Seven steps to reduce OHS hazards in any industry

In Australia, work-related injuries and illnesses have been known to cost our economy more than $60 billion dollars in a single year*, representing 4.8% of GDP.

As a result of these alarming figures, Australian risk-management training provider SAI Global has designed an online scenario-based safety training course that meets critical criteria for OHS hazard audits, Online Auditing OHS Management Systems.

“Inadequate risk plans can increase the rate of workplace injuries and are mostly the result of a lack of resources and expertise,” said OHS trainer Ray Bedson, who trains hundreds of employees every year through SAI Global. “Employers can’t ignore the risks to their employees - a shoulder injury can cost an organisation $400,000 in accident compensation and prosecution costs, and a back injury over $1 million,” says Bedson.

Seven steps to developing an effective plan for identifying and reducing workplace risks:

1. Commit: “A risk plan can’t be carried out once and put aside. It’s an ongoing commitment. All employees, not just OHS and risk managers, must be on board over the long term. In an organisation of 100 employees, a risk or OHS manager may need to commit 80 hours per month, while remaining employees may need to commit another 120 hours per month collectively,” said Bedson.
2. Communicate: “At least monthly, ask employees to recall any previous injuries and incidents - including near misses - and discuss why these happened. Encourage them to be vocal about potential hazards and the things that make them nervous, particularly where operational changes have taken place. Some employees don’t see the risks in the same way you might, so another tactic is to follow and observe an employee’s work for a few hours and have discussions around safety - you will soon get a clear snapshot for potential hazards.” Bedson says extremely busy managers can try to spot all hazards in a 30-minute walk through a work area, discuss with those who might be affected and repeat the exercise every week until a thorough scope of the workplace has been made.
3. Record: “Note all the identified hazards on a Workplace Inspection Checklist - any employee can perform this in their own area. Writing it down makes it harder to ignore and it lets your team know you’re considering solutions to any issues,” said Bedson.
4. Prioritise: “Use a Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment & Control (HIRAC) format to score each risk from negligible to extreme. Take into consideration the likelihood of an incident occurring and the level of consequence that this could have. This will allow you to prioritise your actions,” said Bedson. “HIRAC or Risk Assessment forms are available from your industry association or statutory WorkSafe or WorkCover authority and are best filled out by HR, safety or OHS coordinators, with the assistance of safety representatives who have a bit of knowledge.”
5. Control and consult: “It is best to implement a control that will eliminate the risk altogether, or minimise it through an engineering solution such as noise reduction. Note them down on the HIRAC form,” said Bedson. “Consult again with employees to ensure everyone agrees. Getting them involved will help ensure they implement the controls when the time comes.”
6. Monitor and review: “To determine if your processes and controls are effective and reducing incidents, review them at least monthly,” said Bedson. “Compare the number of incidents and their level of significance. If there has been no improvement, it’s time to rethink your plan.”
7. Train new employees: “Awareness is the first step in controlling hazards; employees who are new to the workplace, inexperienced or untrained are particularly at risk. Investing in their training and development can do more than just protect your business financially and legally - it can save their life.” Bedson admits that there is no real ‘secret’ to optimum workplace safety. In fact, the most effective OHS risk management systems are practical, logical and simple to implement and understand. “Don’t develop overly detailed plans with confusing forms - these discourage use and, before you know it, workplace hazards are ignored.”

“In my 30 years’ experience in the industry, best practice OHS-risk management plans identify existing known hazards, measure and rank them, and outline simple and practical controls. They are developed by managers who understand their workplace surroundings and received comprehensive training on implementing OHS management systems. Every plan should simplify company processes and bring them into real-life situations.”

SAI Global’s self-paced course can be accessed online, making it suitable for location-based industries. It focuses not only on the core auditing skills, but also on communication and reporting, which can help lead auditors maximise success.

*Source: Key Work Health and Safety Statistics, Australia, 2012
http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/677/Key_Work_Health_and_Safety_Statistics_Australia_2012.pdf