In this module
Objectives covered: LO 2.1.1, LO 2.1.2. By the end you will be able to:
- Explain the difference between a hazard, a risk and an incident in plain words.
- Describe why hazard analysis is the starting point of every safety programme.
- List the duties of employers, supervisors and workers to find and control hazards.
- Name the main OSHA, ISO, ILO and Bangladesh rules that require hazard analysis.
1.1 Hazard, risk and incident
A hazard is anything that can cause harm: a moving machine part, a live cable, a drum of acid, a slippery floor, a heavy load, a long night shift. A hazard is a source of harm.
Risk is the chance that the hazard will actually hurt someone, combined with how bad the harm could be. The same hazard can carry high or low risk depending on how close people get to it, how often, and what protection is in place.
An incident is an event where harm happened or could have happened. When nobody is hurt it is called a near miss. Near misses are free lessons: the hazard showed itself, and luck did the protecting.
Hazard = the shark. Risk = how likely you are to meet the shark, and how badly it can bite. You cannot always remove the shark, but you can stay out of its water, build a net, or wear a cage.
| Hazard | Who could be harmed and how | What makes the risk higher |
|---|---|---|
| Unguarded V-belt on a compressor | Maintenance fitter, hand caught and crushed | Working on it while running, loose sleeves |
| LPG cylinder store | Everyone nearby, fire and explosion | Leaking valves, no ventilation, smoking nearby |
| Wet floor in a washing plant | Operators, slips and falls | Poor drainage, worn footwear, poor lighting |
| Silica dust from grinding | Grinder and helpers, lung disease | Dry cutting, no extraction, long shifts |
1.2 Why hazard analysis comes first
You cannot control a hazard you have not found. Every good safety system starts by looking carefully at the work, finding the hazards, judging the risk, and then choosing controls. This is the cycle the whole course follows:
- Identify the hazards (Modules 2, 3 and 4).
- Assess the risk (Module 5).
- Control the risk using the hierarchy of controls (Modules 6, 7 and 8).
- Monitor and review to make sure the controls still work (Module 9).
1.3 Who is responsible?
The employer must
- Provide a workplace free from recognised serious hazards. In the USA this is the OSHA General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act.
- Identify hazards, assess the risks and put controls in place before work starts (ISO 45001 clause 6.1.2).
- Consult workers and their representatives, including the safety committee required in Bangladesh for factories with 50 or more workers.
- Provide information, training, supervision and the resources to fix hazards.
The supervisor must
- Check that the job analysis and controls are in place before the job starts.
- Stop the work when conditions change or a control is missing.
The worker must
- Follow the agreed controls, and report hazards, near misses and damaged equipment at once.
- Use their right to stop work when they believe there is serious and imminent danger (ILO Convention 155, Article 13).
- OSH Act 1970, Section 5(a)(1): the General Duty Clause.
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910 (general industry) and 1926 (construction): specific hazard rules. OSHA publication 3071 explains Job Hazard Analysis.
- ISO 45001:2018 clause 6.1.2: hazard identification and assessment of risks. ISO 31000: general risk management principles.
- ILO Convention 155 and C187: national OSH policy and employer duties.
- Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 (amended 2013 and 2018), Chapters V to VIII on health, safety and welfare, and Bangladesh Labour Rules 2015, including safety committees.
- Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) 2020 and the Fire Prevention and Extinguishing Act 2003.
After the Rana Plaza collapse in April 2013, which killed more than 1,100 garment workers, the factory safety inspections that followed found tens of thousands of structural, fire and electrical hazards in RMG buildings. Cracks in the building had been seen the day before the collapse. The hazard was found, but the risk was not assessed and work was not stopped. Hazard analysis only protects people when it leads to action.
Learning Check
Answer these two questions to check your understanding. You can try again as many times as you like.