What are Workplace Hazards?
The US Department of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Administration defines hazards as “any source of potential damage, harm or adverse health effects on something or someone.” In other words, a hazard in the workplace could be anything on the job that puts an employee’s health and safety at risk. Depending on the field of work, some hazards are more prevalent and dangerous than others. Regardless of the level of risk, in order to protect yourself and your employees from workplace hazards, you must first identify those things that could put your workforce at risk.
Identifying Workplace Risks and Hazards
Hazards exist in every workplace. The important thing is that these hazards are identified and mitigated, in order to minimize the probability of an accident or injury occurring. Hazard identification is a process used to assess the potential of a certain environment or activity to inflict harm on an individual. A risk assessment needs to be done to determine the level of danger associated with each scenario. Once a risk assessment has been conducted, a company will be able to determine techniques to either eliminate or mitigate the hazards identified.
Hazard identifications should be carried out regularly, especially during the performance of new processes. This could mean any time that an organization is trying something that differs from everyday activities, purchasing different machinery, or implementing a new procedure. Hazards should also be identified before performing a task, as well. This might include double-checking that equipment is functioning properly and that a worker’s surroundings are secure. While tasks are being performed, employees should be conscious of any changes in their environment and if an incident occurs, it is important to identify the hazards that were responsible. Even in the event of a ‘near miss’, it’s important to recognize what could have caused an accident in order to prevent that situation from happening in the future.
Key Hazards That Might be Identified
Hazards can generally be classified into categories: biological, chemical, ergonomic, physical, psychological, and safety. Biological hazards may be associated with bacteria, viruses, insects, plants, animals, or birds. Chemical hazards result from working with various dangerous or poisonous substances. Ergonomic hazards stem from repetitive movements, poor workplace posture, and other workstation related injuries. Physical hazards are relevant in situations where there may be extreme pressures, noise, physical threats, and other risks that have the potential to cause physical harm to an individual. Psychological hazards relate to stress, violence, and/or trauma. And lastly, safety hazards broadly encompass trips, falls, equipment malfunctions, and hazards that commonly occur in the workplace.
Visit and learn more about workplace safety hazards in our previous blog article Top 7 Workplace Safety Hazards in the USA.
Download our Hazard Assessment Worksheet
In the process of doing a hazard assessment for your workplace, it is almost a certainty you’ll learn information about the operational aspects of your organization you were unaware of prior to the assessment. Download here.
How to Determine If Something Is A Hazard
It isn’t always clear which situations are dangerous and which are not. Here are a few key questions to ask yourself when evaluating the risks associated with a given task.
Will I be encountering any hazardous materials, such as poisonous chemicals, or dealing with extremes such as hot or cold temperatures or lack of oxygen?
Are there any moving objects that could jeopardize my safety, like conveyor belts or ropes?
Is the surface stable or could I slip or fall easily?
Are there any obstacles on the floor or wet surfaces that I am not aware of?
Are there any objects or equipment that could hit me?
Does anything I’m working with have sharp edges or protruding parts?
Am I likely to overexert myself?
How much physical energy will this task require?
Are there any circumstances that I haven’t thought of, like whether I will be alone if I will be in a confined space, if the situation could possibly get violent, or if there could be unknown people on the site?
Read more: Tips to Prevent Winter Workplace Accidents and Hazards
Questions of this sort must be considered. It is essential to thoroughly evaluate and identify any and all safety hazards that could arise in the workplace. Doing so will not only prepare you and your employees in the event of an incident, but it could be the difference between life and death.
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