by using fall protection gear or a mobile elevated platform. List All Sources of InformationAn effective workplace safety program consists of identifying and mitigating safety risks. You need to be aware of workplace hazards to properly identify safety risks. To help with hazard identification and assessment, start by creating and maintaining a list of all sources of information on workplace hazards. The sources should be consulted periodically, or whenever a new process or job task is introduced. The following are sources of information on hazards that may already be available in your workplace and that are mentioned in OSHA’s document on Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs:
There are also external sources of information that you can use, such as:
Be sure that all internal sources of information are always up-to-date, and monitor the external sources. Finally, don’t be reactive by simply waiting for a hazard to be documented somewhere. Be proactive by encouraging workers to report observations and near misses directly in the field through mobile devices. Events reported by workers can help you identify new hazards.
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Posted by SkillMaker in Nov, 2014 There are many different sources of Work Health & Safety information available at online websites like http://www.comlaw.gov.au/details/c2011A00137. You will also find relevant information by going to the library, by reading newspapers, and by watching some of the news programs. You will find that there are several pamphlets available about Work Health & Safety from organizations like the workers compensation board, and Australian OH&S Risk Management Services. What are Sources of WHS information like?Sources of Work Health Safety information are like books, newspaper articles, flyers, pamphlets, and educational videos explaining the regulations set out by the WHS Act. What is WHS information used for?Some of the top uses for Work Health Safety information are:
What is the principle structure of WHS information?The principle structure of Work Health & Safety information is:
What are the different Sources of WHS information?Some of the sources of information for WHS are:
What terms are used when accessing WHS information?When accessing information about the WHS act you will come across some common terms. Some of these terms are:
Where can I find more information about the Sources of WHS information?If you have an interest in learning more about the WHS act and the rules governing employers in Australia you can find some more information at the following websites. http://whsnational.com/whs http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/model-whs-laws/model-whs-act/pages/model-whs-act http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA
Information about regulatory issues, industry trends and your competition is crucial to the development of your small business. Begin by identifying your business's information needs. Then, seek out good information sources. By using them properly, you can prevent legal problems and identify new opportunities for your small business. Information Issues
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