How to assess the risks in your workplace

Identify the hazards

Decide who might be harmed and how
Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions
Record your significant findings
Review your assessment and update if necessary

When thinking about your risk assessment, remember:

a hazard is anything that may cause harm, such as chemicals, electricity,

working from ladders, an open drawer etc
the risk is the chance, high or low, that somebody could be harmed by these
and other hazards, together with an indication of how serious the harm could
be

Hierarchy of hazard control is a system used in industry to minimize or

eliminate exposure to hazards. It is a widely accepted system promoted by
numerous safety organizations. This concept is taught to managers in industry,
to be promoted as standard practice in the workplace. Various illustrations are
used to depict this system, most commonly a triangle.
The hazard controls in the hierarchy are, in order of decreasing effectiveness:

Elimination
Substitution
Engineering
Administration
Personal protective equipment

Components of the hierarchy

Elimination
Eliminating the hazardphysically removing itis the most effective hazard
control.[4] For example, if employees must work high above the ground, the
hazard can be eliminated by moving the piece they are working on to ground
level to eliminate the need to work at heights.[2]
Substitution

This pesticide containsDDT, an effective substitution would be to replace it

with a green pesticide.
Substitution, the second most effective hazard control, involves replacing
something that produces a hazard (similar to elimination) with something that
does not produce a hazardfor example, replacing lead based paint with acrylic
paint. To be an effective control, the new product must not produce another
hazard. Because airborne dust can be hazardous, if a product can be purchased
with a larger particle size, the smaller product may effectively be substituted
with the larger product.[4]
Engineering controls
See also: safety engineering
The third most effective means of controlling hazards is engineered controls.
These do not eliminate hazards, but rather isolate people from
hazards.[2] Capital costs of engineered controls tend to be higher than less
effective controls in the hierarchy, however they may reduce future costs.[5] For
example, a crew might build a work platform rather than purchase, replace, and
maintain fall arrest equipment. "Enclosure and isolation" creates a physical
barrier between personnel and hazards, such as using remotely controlled
equipment. Fume hoods can remove airborne contaminants as a means of
engineered control.[4]
Administrative controls

This sign warns people that there are explosives in Walker Lake, however
it cannot prevent people from swimming in it.
Administrative controls are changes to the way people work. Examples of
administrative controls include procedure changes, employee training, and
installation of signs and warning labels (such as those in the Workplace
Hazardous Materials Information System).[2]Administrative controls do not
remove hazards, but limit or prevent people's exposure to the hazards, such as
completing road construction at night when fewer people are driving.[4]
Personal protective equipment
Main article: personal protective equipment
Personal protective equipment (PPE) includes gloves, respirators, hard
hats, safety glasses, high-visibility clothing, and safety footwear. PPE is the
least effective means of controlling hazards because of the high potential for
damage to render PPE ineffective.[4] Additionally, some PPE, such as respirators,
increase physiological effort to complete a task and, therefore, may require
medical examinations to ensure workers can use the PPE without risking their
health
Risk assessment

a systematic process of evaluating the potential risks that may be involved

in a projected activity or undertaking
The identification, evaluation, and estimation of the levels of risks involved
in a situation, their comparison against benchmarks or standards, and
determination of an acceptable level of risk.
Food industry: According to FAO/WHO it consists of hazard identification,
hazard characterization, exposure assessment, and risk characterization

MEWP: Men elevated Working Platform procedures

Third party certificate for the machine
Third party certificate for the operator, banks man / rigger
Ensure the stability of the ground
No obstruction
Barrication, sign boards and emergency contact numb
Proper guard rails and edge protection
Operator details and certificates should be attached with the machine
Overhead line
Regular maintenance of the MEWP
Dont operate the machine during heavy wind, sand storm and rain.

Scaffolding
Follow the manufacturer's instructions when erecting the scaffold.
Do not work on scaffolds outside during stormy or windy weather.
Do not climb on scaffolds that wobble or lean to one side.
Initially inspect the scaffold prior to mounting it. Do not use a scaffold if any
pulley, block, hook or fitting is visibly worn, cracked, rusted or otherwise
damaged.
Do not use a scaffold if any rope is frayed, torn or visibly damaged.
Do not use any scaffold tagged "Out of Service".
Do not use unstable objects such as barrels, boxes, loose brick or concrete
blocks to support scaffolds or planks.
Do not work on platforms or scaffolds unless they are fully planked.
Do not use a scaffold unless guardrails and all flooring are in place.
Level the scaffold after each move. Do not extend adjusting leg screws more
than 12 inches.
Do not walk or work beneath a scaffold unless a wire mesh has been
installed between the mid-rail and the toe-board or planking.
Use your safety belts and lanyards when working on scaffolding at a height
of 10 feet or more above ground level. Attach the lanyard to a secure member
of the scaffold.
Do not climb the cross braces for access to the scaffold. Use the ladder.
Do not jump from, to, or between scaffolding.
Do not slide down cables, ropes or guys used for bracing.
Keep both feet on the decking. Do not sit or climb on the guardrails.
Do not lean out from the scaffold. Do not rock the scaffold.
 Keep the scaffold free of scraps, loose tools, tangled lines and other
obstructions.
Do not throw anything "overboard" unless a spotter is available. Use the
debris chutes or lower things by hoist or by hand.
Do not move a mobile scaffold if anyone is on the scaffold.
Chock the wheels of the rolling scaffold, using the wheel blocks, and also
lock the wheels by using your foot to depress the wheel-lock, before using the
scaffold