HRA Awareness

Definition of Health Risk Assessment

Health Risk Assessment (HRA) is a process of identifying, evaluating,
controlling and managing health risks associated with work to prevent acute
and chronic health effects.

Objectives of Health Risk Assessment

The overall objective is to manage the risk of harm to people by identifying
and assessing health risks and by implementing control and recovery
measures.
In other words:

Make sure that exposures to health risks are adequately controlled:

1. Identify relevant health hazards for the workplace
2. Review existing control and recovery measures

3. Ensure that legal and Company requirements are met

4. Ensure that exposures are reduced to As Low As Reasonably Practicable
HRA provides documented demonstration of ALARP for health hazards.

Benefits of Health Risk Assessment

Protect the health of staff and contractors; pursue the goal of No harm to
people
Prevent health incidents and occupational illnesses, such as:
Overexposure to noise and chemicals
Food poisoning
Noise induced hearing loss
And HRA also:
Provides a systematic approach to identification and assessment of health
hazards

Focuses on control of health hazards

Provides specific recommendations

Scope of Health Risk Assessment

1. All health hazards associated with work
Biological health hazards
Chemical health hazards
Physical health hazards
Ergonomic health hazards
Psychological health hazards
2. All activities under operational control carried out by employees
and contractors
Existing operations
Maintenance and turnaround activities

New projects
Acquisition, closure, divestment and abandonment of facilities

HSSE Management System

Leadership and Commitment
Policy and Strategic Obj.

Org., Resp., Resources

Standards. & Doc.
Hazard and Effects Management

Planning & Procedures

Implementation/ Operation
Assurance : Audit

Management Review

Corrective
Action

Monitoring
Corrective Action &
Improvement
Corrective Action &
Improvement

PDO has a systematic approach to HSSE management designed to ensure

compliance with the law and to achieve continuous performance
improvement. This HSSE management system requires the above elements
arranged to provide different feedback loops to achieve continuous
improvement in performance.

Managing Risk
Health Risk Assessment
Leadership and Commitment
Policy and Strategic Obj.
Org., Resp., Resources
Standards. & Doc.
Hazard and Effects Management

ASSESS

IDENTIFY

Planning & Procedures

Implementation

HEMP

Audit

HEMP

Management Review

CONTROL

RECOVER

Hazard and Effects Management

Process

Corrective
Action

Monitoring
Corrective Action &
Improvement
Corrective Action &
Improvement

HSSE Management System

Health Risk Assessment Accountabilities

Initiate HRA

Perform & Signoff

HRA

Implement
Remedial
Actions
Line Manager

HRA Competent Person

An individual assessed at the Skill Level in HRA,
and approved by PDO Occupational Health to lead
or update HRAs.

Managing Risk
Step 1: IDENTIFY

ASSESS

IDENTIFY

HEMP

CONTROL

HEMP

RECOVER

In the IDENTIFY step, health hazards and their potential effects are
identified.

IDENTIFY

Health Hazards

ASSESS

HEMP
HEMP
CONTROL
RECOVER

A health hazard has the potential to cause harm to health.

There are five categories of hazards addressed in the Health Risk Assessment Process.
The HRA includes both acute and chronic health effects.

1. Physical
2. Chemical
3. Biological
4. Ergonomic
5. Psychological
An acute health effect occurs immediately or in a short time (seconds to hours)
following exposure, such as heat stroke, chemical burns and asphyxiation.
A chronic health effect occurs gradually over a long period of time (months or years),
generally following repeated and prolonged exposure. Examples are noise induced
hearing loss, asbestosis and blood cancer.

IDENTIFY

Physical Health Hazards

ASSESS

HEMP
HEMP
CONTROL
RECOVER

Physical health hazards are hazards due to a physical agent (energy), such as
noise and vibration, ionising and non-ionising radiation, extreme temperatures and
pressures.

Examples include:
Noise from compressors and air fans
Hand-arm vibration from powered tools
Whole-body vibration while operating moving machinery
Ionising radiation from radiation sources (level gauges; non-destructive
testing)
Heat stress or cold stress from working in extreme climates
Hyperbaric or hipobaric pressure

IDENTIFY

Chemical Health Hazards

ASSESS

HEMP
HEMP
CONTROL
RECOVER

Chemical health hazards are hazards due to a chemical agent which

produces an inhalation risk, such as dusts, mists, gases, vapors and fumes,
or a dermal risk, such as liquids and solids.

