Efficient Plant June 2018 - 18

safety matters risk assessment

Q

What needs to be assessed?

Everything should be assessed, not just the
potential hazards. Among other things, look at the
work environment, ergonomics, and noise. Keep all of
that in mind, since, in case of a violation or litigation,
an organization must be able to demonstrate that the
risk assessment was sufficient for the given hazard.

Q

How should this process begin?

The first thing that should be done is to get
buy-in from front-line employees by explaining that
the goal of a risk assessment is to have a workplace
free of hazards. It should be emphasized that each
employee is responsible for his/her own safety. It is a
responsibility of the employee to report any recognized hazards.

Q

What can be done to reduce the risk
of injury on hard-to-guard hazardous
machines?

and safety professionals are all potential candidates.
These individuals should be empowered by an officer
of the company who is responsible for allocating
resources. Management must provide visible leadership to make this process credible.

Q

Can a consultant be hired to carry out
a risk assessment?

Q

How should risks be prioritized?

Priority should always be given to the highest
risk hazard. An ergonomic workstation is less of a
priority than an unguarded stamp press. 

Competent consultants can greatly enhance the
risk-assessment process, but the final responsibility
for personnel safety is still that of the employer. Employees should also be trained to recognize hazards
and act appropriately.

Q

Q

Q

When should a risk assessment be
conducted?

Ideally, a risk assessment should be conducted whenever changes are made, especially when new machinery or systems are introduced, new tasks are added,
or a new routine is devised. When adding new processes, evaluate what tasks may create the probability
of a hazardous event.

18

Do what is feasible from a design standpoint. Implement safeguards, use personal protective equipment,
raise the general level of awareness of the hazard, and
develop safe work procedures for all tasks where the
hazard cannot be eliminated or controlled. The end
result should be to achieve a tolerable level of risk. 

| EFFICIENTPLANTMAG.COM

How do you determine which hazards
are worse than others?

Industry risk-assessment models are designed to
assist with this process.

What industries use risk assessments?

Risk assessments are conducted in many
industries where workplace accidents must be
minimized and product quality and performance are
critical. Some of these industries have made an effort
to standardize a process for evaluating risk, including:
 metal forming/cutting
 medical devices

JUNE 2018



http://www.EFFICIENTPLANTMAG.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Efficient Plant June 2018

Efficient Plant June 2018 - Cover1
Efficient Plant June 2018 - Cover2
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 1
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 2
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 3
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 4
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 5
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 6
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 7
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 8
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 9
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 10
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 11
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 12
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 13
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 14
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 15
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 16
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 17
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 18
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 19
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 20
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 21
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 22
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 23
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 24
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 25
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 26
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 27
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 28
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 29
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 30
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 31
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 32
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 33
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 34
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 35
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 36
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 37
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 38
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 39
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 40
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 41
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 42
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 43
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 44
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 45
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 46
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 47
Efficient Plant June 2018 - 48
Efficient Plant June 2018 - Cover3
Efficient Plant June 2018 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/efficient-plant-jan-feb-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/efficient-plant-april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/efficient-plant-october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/efficient-plant-june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epapril2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epmarch2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epjanfeb2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epjulyaug2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epjune2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epmay2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epapril2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epmarch2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epfeb2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epjan2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epnovdec2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epseptoct2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epmay2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epapril2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epmarch2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epfebruary2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epjanuary2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epdecember2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epnovember2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epoctober2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epseptember2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epaugust2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/0818schneider
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epjuly2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epjune2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epmay2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epapril2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epmarch2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epfebruary2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epjanuary2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epdecember2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epnovember2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/epoctober2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtsept2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtaugust2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtjuly2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtjune2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtmay2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtapril2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtmarch2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtfebruary2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtjanuary2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtdecember2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtnovember2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtoctober2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtseptember2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtaugust2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtjuly2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtjune2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtmay2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtapril2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtmarch2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtfebruary2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtjanuary2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtdecember2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtnovember2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtoctober2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/mtseptember2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/MTAugust2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/MTJuly2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/MTJune2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/M
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/0415endress
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/MTApril2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/MTMarch2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/MTFebruary2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/MTJanuary2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/MTDecember2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/MTNovember2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/MTOctober2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/MTSeptember2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/MTAugust2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/atp/MaintenanceTechnology/MTJuly2014
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com