SESSMENT RECAP

-     The assignment requires students to work in groups to create and present a hazard and risk assessment poster.

-     Key objectives: Build skills in identifying hazards and risks, planning solutions, applying appropriate models, and developing communication, creative presentation, persuasive skills, and teamwork capacity.

-     The assignment involves forming a hazard and risk assessment poster to examine hazards associated with a particular job, providing a description of the work, identifying workplace health and safety (WHS) hazards and risks using body and risk mapping tools, and applying a risk analysis matrix.

-     The final deliverable: a 15-minute in-class presentation explaining the poster, focusing on how visual tools like body and risk maps assist in understanding safety and health issues.

B/KEYWORDS DEFINITION

1.   Ergonomic hazard: Risks related to the design of a workplace, equipment, or process that contribute to discomfort or injury, often due to repetitive tasks, poor posture, or poor equipment design.

2.  Biological hazard: Involves exposure to harmful biological substances, like bacteria, viruses, or fungi, which can cause illness or infection.

3.  Chemical hazard: The potential for a chemical substance to cause harm or injury, including burns, poisoning, or long-term health effects like cancer.

4. Hierarchy of controls: A systematic approach to managing safety by applying multiple layers of defense against a hazard, from most effective (elimination of the hazard) to least effective (personal protective equipment).

5.  Personal protective equipment (PPE): Equipment worn by employees to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses.

6. Substitution isolation: Replacing a hazardous material or process with a less hazardous one to reduce risk.

7. Administrative controls: Strategies to reduce or eliminate worker exposure to hazards, primarily through changes in management policies or procedures.

8. Risk assessment: The process of identifying, evaluating, and estimating the levels of risk involved in a situation, followed by coordinating and planning resources to minimize, monitor, and control the impact of unfortunate events.

9. Physical hazard: A factor within the environment that can harm the body without necessarily touching it, like radiation, exposure to sunlight, temperature extremes.

10.                  Slips, trips, and falls: Common workplace hazards referring to instances where a person may slip on a wet floor, trip over an object, or fall due to uneven surfaces or other risks.

11.                    Repetitive task injury: Injuries caused by performing the same motion over and over again, leading to strain and long-term musculoskeletal disorders.

12.                  Engineering controls: Physical changes to the workplace, which can include modifications to tools, equipment, machinery, materials, or the work environment to reduce hazards.

13.                  Fire hazards: Any material, situation, or condition that can cause a fire.

14.                 Noise pollution: Harmful or annoying levels of noise, as from airplanes, industry, etc., which can be a hazard in some work environments.

LIST OF ABBREVIATION

D/DETAILED OUTLINE

1. Pre-Poster Phase

●   Step 1: Selecting a Workplace

❖ As this is a practical assignment, you will need to have access to a worker at a specific workplace, so it's crucial that you based on the following factors to find the most suitable workplace for further analysis:

○ Accessibility and Familiarity: Choose a location that is easily accessible and, if possible, familiar to you. This familiarity could be through personal experience, connections with employees, or regular patronage.

○ Variety of Hazards: Consider workplaces with a variety of potential hazards (e.g., a factory with machinery, a restaurant with kitchen risks, or a retail store with customer interaction challenges). This diversity will make the project more insightful.

○ Permission and Access: Ensure you have the necessary permissions to conduct research in the chosen workplace. Some workplaces may require formal permission from management.

Example: Circle K, Big C, manufacturer....

●   Step 2: Employees Inquiries

❖ Once the workplace is chosen, you will need to ask employees about items of equipment in use, the layout of the workspace, and talk to people in the workplace to gain a practical appreciation of the hazards that can arise.

❖ Below are some questions you could refer to when exploiting the most information about the risk arising from the workplace:

●   General Questions

○   Describe a Typical Workday: "Can you walk me through a typical day at work and the main tasks you perform?"

○   Perception of Safety: "How safe do you feel in your workplace on a daily basis?"

○   Awareness of Hazards: "What are the most common hazards you or your colleagues encounter in this workplace?"

●   Specific Hazard Identification

○   Equipment-Related Risks: "What types of equipment or machinery do you use, and what are the associated risks?"

○   Environmental Hazards: "Are there any environmental factors in your workplace that might pose a risk (e.g., noise, lighting, ventilation)?"

○   Chemical and Biological Hazards: "Do you work with any chemicals or biological materials? What precautions are taken to handle these safely?"

○   Physical Strain and Ergonomic Concerns: "Are there tasks that cause physical strain or discomfort? How are ergonomic risks managed?"