Risk Assessments Types

In this article the three main types of risk assessments Baseline, Issue-based and Continuous Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments are discussed. The purpose and output of each type is also provided.

Baseline Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments

The purpose of any baseline hazard identification and risk assessments is to determine the current risk profile of the company in order to determine the main focus areas of the hazard identification and risk assessments programme on site.

The output of the baseline hazard identification and risk assessments is a set of risk profiles, which are used to prioritise both issue-based risk assessments and action programmes.

The first step in conducting a baseline risk assessment is to decide on the set of risk profiles that should be developed that are most appropriate for the particular mine. In developing a set of risk profiles, care should be taken to ensure that all significant risks are identified. It is possible to overlook significant risks if the risk profiles selection is done incorrectly.

Issue Based Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments

The purpose of any issue-based hazard identification and risk assessments is to conduct a detailed assessment study of the activities, occupations and tasks identified during the baseline risk assessment to pose a significant risk.

The output of the issue-based hazard identification and risk assessments is clear recommendations to management for:

• Input into continuous hazard identification and risk assessments;

• Action plans for the treatment of significant risk in terms of the statutory hierarchy of control; and

• Input into training programmes, standards, procedures, codes of practice and management system.

The activities arising from the issue-based hazard identification and risk assessments programme may need to be modified due to, for example, the following occurrences:

• Accidents, incidents or "dangerous occurrences";

• New, and/or changes to, designs, layouts, equipment, or processes, etc;

• Findings that come to the fore during continuous hazard identification and risk assessments;

• Requests from employees, regulators or members of affected stakeholder parties;

• A change in the baseline risk profile;

• New knowledge and information becoming available on the level of risk to employees; and.

• A change in the perception of what a tolerable risk is.

There are various techniques such as HAZOP, SWIFT, FMECA, fault tree analysis etc. that can be used to conduct the issue based hazard identification and risk assessments.

Continuous Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments

This form of hazard identification and risk assessments is possibly the most powerful and important of all the types available, despite the fact that the level of sophistication is much lower that that of the baseline or issue based hazard identification and risk assessments.

The purpose of any continuous hazard identification and risk assessments is to immediately identify Occupational Health and Safety hazards for the purpose of treating significant risks.

Outputs of continuous hazard identification and risk assessments are:

• Risks that are treated immediately, in order of significance and in a manner determine during the issue based hazard identification and risk assessments;

• Information that feeds back into issue-based hazard identification and risk assessments; and

The name continuous risk assessment is the main culprit in confusing most of the uninformed. From the name it is interpreted that the risk assessment will take place constantly, in other words without any breaks, irrespective of the location of the individual and that all employees should identify any and all risks.

I believe that every employee has a responsibility to constantly, irrespective of the location, position or job category identify dangerous situations and take actions that will prevent accidents, but this has nothing to do with continuous risk assessment. These are merely activities that will occur at any mine where the health and safety culture allows for it to take place.

Continuous hazard identification and risk assessments should take place regularly, as an integral part of day-to-day operations management. This does not imply that the continuous hazard identification and risk assessments takes place continuously, but rather at pre-determined intervals or times as identified during the issue based hazard identification and risk assessments.

The following activities could form the basis of continuous hazard identification and risk assessments provided it was developed from issue based risk assessments:

• Planned inspections;

• Planned maintenance systems;

• Pre-work assessments;

• Occupational health and safety audits; and

• Planned task observations.

In continuous hazard identification and risk assessments, the emphasis is on routine hazard identification, through hazard identification and risk assessments, and immediate risk treatment in a manner determined during the issue based hazard identification and risk assessments part of the program.

© 2009 Carl Marx