Safety Moment
Hazards and risks can occur at any work site. It is important to understand hazard recognition and risk tolerance in order to evaluate risks and prevent any potential accidents from occurring.
A critical element of any effective safety and health program is the proactive, continuous identification, assessment, and communication of hazards to prevent or control workplace injuries, illnesses, and incidents.
A hazard is an unsafe condition or unsafe act that when activated could result in damage to equipment, property, or people.
Hazard recognition is a means of identifying, assessing, and prioritizing hazards, both existing and potential. Hazards are always present regardless of the location, and it is imperative to be able to demonstrate hazard recognition in all areas and aspects of your workplace and personal life.
Employers have the legal responsibility to identify and control workplace hazards to the best of their ability to protect workers. Likewise, workers have the right to know about the hazards of the job and how to protect themselves. Workers are responsible for ensuring they are following company rules that outline the hazard and control process. It is also the responsibility of all workers to understand what a hazard is, what the dangers are, how they can affect people, property, and the environment, and how to prevent them.
Hazards are classified into categories:
How much time you spend recognizing and controlling hazards will affect the safety of your workplace. The goal of a safe workplace is to prevent incidents and injuries from happening, and it takes all workers, regardless of role or seniority, to accomplish this. Recognition of hazards is of the utmost importance for the safety of all those who work for an organization.
The challenge with hazard assessment and prioritization is that individuals perceive hazards differently. One individual may perceive a situation as hazardous with the potential to cause severe damage, while another perceives the same situation as minimally hazardous with lower risk. Hazard recognition and assessment is somewhat personal and is highly dependent on how hazards are perceived.
Prior to starting work, take a few moments to evaluate the work area and work activity for potential hazards and discuss their controls. Below are just a few guidelines you can follow to take a very positive step towards the most important thing: going on home safe at the end of each day to your families, friends, and loved ones.