Examples include:
Crude oil
Condensate
Catalyst
Cleaning agent

IDENTIFY

Biological Health Hazards

ASSESS

HEMP
HEMP
CONTROL
RECOVER

Biological health hazards are hazards due to, or carried by, a biological
agent (nature, living organism) such as insects and mites, moulds, yeasts,
fungi, bacteria and viruses.

Examples in the workplace include:

Food poisoning
Malaria
Legionella
Poisoning animals

IDENTIFY

Ergonomic Health Hazards

ASSESS

HEMP
HEMP
CONTROL
RECOVER

Ergonomic health hazards are hazards due to the interaction between

human tasks, equipment and the environment. It is typically associated with
manual handling, sustained repetitive movements of the upper limbs, and
sustained or extreme postures where tasks require application of
force. Ergonomic health hazards also include lighting where it is unsuitable
for the task.

Examples include:

Manual lifting of equipment

Repetitive movements

Non-optimal postures (mechanical

posture for example for valve
operation)

IDENTIFY

Psychological Health Hazards

ASSESS

HEMP
HEMP
CONTROL
RECOVER

Psychological health hazards are shortcomings of work design,

organization or management which, depending on the social and
environmental context, may impact on a persons sense of stress. Stress is
the adverse reaction that people have to excessive pressure or other types
of demand placed upon them.

Examples include

Heavy workload
Conflicting or uncertain job expectations
Frequent change

Lack of participation in decision making

Poor communication

Managing Risk
Step 2: ASSESS

ASSESS

IDENTIFY

HEMP

CONTROL

HEMP

RECOVER

The ASSESS step is performed using the Risk Assessment Matrix

(RAM). This step serves to determine for which health risks a detailed
assessment is required.

ASSESS

IDENTIFY

Risk Assessment Matrix

HEMP

CONTROL

INCREASING LIKELIHOOD
Reputation

Environment

Assets

People

SEVERITY

CONSEQUENCES

No
damage

No effect

No injury or
health
effect

No
impact

Slight injury
or health
effect

Slight
damage

Slight
effect

Slight
impact

Minor injury
or health
effect

Minor
damage

Minor
effect

Minor
impact

Major injury
or health
effect

Moderate
damage

Moderate
effect

Moderate
impact

PTD or up
to 3
fatalities

Major
damage

Major
effect

Major
impact

More than
3 fatalities

Massive
damage

Massive
effect

Massive
impact

Never
heard of in
the Industry

Heard of in
the Industry

Has
happened in
the
Organisation
or more than
once per
year in the
Industry

Has
happened at
the Location
or more than
once per
year in the
Organisation

E
Has
happened
more than
once per
year at the
Location

HEMP

RECOVER

Managing Risk
Step 3: CONTROL

ASSESS

IDENTIFY

HEMP

CONTROL

HEMP

RECOVER

The CONTROL step reviews the conditions at the workplace:

The way people can be exposed to the health hazards, frequency and duration of
exposure, the controls currently in place and how effective these controls are.

IDENTIFY

Identify Exposure Scenarios

ASSESS

HEMP
HEMP
CONTROL
RECOVER

Contact with a hazard is called exposure.

Examples of exposure are:
Inhalation of fumes when welding

Skin contact with cleaning chemicals

Exposure to noise in pump room
Exposure to dust when taking off contaminated
work clothing
Exposure is a combination of:
Magnitude (how much)

Frequency (how often)

Duration (how long)

IDENTIFY

Exposure and Health Risk

ASSESS

HEMP
HEMP
CONTROL
RECOVER

A health risk is the likelihood that a health hazard will cause harm to an
exposed individual.

Hazard in isolation Health risk

Health risk = Hazard x Exposure
A hazard needs to come into contact with a person to constitute a health
risk.

