Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control
What the exam tests
This is the technical core of Level 1: recognising hazards, estimating risk with a matrix, applying the hierarchy of controls and recording residual risk.
Method
- Identify hazards by task, area or activity using inspections, checklists, JSA/JHA, HAZOP or incident history.
- Decide who might be harmed and how.
- Evaluate risk: risk = likelihood x severity on a 5x5 matrix (1-25). Typical bands: 1-4 low, 5-9 medium, 10-15 high, 16-25 critical.
- Control using the hierarchy: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, then PPE last.
- Record, communicate and review; rate residual risk after controls.
ALARP means reducing risk as low as reasonably practicable; zero risk is not required and rarely achievable. Hazards are commonly grouped as physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, psychosocial, mechanical and electrical.
Worked example
Welding in a fabrication bay. Initial score: likelihood 4 (daily task, sparks, fume) x severity 4 (burns, eye injury, fume inhalation, fire) = 16, critical. Controls: designated welding bay with screens and fire blanket, local exhaust ventilation, hot-work permit, fire watch, trained welder, leather apron, face shield and gloves. Residual: likelihood 2 x severity 3 = 6, medium and acceptable with monitoring. Reasoning: the score must be reassessed after controls, and the largest reductions came from engineering controls, not PPE.
Traps
- Presenting post-control scores as the initial risk.
- Reaching for PPE first; it depends on behaviour and fails without fit and maintenance.
- Treating the assessment as a document to file rather than a control decision.
- Ignoring health hazards such as noise and dust because they cause no immediate visible harm.