OSHMS Manual: SOP: Hazard identification, risk assessment and determining controls (HIRARC)

1.0 GENERAL

Scope:

Compliance to clause 4.3.1 of OHSAS18001: Hazard identification, risk assessment and determining controls

Applied to all activity and operational running at <name of organization>

2.0 DEFINITION

Acceptable risk: risk that has been reduced to a level that can be tolerated by the organization having regard to its legal obligations and its own OH&S policy

Hazard: source, situation, or act with a potential for harm in terms of human injury or ill health, or a combination of these

hazard identification: process of recognizing that a hazard (3.6) exists and defining its characteristics these

ill health: identifiable, adverse physical or mental condition arising from and/or made worse by a work activity and/or work-related situation these (OHSAS 18001:2007, Clause 3.8)

risk: combination of the likelihood of an occurrence of a hazardous event or exposure(s) and the severity of injury or ill health (3.8) that can be caused by the event or exposure(s) (OHSAS 18001:2007, Clause 3.21)

Risk assessment: process of evaluating the risk(s) (3.21) arising from a hazard(s), taking into account the adequacy of any existing controls, and deciding whether or not the risk(s) is acceptable) (OHSAS 18001:2007, Clause 3.22)

3.0 RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY

Safety Manager:

Responsibility: <define the function>

Authority: <define the function>

OSHMR:

Responsibility: <define the function>

Authority: <define the function>

SHO

Responsibility

Authority

4.0 CONTROL PROCEDURE

Potential hazards, risks and controls at the job or facility levels are evaluated through the use of HIRARC format.

Process of HIRARC has divided by 3 category of analysis, Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control

Hazard Identification

Identification of hazard is associated from activity, job, events or facilities incorporated within company operation
Process owner or designated personnel has to complete the Job List and record down the process sequence from start until end.
Method of identification shall follow to step defined in Joblist
Output of hazard identification will lead to the assessment of identifiable risk that may take place

Risk Assessment

Risk assessment will define routine and non-routine task, evaluating work for hazards, determining the risks involved in that work.
Hazard Determination

The program provides the mechanism for conducting assessment with dynamic selection for the class of hazard. Process owner may add the description of hazard if necessary to narrow down the specific hazard may occurred in the work place.
Define the risk that may occurr as a result from the associated hazard available in the workplace

Risk Analysis

Define current risk control by selecting the provided measures such as substitution, isolation, engineering control, administration and PPE.
Additional for specific measures of control if necessary.
Select any applicable legal obligations relating to risk assessment.
Probability of an occurrence defined the value is based on the likelihood of an event occurring.
Values indicate in Table 1 provides 5 probabilities of event can be occurred.
Severity of hazard can be divided into five categories. Severities are based upon an increasing level of severity to an individual’s health, the environment, or to property. Table 2 indicates severity of event that may occurred.
Risk evaluation can be determined by combination of likelihood (L) and severity (S). Calculation of risk can be formulated as L X S = relative risk. Justification of risk can be determined as refer to Table 3.
Tabulation of risk formula is defined as follows

Likelihood (L)	Description	Rating
Most likely	The most likely result of the hazard / event being realized	5
Possible	Has a good chance of occurring and is not unusual	4
Conceivable	Might be occur at sometimes in future	3
Remote	Has not been known to occur after many years	2
Inconceivable	Is practically impossible and has never occurred	1

Table 1: Likelihood (L)

Severity (S)	Description	Rating
Catastrophic	Numerous fatalities, irrecoverable property damage & productivity	5
Death	Approximately one single fatality major property damage if hazard is realized	4
Serious	Non-fatal injury, permanent disability	3
Minor	Disabling but not permanent injury	2
Negligible	Minor abrasions, bruises, cuts, first aid type injury	1

Table 2: Severity (S)

Severity

Probability

Risk score

Low risk

Medium risk

High risk

Table 3: Risk Matrix

Risk Control

The relative risk value can be used to prioritize necessary actions to effectively manage work place hazards. Table 4 below determines priority based on the following ranges;
Proposed action shall be addressed in HIRARC for monitoring and state the in charge person and dateline as well.
There are a numbers of highest risk will be logged in the Significant Risk Register to prompt an additional control measures to ensure the impact of the risk will remain at acceptable risk and minimize the potential of accident or incident.

Risk	Description	Rating
15 - 25	High	A HIGH risk requires the plan action to control the hazard as detailed in the hierarchy of control. Actions taken must be documented on the risk assessment form including date for completion.
5 - 12	Medium	A MEDIUM risk to be prioritized if no high risk was evaluated. Where necessary, it requires a planned approach to control the hazard and applies temporary measure. Actions taken must be documented on the risk assessment form including date for completion.
1 - 4	Low	A risk identified as LOW may be considered as acceptable and further reduction may not be necessary. However, if the risk can be resolved quickly and efficiently, control measures should be implemented and recorded.

Table 4: Risk Assessment Result

Management of Change

HIRARC should be reviewed and need to be updated when there is a change of process, infrastructure, facility, etc. The assessment shall look into account on OH&S hazard and risk.
The change also necessary when there is an incident occurrence as follow to SOP: Incident Investigation and consideration of HIRARC to be updated if there any feedback received from interested parties through SOP: Communication, Participation and Consultation, findings raised during internal audit and input highlighted during management review.
New HIRARC shall be established as a result of new activity where it was not being determined or justified in other current process.
Any revision or issuance of document reflected by the change / additional of item addressed in above statement shall follow SOP: Control of Documents.
<Head of Department> shall ensure the HIRARC is remained applicable and relevant to the current nature of process and activity within the company