IDENTIFY

Identify Existing Controls

ASSESS

HEMP
HEMP
CONTROL
RECOVER

The next step after identifying exposure scenarios, is to determine

which risk management controls have been put in place at the
workplace. There are different types of existing controls:

Engineering controls
Plant and equipment; hardware items

Procedural controls
Training requirements
Work instructions

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Managing Risk
Step 4: RECOVER

ASSESS

IDENTIFY

HEMP

CONTROL

HEMP

RECOVER

In the RECOVER step, it is identified what can be done to regain control of

the situation if controls fail.

ASSESS

IDENTIFY

Identify Existing Recovery Measures

HEMP
HEMP
CONTROL
RECOVER

Recovery measures are required to mitigate the health effects should

exposure control measures fail, and to prevent the escalation of health
risks.

Examples of recovery measures include:

Emergency respirators
Emergency showers & eye wash
First aiders and First aid materials
Decontamination of workplace
Local medical facilities

As Low as Reasonably Practicable

(ALARP)

ASSESS

IDENTIFY

HEMP
HEMP
CONTROL
RECOVER

The control and recovery measures should reduce risks to a level which
is As Low As Reasonably Practicable.
In the first place, the risk should meet tolerability criteria and existing
control and recovery measures need to meet legal and Company
requirements.
If the above can be confirmed, then the next question is whether additional
control or recovery measures can be put in place to obtain further risk
reduction and if yes, to decide on the practicality of these options for
improvement.
ALARP is not a scientific formula it is a judgment where options for
improvement are considered and accepted or rejected. Rejection can take
place if further risk reduction is impracticable or the costs are grossly
disproportionate to the improvements gained.

As Low as Reasonably Practicable

(ALARP)
The ALARP concept is displayed below:

ASSESS

IDENTIFY

HEMP
HEMP
CONTROL
RECOVER

IDENTIFY

Hierarchy of Control

ASSESS

HEMP
HEMP
CONTROL
RECOVER

A Hierarchy of Control should be used to reduce risks to ALARP.

The different types of control in preferential order are:
Elimination

Substitution (alternatives)
Engineering (plant and equipment)
Procedural
Personal protective equipment

Elimination of the hazard is always the preferred control. When this is not
possible, a control at a lower level in the hierarchy can be considered. This
process is repeated until the proper control (or combination of controls) is
selected for each health risk.

HRA Report & Remedial Action Plan

HRA Report & Remedial Action

Plan
Routine Exposure Monitoring

Medical Surveillance Programs

The HRA report is generated by the HRA Competent Person.

The Line Manager reviews the recommendations from the HRA report with
the HRA Competent Person to agree a Remedial Action Plan. For each
action, this plan should list a responsible person and target date.

The Line Manager then:

Implements the Remedial Action Plan to completion
Maintains the controls and recovery measures specified in the HRA
Arranges exposure monitoring and medical surveillance where
necessary

Routine Exposure Monitoring

HRA Report & Remedial Action

Plan
Routine Exposure Monitoring

Medical Surveillance Programs

Based on the outcomes of the HRA as well as legal requirements,

measurements may need to be repeated on a periodic basis and a
routine exposure monitoring program is set up.
These measurements can serve different purposes:
Confirm compliance with Company or
national exposure limits
Verify exposure measurement
previously obtained

results

Confirm the continuing effectiveness of

control measures and give early warning of
changes in patterns of exposure
The monitoring program must be designed by a HRA Competent Person.

Medical Surveillance Programmes

HRA Report & Remedial Action

Plan
Routine Exposure Monitoring

Medical Surveillance Programs

Medical surveillance is a periodic assessment of an employees exposure

and/or health condition, in order to detect adverse effects and prevent an
illness from developing.
Medical surveillance is carried out for specific occupational health risks such
as:

Noise
Benzene
Lead
Cr VI, PAHs, Mercury
Medical surveillance methods include: audiometry, urine/blood analyses,
questionnaires and focused physical examinations.
The HRA identifies which Medical Surveillance Programme is required.

Accountabilities and Responsibilities for HRA

Accountable: Line Manager
1. Have the HRA process carried out, covering all Locations or Activities
2. Review the HRA recommendations with the HRA Competent Person and
agree a Remedial Action Plan

3. Communicate relevant HRA risks and controls to impacted staff

4. Review the HRA when changes to operations or organisations are proposed
as described in the Management of Change manual section of the CMF

Responsible: HRA Competent Person

1. Lead the HRA process
2. Update existing HRAs with new hazard information