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The Tree Step Approach to Safty At Work
A Guide to Hazard Assessment

Three Step Approach to Safety at Work.

The OSH Regulations (reg 3.1) requires a person who, at a workplace, is an employer, the main contractor, a self-employed person, a person having control of the workplace or a person having control of access to the workplace must, as far as practicable :

Step 1. identify each hazard to which a person at the workplace is likely to be exposed;

Step 2. assess the risk of injury or harm to a person resulting from each hazard if any, identified under paragraph (1) ; and

Step 3. consider the means by which the risk may be reduced.

The objective of this guide is to provide more detailed information on how to go about the hazard identification process.

A Suggested Process follows:

Step 1. Identification of Hazards

Definition:

A hazard means anything that may result in injury.

Consideration should be given to;

• injuries that have occurred at the workplace or at similar workplaces;
• “near misses” at the workplace or at a similar workplace (see significant incident summary sheets published by WorkSafe Western Australia and other agencies);
• publications such as codes of practice and guidance notes relevant to the industry;
• consultation with people working in the industry, including safety and health representatives and committees, to find out if there are difficulties in working safely;
• walk through inspections of the workplace (consider checklists);
• and records or statistics which indicate potentially unsafe practices.

Step 2. Assessing the Risk

Definition:

Risk, in relation to any injury or harm, means the probability of that injury or harm occurring.

Once hazards have been identified, the risks associated with the hazards can be assessed. An assessment of the risks will help determine the consequences (potential injury and disease) and assist to identify to reduce the risks. Each of the hazards identified in the first step in the process should be assessed. This step should include;

• identifying the nature of the decisions to be made about each hazard, where these hazards are likely to be present, and who is to make the decisions; and
• identifying the information that should be available to the decision makers and how the information should be presented.
      The information should include:
  • the size, height and layout of the site;
  • the preferred method or methods of work;
  • the location and condition of the plant to be used at the workplace; and
  • the number and movement of all people on site.

Step 3 Controlling Risk

Where there is a hazard and the assessment shows people at the workplace are at risk, if it is not practicable to eliminate the hazard (and as a consequence people at the workplace are not at risk,) consideration must be given to the options available to reduce the risk and adopting a practicable means of controlling that risk.

Consideration should be given to:

• submitting or replacing a hazard or a hazardous work practice with a less hazardous one;
• isolating or separating the hazard or hazardous work practice form employees and other persons who are not directly involved in the hazardous work;
• combining a number of control measures; and
• using personal protective equipment in conjunction with other control measures.

Where the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996 specify certain action to be taken in respect of specific hazards, those requirements must be complied with.

Safe work practices should be established in consultation with those who are to carry out the work and the procedures documented before work commences.

These should be documented procedures covering:

• education and training of employees and contractors including:
  -   induction training
  -   competencies, and certification where appropriate, needed to carry out the work safely;
• scheduling and sequencing work to ensure the safety of other persons is not compromised by the work activities of another person; and
• communication with and supervision of those carrying out the work.

The meaning of practicable

Some of the general duties in the Act and some requirements in the Regulations are qualified by the words as far as practicable.

“practicable” means reasonably practicable having regard, where the context permits to :

1. the severity of any potential injury or harm to health that may be involved, and the degree of risk of it occurring;
2. the state of knowledge about -
   1. the injury or harm to health referred to in paragraph a);
   2. the risk of that injury or harm to health occurring; and
   3. means of removing or mitigating the risk or mitigating the potential injury or harm to health;
      and
3. c) the availability, suitability, and cost of the means referred to in paragraph (b) (iii);

DISCLAIMER

Not withstanding the scope and purpose of this Guide, the Tree Guild of W.A. Inc, it’s office bearers, committee members, and agents do not under any circumstances accept any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, adequacy of effectiveness of any of the information contained herein and nothing contained herein shall be or be construed as a warranty of any kind to any person, corporation or body corporate to the extent that the Tree Guild of W.A., Inc, it’s office bearers, committee members, members and agents shall be absolutely immune from prosecution or proceedings of any kind arising out of or resulting from any use made of any of the information contained in this Statement.