GROUP DISCUSSION - Chapter 6_HIRARC

INTRODUCTION

Hazard Identification , Risk Assessment and Risk Control ( HIRARC )

HIRARC

We need to know about OSH because:

• -It is a requirement under the law (OSHA and its Regulations);
• -We need to make provisions for securing the safety, health and welfare of our colleagues;
• -We need to make provisions for protecting our clients against risks to safety or health in connection with our trade and activities.

In order for us to achieve the objectives of OSH we need to look into HIRARC which is the basis of occupational safety and health. HIRARC is a compound word which is made up of three consecutive activities running one after the other. The activities consist of Hazard Indentification, Risk Assessment andRisk Control. Hazard indentification is the recognising of things which may cause injury or harm to a person. Risk assessment is the looking at the possibility of injury or harm occuring to a person if exposed to a hazard. The introduction of measures which will eliminate or reduce the risk of a person being exposed to a harzard is known as Risk control.

• -We need to know about HIRARC because:
• -it is the core business of all OSH personnel, safety committee members, supervisors…etc.
• -it is a DIRECTIVE from the Chief Secretary of the government service to all government departments and agencies through its letter of directive: UPTM 159/267/50 Klt.4 dated 20th of August 2004.
• -Before the proccess of identifying any hazards begin, it is necessary to know how to classify what is hazard, risk and danger.
• -Hazard_anything that can cause harm.
• -Risk_a probability of harm actually being done.
• -Danger_£the relative exposure to a hazard.

Hazards can be sub-classified into health or safety hazards.

WHY NEED RISK CONTROL

The hierarchy of risk control is a system of control measures used to eliminate or reduce exposure to hazards, which has five levels of control measures. It is used when undertaking a risk assessment, to decide on which precautions are needed to control the risks posed by the hazards.

                                                    

The most effective measure is at the top of the hierarchy and the least effective is at the bottom. So the idea is that you start from the top of the hierarchy in choosing your control measures, and work your way down. In most cases a combination of control measures from the hierarchy are chosen to effectively reduce the risk posed by a hazard. The hierarchy of risk control is useful in determining which control measures are appropriate. The most effective control to deal with a hazard is to eliminate it, but that is not always possible. Some hazards cannot be eliminated. So, the aim of implementing the hierarchy of risk control is to get as many control measures in place so that the risk from a hazard is reduced "as low as reasonably practicable".

Here's an example for a large pothole in the path

                                                

• Elimination (completely remove the hazard at source) – there is a large pothole in the path causing a hazard to users, repair the pothole, completely removing the hazard

• Substitution (substitute the hazardous activity, process or substance with a less hazardous one) – ask users to use an alternative path, until the pothole has been repaired

• Engineering controls (isolate the hazard from people who could be harmed) – install a suitable barrier around the pothole, to protect path users, until the pothole has been repaired

• Administrative controls (change the way people work or prevent people's exposure to hazards) – ensure all path users are aware of the large pothole by installing a warning sign, and clearly marking around the pothole with yellow spray paint. Have a maintenance schedule and inspection system in place to inspect paths regularly so that problems like potholes are noticed and repaired before injuries from trips and falls occur. Do training in path inspection so you know what to look for.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (provide PPE to cover and protect an individual person from hazards) – ask the path users to wear a hard hat, knee and elbow pads (unrealistic!!). Note – PPE can be used as a temporary control measure until other more effective control measures are provided. In most cases a combination of other control measures and PPE can effectively control the risks from hazards and protect those exposed to them.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN  IF THE RISK IS NOT IN CONTROL?

Workers may got the serious accident that can cause them get into the hospital such as arm and leg broken, head blooded, and the most critical is death. In order to reduce the hazard or most critical hazard rate, the employer should show commitment towards safety and health practices & therefore giveful priority to promote enforce the safety & health rules in workplace. Hierarchy of control were use in order to minimize & control the most critical hazard that exist at the workplace. Next, to ensure the safety culture can be implemented in on organization. The management & workers have to take part in any safety & health programme and give a full cooperation when come to safety & health issues.We should practice safe and healthy of living in this world with applying the enforcement rules and regulation that related the workplace safety and hygiene. The most important things in this world is "health" without it life is nothing. What- If hazard analysis is a relatively simple and flexible method and identifying and analyzing hazard in a process, activity or system. It can be apply to a wide range of circumstances in almost all industries. As one of the process hazard analysis methods listed in the OSHA Process Safety Management standard, the What -If method has become a commonly use technique, both in regulated and non regulated operation 

CONCLUSION

So now you know something about the ‘hierarchy of controls’. Each layer has its own intricacies and nuances that can only be learned by training and experience. With a documented risk assessment in hand, you can begin to apply the hierarchy to control the risks. Don’t forget to iterate the assessment post-control to document the degree of risk reduction achieved. You may create new hazards when control measures are applied, and you may need to add additional control measures to achieve effective risk reduction.

The documents referenced below should give you a good start in understanding some of these challenges.

REFERENCE

1) https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/hirarc-26866997.jpg

2)https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUHvKthMsq4qk-FlGx1pEqHp5jmM3ceZRqg5hZB98veNPLRa6tHQgUAaK06tdn1FAE0IBUyrMZUOpdQL28caqlBoWvolAfh_8Rgb4zCf0e1qMyLQ0ied3nBsFzxx67cVeosBBRgg3hyphenhyphenI/s1600/untitled+SHO11.JPG

3) Https://www.masma.com.my/single-post/2016/12/04HIRARCguideline/dosh

4) www.asec.com.my/hazard-identification-risk-assesment-risk-control-hirarc/

5)comp.utm.my.lab?p=2079

THANK YOU!