Hazard Identification Safety Risk Assessment Matrix Creation and Implementation

Creating a hazard identification safety risk assessment matrix is a crucial step in ensuring a safe working environment. This matrix helps to identify and evaluate potential hazards and risks in the workplace.

The matrix is typically a table or grid that lists potential hazards on one axis and their corresponding risk levels on the other. According to the article, a risk level can be categorized as low, medium, or high.

To create an effective matrix, it's essential to involve all relevant stakeholders, including employees, supervisors, and safety professionals. This ensures that everyone's input and expertise are considered.

By using a standardized matrix, organizations can streamline their risk assessment process and make data-driven decisions about where to allocate resources.

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A hazard identification safety risk assessment matrix is a tool used to identify and assess potential hazards in a workplace or project. It's a simple yet effective way to determine the likelihood and severity of risks.

The matrix typically consists of a table with rows and columns that categorize the foreseeable severity of harm and likelihood or probability of occurrence. This allows you to quickly identify the level of risk associated with each hazard.

To use a risk assessment matrix, you need to assign ratings to each risk based on its likelihood and severity. For example, a risk with a low likelihood of occurrence and low severity of consequences would be something like a slip or fall in a regular office.

A risk matrix, also known as a Probability and Severity risk matrix, is a graphical risk analysis tool that gives you a quick view of project risks and their consequences' severity. It typically features a red-yellow-green color-coding that indicates whether risks are significant-, moderate-, or low-level concerns.

In a risk assessment matrix, the likelihood of a risk occurring is typically measured on the x-axis, while the impact or severity of the risk is measured on the y-axis. The higher a risk ranks for these two factors, the bigger threat it poses to your project.

Here's a breakdown of how a risk assessment matrix might be categorized:

By using a hazard identification safety risk assessment matrix, you can prioritize and prepare for potential hazards, ensuring a safer and more successful outcome.

Creating a template for your hazard identification safety risk assessment matrix is a crucial step in the process. You can create a matrix for your entire organization, a specific program, or a project, and it can be different each time.

The number of intervals for likelihood and impact is important to consider when defining your matrix. A 3×3 or 3×4 matrix could suit your project better, depending on the specific needs of your project.

You can place numerical values on your matrix scales, such as 1 – 5 or 0% – 100%, or use descriptive labels like "Low" and "Catastrophic" to describe the likelihood and impact of certain risks.

Your scale may not always be linear, with larger intervals for high-impact risks. For example, the impact of a fatal injury may be much greater than that of a scratched finger.

You can also plug in the number of risks you identified in your project for each quadrant instead of risk rating values. This can be a useful way to visualize the risks and prioritize them accordingly.

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The labels in brackets on matrix scales are arbitrary, so you can name your values however you want. For example, Impact (1) could have a label of "Insignificant."

Here are some key considerations to keep in mind when creating your matrix:

Remember, your risk form and matrix are not a one-time task. You should manage your risks throughout the life of your project, carrying out regular risk assessments to be able to react to changes in the project environment on an ongoing basis.

To identify potential risks, start by brainstorming and analyzing potential risks and opportunities related to your project scope, leaving no risk behind. Depending on your organization and project, your list of risks might include several types of risks, such as cost, environmental, and legal risks.

You can use a work breakdown structure style to identify and categorize your risks, or create a risk breakdown structure for your project. This can help you visualize your risks and make them easier to manage.

Conduct a risk assessment to identify hazards, assess their likelihood and severity, and determine the potential consequences. This will help you determine the risks associated with a project or working environment.

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Determine the likelihood of each risk by using a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is very unlikely and 5 is very likely. This will help you understand the chances of each risk occurring.

You can express the likelihood scale on 5 levels, including very unlikely, not likely, possible, probable, and very likely. For example, you might rate a risk as 3 - possible, indicating that there's a 50/50 chance of it occurring.

Here are the 5 levels of likelihood:

Remember to involve your team in this process, as they may have valuable insights into the likelihood of certain risks. By working together, you can create a more accurate assessment of the risks facing your project or workplace.

