Hazard Identification Report
Abstract
Hazard refers to the potential harm or an adverse effect to the health of an individual or employee. Risk refers to the likelihood of the hazard causing harm to the employee or individual in question. This report focuses on the identification of the three potential workplaces or community contexts with the aim of identifying the probable hazards in the selected areas. This is to offer adequate analysis to the situation with the aim of providing appropriate solution to the problem. This is through critical analysis of the risks in relation to the selected hazards and the development of the risk rating. Risk rating is vital for the application of the risk management that is essential in the four main concepts: identification of the hazard, assessment of the risks, control of the risks, and potential review of the process of identification.
Introduction
Workplaces or community contexts possess hazards conditions in relation to the health or safety of the employees or individuals in question. It is ideal to focus on the elimination or reduction of the extent of such conditions to enhance the health or safety conditions of the individuals operating in such areas. The first step towards the elimination of the hazard conditions is the identification of the hazards and critical evaluation of the extent of adverse harm that might result from such condition. This will enable the organization to adopt and implement quality mechanisms in the management of the risks in relation to hazardous conditions within the workplaces or community contexts. This is essential through the application of risk matrix to execute the concept of risk rating thus the development of the likelihood of the risk occurring to influence the health or safety of the individuals or employees in question (Kendrick, 2009).
Methodology
In the execution of this report, it was vital to adhere to critical methodology. The first aspect in the execution of the report focused on the identification of the three typical workplaces or community contexts. The next step was the identification of one hazard in relation to health or safety within the selected typical workplaces. This was to ensure extensive evaluation of the typical workplaces with the aim of obtaining the extent of danger to the health and safety of the employees or individuals within such places. The third concept of the development of the hazard identification report was the critical description of each hazard identified in the concept of the selected workplaces. This critical evaluation of the hazards in each workplace focused on vital terms and components. The first aspect of the evaluation was the analysis of the component making it a hazard in relation to health and safety.
The second attribute was the evaluation of the number or types of individuals potentially affected by the hazard identified. The third attribute in the development of the report focused on the potential adverse effects of the hazard. The fourth aspect of the evaluation focused on the elementary factors to initiate potential harm by the hazard within the selected workplace or community context. The fifth aspect of the evaluation focused on the critical analysis of the likelihood of the hazard to cause harm to the safety and health issues of the employees or individuals in question. The last component of the methodology was the act of allocating risk rating to the selected risks through the risk matrix while explaining the element of the ratings to each hazard.
Findings
In the identification of the workplaces or community contexts, the research exercises identified the three critical areas while focusing on the health and safety: factories, hospitals, and office environments. In the context of the office environment or workplace, the research exercise identified poor lighting as the hazardous condition in relation to health and safety of the employees (Ferreira, 2009). In the evaluation of the factory workplace or environment, the research identified collision as the hazardous condition in relation to safety and health of employees with the workplace (Gupta, 2006). In the context of the hospitals or health facilities, the research exercise identified accidents (fires, explosions, and electrical accidents) as the main hazardous condition in relation to health and safety of the employees and patients within the workplace or environment (Kunders, 2007).
| Workplace or Environment | Type of Hazard |
| Factories | Collision |
| Hospitals or Health Facilities | Accidents (fires, explosions, and electrical accidents |
| Office | Poor lighting |
Discussion
Collision in Factories
Collision in factories becomes hazardous condition when it results in to injury to employees or visitors to the factory as an environment. Ineffective management of the collision in factories would result in adverse conditions, in relation to health and safety of the employees and the individuals within this context. Employees are at the risk of colliding with the machines or plants within the factory thus putting their safety and health at risk while serving within these workplaces. It is ideal for the factories to adopt and implement various mechanisms towards the management of the collision risks within the workplaces. This is vital in the elimination or minimization of the extent of the injury or effects on the health or safety of the individuals. Collision within factory affects employees in most cases because they spend the majority of their time within these places. Visitors or researchers are also in eminent danger in relation to collision whenever they visit factories for supervision or study cases. This makes it vital for the management to adopt and apply quality mechanisms in the context of managing health and safety of the individuals. The potential effects of collision within the factories include incapacitation, loss of body parts, serious injuries, and loss of lives in adverse conditions. These cases will reduce the performance levels of the employees thus reducing the output of the factory. The occurrence of this hazard depends on the lack of mechanisms such as protective gargets for the employees. The likelihood of the occurrence of this hazard depends on the volume of work, interaction with the machines, and the lack of protective gargets (Gupta, 2006).
