Introduction

Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control, (HIRARC) is a guideline to

objective or systematic approach for worker to identify the hazard and assessing its risk to reduce
accidents at the workplace. It becomes general duties to the employer to provide safe workplaces
environment to their employers and other related person according to the Occupational Safety and
Health Act 1994 (Act 514).

Using the HIRARC form based on guidelines by Department of Occupational Safety and
Health, the hazard had been analyzed based on the experiment procedures through the calculation
of risk matrix which were likelihood time severity. By using calculation of risk matrix, the possible
control measure can be minimize the risk and the hazard can be concluded.

The purpose of this experiment is to study the operation of filter press for filtration of
calcium carbonate slurry. This experiment have six activities that is possibly can cause hazards
which is weighing the calcium carbonate powder, transferring calcium carbonate into water,
standing too long during experiment, opening the pump or valve, handling the slurry tank pump
and water flow in the tank or pump. Thus, these hazards should be identified so that the
consequence and risk control can be made.

First, when weighing the calcium carbonate powder, it falls in chemical hazard where the
exposure from the chemicals can cause dangerous powder inhalation. Next, when transferring the
calcium carbonate into water, possibility of solution spillage of chemicals might happen and this
falls under safety hazard. Other than that, ergonomics hazard also happens when student is
standing too long during the experiment because it cause muscle strain and back pain.
 Furthermore, another hazard that possibly happen occurs when opening the pump or valve
because electric shock might happen when operating it. The fifth activity which is handling the
slurry tank pump because machine failure might happen during the experiment. Lastly, water
flowing to the tank or pump might cause rusting to the equipment. All these three activities are
falls into safety hazards.

The application of HIRARC could improve more on safety measurement during student
conducting the lab session. This was because the hazardous had been highlighted for each of work
activities. Eventually, those safety measurement had become routine and hence the hazard can be
avoided. Through the risk matrix, the control measure that can be taken was student can take turn
with another student to avoid this hazard.