Hazard Identification, Assessment, and Control
Hazard identification, assessment, and control
This domain tests whether you can recognize unsafe conditions and behaviors before harm occurs, rank risk, and choose controls that reduce exposure rather than merely satisfy paperwork. The exam expects you to connect a task to its hazards, select controls using the hierarchy, and verify that controls work.
Core rules
- Use the hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, then PPE. PPE is the last line of defense, not the first choice.
- Build a job hazard analysis (JHA) by listing task steps, hazards at each step, and controls; involve the workers who perform the task and revise the JHA after changes.
- Assess risk as likelihood multiplied by severity, considering exposure frequency and the number of workers affected.
- Apply change management: new equipment, chemicals, crews, schedules, or processes trigger a new hazard review.
- Distinguish hazard from risk: a hazard is the source of harm; risk is the chance and severity of harm from exposure.
Worked example
A crew cuts concrete with a gas-powered saw. The hazard is respirable crystalline silica dust. The best control is engineering: wet cutting, a HEPA vacuum, or a dust shroud at the source. Next, isolate the area and use housekeeping that does not create dust. If the task fits OSHA's silica Table 1, follow its specified controls; otherwise, assess exposure and use a respirator only as part of a complete program with medical evaluation, fit testing, and training. The reasoning is that source controls reduce exposure for everyone, while a respirator protects only the wearer and depends on proper fit.
Traps that cost marks
- Jumping straight to PPE without evaluating elimination or engineering controls.
- Relying on "common sense" instead of a documented JHA.
- Ignoring non-routine tasks such as maintenance, cleanup, and setup.
- Failing to reassess after a change in tools, crew, or site conditions.