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Now that you've identified potential risks, it's time to think about how to mitigate them. You'll need to determine your risk mitigation strategies, which may involve implementing control measures to reduce the likelihood of a risk occurring.

This could include anything from regular equipment maintenance to employee training programs. It's essential to consider the likelihood and potential impact of each risk to prioritize your efforts effectively.

You'll also want to develop contingency plans to mitigate the consequences if a risk does occur. This might involve having a clear emergency response plan in place or establishing a communication protocol for employees.

To populate your risk matrix with risks and issues, you can add any issue type as long as you select the Consequence and Probability fields and assign them respective values.

Your Jira admin will need to preconfigure the fields you can add to your tasks. This is a one-time setup that will make it easy to add these fields to new or existing tasks.

You can add new and existing tasks and tasks as risks directly on the risk matrix by clicking on any quadrant and selecting "Create new Jira issue". Remember to provide details for your risk, including the Probability and Consequence fields.

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You can add any issue type to the risk heat map as long as you select the Consequence and Probability fields and assign them respective values. Your Jira admin will need to preconfigure the fields you can add to your tasks.

Just add those two fields when creating a new task or editing an existing one, and it will pop up on your risk matrix.

To add a risk to the matrix, click on any quadrant and select "Create new Jira issue" to provide details for your risk, including Probability and Consequence fields.

You can use the BigPicture's Risk board in two ways, by adding project tasks as risks or by adding risks directly to the matrix.

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You can add any issue type to the risk heat map as long as you select the Consequence and Probability fields and assign them respective values.

Click on any quadrant of the risk matrix to add new and existing tasks and tasks as risks directly on the risk matrix. You can create a new Jira issue and provide details for your risk, remembering to include the Probability and Consequence fields.

The risk software BigPicture seamlessly integrates with Jira and offers many key features that will help you assess and monitor your project risks efficiently. It visualizes all risks on the heat map, including those with high probability and consequence.

The app automatically calculates the risk rating, so you don't have to worry about manually updating the heat map. If you want to move any risk to a different quadrant, you can edit the risk or use a drag-and-drop feature.

You can display risks in a compact mode if your risk map gets really busy. Our simple project has only 5 risks, but BigPicture will visualize all of them for you.

Calculating the risk rating is a straightforward process that helps you understand the severity of each risk.

You assign a risk rating based on the likelihood and impact of each risk, using the formula: Likelihood x Impact = Risk rating. For example, if a risk has a likelihood of 4 and an impact of 5, the risk rating would be 20.

A risk with a high rating, such as 20, is considered a serious threat that could jeopardize your project.

The risk rating values will range from 1 to 25, which is a 5×5 matrix.

Low-rating risks (1-6) are unlikely to happen and won't be a threat to your project.

Medium-rating risks (7-12) might happen at some point, but you don't need to prioritize them, just keep an eye on them.

High-rating risks (13-25) are serious and very likely to happen, and could cause your project to go off the rails, so prioritize them.

Here's a quick reference guide to help you prioritize risks based on their likelihood and severity:

By prioritizing risks based on their likelihood and severity, you can focus your resources and attention on the risks that matter most.

A 5×5 risk assessment matrix is a game-changer for construction businesses, helping them identify and prioritize risks that can have serious consequences if not managed effectively.

Construction businesses face many risks, including accidents, injuries, property damage, and legal liability, which can be mitigated with a 5×5 risk assessment matrix.

Using a 5×5 risk assessment matrix helps construction businesses take appropriate action to manage these risks, ensuring a safer working environment for everyone involved.

The matrix helps identify and prioritize risks, allowing businesses to focus on the most critical issues first, which is crucial for minimizing downtime and reducing costs associated with accidents and injuries.

By implementing a 5×5 risk assessment matrix, construction businesses can reduce the likelihood of accidents and injuries, which is essential for maintaining a positive reputation and avoiding costly lawsuits.

Construction businesses can use the matrix to evaluate different risks and their potential impact, enabling them to develop effective strategies for managing and mitigating these risks.

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In a low risk category, hazards might include uneven surfaces causing slips and falls or materials on the ground causing trips. These types of hazards are more general and not as high risk as job steps.

