Risk Management, Safety, and Quality Assurance
What you must know
Risk management starts with hazard identification, then assessment using likelihood × severity, then control. The hierarchy of controls ranks effectiveness: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE) last. PPE is the least reliable control because it depends on correct selection, fit, and consistent use.
Know the difference between quality assurance (process-focused, proactive: procedures, training, audits, design checks) and quality control (product-focused, reactive: inspection, testing, measurement). Corrective action addresses a detected nonconformity; preventive action addresses a potential one. Incident investigation seeks root cause and system fixes - not individual blame.
Near-miss reporting is a leading indicator and should be encouraged, not penalized. Emergency planning covers evacuation, notification, accounting for people, and drills.
Traps
- Choosing a PPE answer when an engineering control is available.
- Blaming a worker as the “root cause” - human error is usually a symptom of a system gap.
- Treating a near miss as a non-event requiring no documentation.
- Confusing QA with QC.
- Selecting a control without verifying it is feasible and will not create a new hazard.
Worked example
Workers are exposed to a fall hazard at an elevated edge. Preferred sequence: eliminate the need to work at height; otherwise install a guardrail or platform (engineering control); then consider administrative measures such as restricted access and training; fall-protection harnesses (PPE) are the last line, not the first choice.
Rule of thumb
Ask “what would make this hazard impossible rather than merely survivable?” before selecting a control.