Tool Box Talk: Risk Management

Risk Management

“Well it’s a delicate situation sir …sophisticated fire system, hair trigger mechanism, and Bob’s wife just left him last night, so you know his mind is not into this.”

This is an excerpt from a cartoon focusing on the “Risk Manager” associated with a rocket but in real life risk management these are the variables and factors that we must identify, assess and control.

In practical terms, risk management is a thorough look at our workplace to identify those things, situations, processes, etc. that may cause harm, particularly to people.

After identification is made, we evaluate how likely and severe the risks are, and then decide what measures should be in place to effectively prevent or control the harm from happening.

The three-step process:

1. Identifying the hazards (related in this case to firing system of rocket and worker’s state of mind due to wife leaving)
2. Assessing the risks (the chance of an accident due to the hazards identified)
3. Managing the risks (implementing the right controls to reduce the risk to a tolerable level and prevent the accident from occurring)

In every situation and in every task we conduct we will have risks and we must do everything to ensure that risks are adequately managed.

In fact we are managing risk sometimes without giving it much thought; think about activities such as:

• Crossing the street
• Cooking
• Driving
• Responding to a strange sound outside the house at nights

At work, risk management is a little different as it requires us to plan our activities and also think carefully about what we are doing and avoid being in an “automatic” mode.

One company stated “We hired the arms and backs and legs of people for years and we never knew their brains came free”.

This simply means that the brains of workers are available and must be engaged as part of the process.

Identifying the Hazards

To be sure that all hazards are found:

• Look at all aspects of the work.
• Include non-routine activities such as maintenance, repair, or cleaning.
• Look at accident / incident / near-miss records.
• Include people who work “off-site” either at home, on other job sites, drivers, with clients, etc.
• Look at the way the work is organized or “done” (include experience and age of people doing the work, systems being used, etc.).
• Look at foreseeable unusual conditions (for example: possible impact on hazard control procedures that may be unavailable in an emergency situation, power outage, etc.).
• Examine risks to visitors or the public.

We must take into account:

• The methods and procedures used in the processing, use, handling or storage of the substance, etc.
• The actual and the potential exposure of workers.
• The measures and procedures necessary to control such exposure by means of engineering controls, work practices, and hygiene practices and facilities

It is important to know if the risk assessment was complete and accurate.

It is also essential to be sure that changes in the workplace have not introduced new hazards or changed hazards that were once ranked as lower priority to a higher priority.

It is good practice to review assessment on a regular basis to be sure that nothing has changed and that control methods are effective.

Triggers for a review include:

• the start of a new project,
• a change in the work process or flow,
• a change or addition to tools, equipment, machinery (including locations or the way they are used),
• new employees,
• moving to a new building or work area,
• introduction of new chemicals or substances,
• when new information becomes available about a current product.
• Etc.

Risk management is a continuous process, which requires us to have a high level of awareness and vigilance and understanding that the moment we feel that there is no more risk is the moment when we will be most at risk.

And a bonus quote from Abraham Maslow:

“If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.”

Thanks for the share, TO!