A company's drivers are on the road constantly, in all types of road, weather, and traffic conditions. The company's risk assessment looked at its most common hazards, which included taxi colliding with another vehicle, taxi backing into a pedestrian, and driver distracted from driving duties when trying to eat lunch while driving.

The company identified collisions with vehicles and cars as high priorities for preventative actions, and decided to make eliminating "driving lunches" a high priority. They also decided that managing risks associated with passengers distracting their drivers was a high priority.

Here are a few examples of how organizations have applied a simple risk matrix:

Low risk hazards are often related to general site conditions, such as uneven surfaces or materials on the ground. These hazards can cause slips, trips, and falls.

The likelihood of these events occurring varies depending on the condition of the site and general awareness. Consequences can be moderate, such as injury requiring medical treatment and large financial loss.

Total risk is a function of both likelihood and consequence. A rare event can still carry moderate consequences, such as injury and financial loss.

Here are some examples of low risk hazards from a risk matrix:

These examples show that even though some events are rare, they can still have significant consequences.

In the high risk category, we're talking about performing tasks that are inherently hazardous, like working in confined spaces or disturbing asbestos. These activities require a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) to document the process for mitigating risks.

The likelihood of incidents occurring in this category is usually high, as these tasks involve multiple factors that could lead to an accident. Working at heights, for example, involves many potential hazards.

The consequences of incidents in this category can range from minor injuries requiring first aid to the most severe, death. Lost time, damage to equipment, and financial loss are also likely outcomes.

High risk activities include 18 construction activities, such as working in confined spaces or disturbing asbestos. These tasks require careful attention to mitigate the possibilities of an incident.

A fall from a significant height, such as from a mobile platform, is an example of a catastrophic event that falls into the high risk category. The consequences of such an event are severe, including significant injury or death.

Here are some examples of high risk activities and their potential consequences:

These examples illustrate the importance of carefully mitigating risks in high risk activities. By doing so, we can prevent accidents and minimize the consequences of incidents that do occur.

As we explore the hierarchy of controls, it's essential to consider real-world scenarios to understand how they can be applied. The article provides two examples of road safety scenarios where controls are used to reduce driving risk.

An employee scheduled to meet a client in a nearby city faces a winter storm with freezing temperatures, high winds, and 10 cm of snow. The employee could consider alternative modes of transportation, such as flying or taking a train, to avoid driving in hazardous conditions.

The hierarchy of controls can be applied to various road safety scenarios. In the case of the employee driving to meet the client, elimination controls are not directly applicable. However, substitution controls could be considered, such as using a different vehicle or mode of transportation.

The employee driving to meet the client could also consider engineering controls, such as installing snow tires or a snow blower on their vehicle. However, this may not be feasible or practical in the given situation.

Administrative controls can also be used to reduce driving risk. For example, the employee's supervisor could consider rescheduling the meeting to a different date or time when the weather is better.

The hierarchy of controls can be applied to various scenarios. In the case of an employee driving to site visits, administrative controls can be used to reduce driving risk. For example, the employee's supervisor could consider adjusting the schedule to avoid rush hour or inclement weather.

The following table illustrates the hierarchy of controls in the context of road safety scenarios:

In the case of an employee driving to site visits, the employee drivers faster than the speed limit to make up for lost time. This is an example of how administrative controls can be used to reduce driving risk.

You can download a Simple Risk Matrix Assessment Tool, a fillable Excel worksheet that helps you rank or score risks according to both probability and severity. It's a useful tool to have in your safety risk assessment toolkit.

The worksheet has two tabs: one with instructions and the other where you enter your assessments. You can review the example of a risk assessment for a service business using this tool.

A risk assessment tool like this can be tailored to fit your workplace circumstances. For example, a large employer might score property damage of $25,000 as low severity, while a small owner/operator may rate it as significant.

You can also download a Road Safety Risk Profile, a fillable PDF that asks you to rate risk factors related to the driver, trip, and vehicle. It only takes a few minutes to complete and will show you the highest priority risks you need to address, along with links to resources that can help you deal with them.

Here are some steps to reduce driving risks for your organization:

The Road Safety Risk Profile will give you the information you need to start reducing driving risks for your organization.