Safety and Risk Management
What this domain tests
Safety and risk management items test whether you can identify hazards, assess risk, and select controls in the correct priority order. Expect questions on the hierarchy of controls, risk scoring (likelihood × severity), and incident reporting. You should also understand residual risk, risk acceptance, and who has authority to accept risk.
Concepts to master
- Hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, personal protective equipment. PPE is last, not first.
- Risk matrix: likelihood × severity yields a rating that drives response (avoid, reduce, transfer, accept).
- Residual risk: what remains after controls; must be documented and accepted by the right authority.
- Incident vs. near miss: both are reportable; near misses are leading indicators and should not be dismissed.
Traps to expect
- PPE-first trap: an option that reaches for PPE before elimination or engineering controls is wrong by hierarchy.
- Acceptance-authority trap: the person exposed to risk usually cannot accept it alone; acceptance sits with a defined authority.
- Near-miss trap: options that treat near misses as non-events. They are reportable.
Worked example
A hazard can be removed entirely by changing a process step. Rule of thumb: the highest control that works is the right control. Elimination beats every lower control, so choose the option that removes the hazard rather than one that merely guards against it.