Accidents in Hospitals (Fire)
Fire becomes hazardous in relation to the health and safety of the employees and patients in case management of the health facilities fails to integrate fire safety measures. These precautions are vital in the prevention of the adverse damage that might result form fire incidences. Lack of the precautions puts the lives of the medical practitioners in danger thus affecting the patients directly and indirectly. Some of the potential effects of the fire incidences within the hospitals include destruction of properties, loss of lives n relation to patients and medical practitioners, incapacitation of the employees, and psychological influences in the context of the relatives of the employees and patients. The likelihood of this hazardous condition developing within the health facilities depends on the lack of precautions by the management and training of the medical practitioners on effective handling of the situation (Kunders, 2007).
Poor Lighting in Offices
An office represents one of the working places that should enhance health and safety precautions in order to eliminate or manage hazardous conditions such as poor lighting concepts. Poor lighting concepts become hazardous in case the management fails to adopt and implement precautions to deal with the occurrence of the adverse effects of the problem in relation to human health safety. Poor lighting within the offices affects employees and other relevant visitors to the workplaces. This indicates that lack of the precautions to curb poor lighting within the offices puts the lives of the individuals or employees at risk thus affecting their performance. Some of the adverse effects of poor lighting within the offices include incapacitation, loss of lives, and destruction of properties. The likelihood of the occurrence of the hazardous condition in relation to poor lighting depends on the reluctance from the management to develop precautions or resolve the lighting issue within the workplace (Ferreira, 2009).
Risk Matrix (Cox, 2009)
| Likelihood | Consequences | ||||
|
Insignificant |
Minor | Moderate | Major | Catastrophic | |
| Almost Certain | High Risk | High Risk | Extreme Risk | Extreme Risk | Extreme Risk |
| Likely | Moderate Risk | High Risk | High Risk | Extreme Risk | Extreme Risk |
| Moderate | Low Risk | Moderate Risk | High Risk | Extreme Risk | Extreme Risk |
| Unlikely | Low Risk | Low Risk | Moderate Risk | High Risk | Extreme Risk |
| Rare | Low Risk | Low Risk | Moderate Risk | High Risk | High Risk |
Conclusion
Hazard refers to the potential harm or risk in relation to the health or safety of the individuals or employees within the context of the workplaces (Kendrick, 2009). Risk refers to the likelihood of the hazardous condition occurring within the workplaces thus affecting the safety and health of the employees or individuals in those areas or environment. It is the role of management to adopt and implement various mechanisms towards the elimination of the extent of the hazardous conditions. Some of the workplaces include hospitals, factories, and offices. In the context of these workplaces, there are hazardous conditions that subscribe to each of them such as fire, collision, and poor lighting respectively. The first step towards the elimination of the hazardous conditions is the identification of the hazards within the workplaces. The second step involves evaluation of the risks in relation to the hazardous conditions. This will enable the organization adopt and implement effective measures on managing the risks of the hazardous conditions in relation to health and safety.
References
Kendrick, T. (2009). Identifying and managing project risk: Essential tools for failure-proofing your project. New York: AMACON.
Cox, L. A. (2009). Risk analysis of complex and uncertain systems. New York: Springer.
Kunders, G. D. (2007). Hospitals: Facilities planning and management. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Pub. House.
Ferreira, E. J., Erasmus, A. W., & Groenewald, D. (2009). Administrative management. Lansdowne [South Africa: Juta Academic.
Gupta, A. (2006). Industrial safety and environment. New Delhi: Laxmi Publications (P) LTD.
