Workplace Hazards
Workplace hazards are anything even remotely that has the potential to cause harm to a person.
Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 an employer is required to carry out risk assessments, prepare a safety statement and implement what it contains. Health and Safety Authority inspectors visiting workplaces will want to know how safety and health is being managed. If they investigate an accident, they will scrutinise the risk assessments, safety statement, and the procedures as well as the work practices.
The Purpose of the Risk Assessment
The Risk Assessment should identify all workplace hazards, quantify the risks and introduce control measures to reduce the risk of injury or illness to the workforce. Some additional legislation also requires employers to conduct specific risk assessment for specific common hazards such as manual handling, hazardous substances, display screen equipment and fire safety.
What is Risk Assessment
A risk assessment is simply put a careful examination of workplace hazards and what could cause harm to people. This is so you can consider whether you have taken enough precautions or should you do more to prevent harm. Risk Assessment will help identify what could go wrong, how likely it is to happen and how serious the result could be. The employer then needs to put control measures in place to prevent the problem occurring.
What are Hazard and Risk
Hazard and Risk have two quite distinct meanings.
- Hazard – means something that has the potential to cause harm or damage.
- Risk – means the likelihood of the harm or damage being realised. The risk is a combination of chance (or likelihood) and severity, and how likely is that something is going to happen.
For example, a bottle of bleach at work falls under category of workplace hazards. If the bottle contains hazardous liquid, bur locked in the cupboard it does little harm. The risk increases when the bottle is used. When people are working safely there is less chance that an accident will occur.
Chance is a measure of how likely it is that an accident could happen.
Severity is a measure of how serious an injury or health effect could be, as a consequence of unsafe working or of an accident. The severity can be influenced by the following:
• the environment,
• the number of people at risk, and
• the steps already taken to control the hazard.
Five Steps of a Risk Assessment
Generally speaking, identifying and managing risks can be done in five steps:
1. Identify the Workplace Hazards
For example:
Slips and Trips – consider floor surfaces, housekeeping and different floor levels.
Working at Height – e.g. decorations using ladders and construction workers on scaffolding.
Fire Hazards – e.g. flammable substances and sources of ignition.
Moving Vehicles – e.g. forklift trucks and reversing lorries.
Dust – such as wood dust in a sawmill or flour in a bakery.
Hot Liquids – e.g. pans of hot water or oil in a kitchen.
2. Decide on who may be harmed and how
It is not just person conducting the task that may be affected but anyone nearby. For example, builders working on scaffolding above a public walkway may inure pedestrians if equipment or materials are dropped. Some employees will need a separate Risk Assessment, e.g. those who are more vulnerable, such as pregnant workers and young, inexperienced staff.
3. Evaluate the risk and decide on precautions
Consider the consequences of injury or harm. Could someone be seriously inured or even killed? Could lots of people be affected. How likely is it to occur? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then these hazards should be addressed as a priority and further controls put in place to reduce the risk to an acceptable level, using the hierarchy of control (see below).
4. Record your significant findings and implement them
It is a legal requirement that businesses formally record their significant findings. It is important not only to implement the controls you identified, making sure staff are trained in the new procedures, but to check to make sure they are followed correctly. Some health and Safety training can be delivered on-line. For solutions, please check our Online Health and Safety Training portal myelearnsafety.com
5. Review and update Risk Assessments as necessary
Reviews should take place when:
- Procedures are revised.
- Workplace layout is reorganised.
- New machinery is installed.
- An accident or near miss occurs.
- The law changes.
Reviews should also take place on a regular basis, possibly annually, just to make sure nothing has been missed and to identify new techniques or scientific developments that could be introduced to improve safety.
Hierarchy of Control
When considering control measures there is a scale of preference. the higher up the chart, the better or more preferable the method. Some measures will work for some tasks or activities and some for others, but not all will be suitable.
The following is a hierarchy of controls:
1. Eliminate.
If something is hazardous, the most effective option is to remove the hazard altogether if possible.
2. Substitute.
If hazard cannot be eliminated, can it be substituted for something safer?
3. Implement Engineering Controls.
For example;
- Equipment – using work equipment as a preventive measure, e.g. to prevent falls from height.
- Guards – placing or replacing guarding controls.
- Insulation – an excellent method of noise control.
- Ventilation – removing hazardous dust and fumes from the workplace using additional machinery if necessary.
- Maintenance – making sure all equipment is well serviced and maintained.
4. Administrative Controls.
Procedures needed to work safely, e.g. limiting the amount of time the worker is exposed to a hazard, increasing safety signage, conducting risk assessments.
5. personal protective Equipment (PPE)
Equipment or clothing provided to protect an employee against risks to their health and safety. Must only be used once all other measures have been tried and found unsuitable.
Some hazards are obvious, such as unguarded moving parts of machinery, dangerous fumes, electricity, working at heights, moving vehicles or moving heavy loads. Less obvious, but at the root of many accidents, are hazards presented by untidy workplaces and poor maintenance. In the case of other hazards, such as excessive noise or exposure to chemicals, it may take months or even years before ill health materialises.
When deciding on the controls, you should consider the general principles of prevention. These are a hierarchy of controls that set out how to manage hazards. The focus should be to get rid of the hazard, so that people are protected. If this is not possible then you should work through the principles until you have made it as safe as reasonably practicable. Your reliance on personal protective equipment (PPE) should be one of the last steps in the process (not the first).
Always consider give training and instruction. Once you have assessed the risks and decided on your controls in line with the principles above, you will need to tell your employees about them and to make sure that they are competent to comply with them.
A Guide to Risk Assessments and Safety Statements
A guide to Risk Assessment and Safety Statements is a very useful publication by the Health and Safety Authority of Ireland (HSA), national body in Ireland responsible for the enforcement of workplace health and safety law, the implementation of a number of chemicals regulations, and accreditation. The information contained in the Guide can help an employer or self-employed person to manage safety and health in their workplace(s) by preparing risk assessments and a safety statement.
For online health and Safety training solutions, please check our Online Health and Safety Training portal.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
Myelearnsafety.com – One-stop Shop for Online Health and Safety Training
Design Risk Management Ltd. (DRM Ltd.) is Health and Safety Consultancy based in Dublin, Ireland. We provide Health and Safety Services, Auditing and Training to Companies and Individuals across the island of Ireland, UK and EU. In addition, we have developed a one-stop shop for Online Health and Safety Training – Myelearnsafety.com
Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to Ireland’s regeneration and future success. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.
Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
According to Health and Safety Authority of Ireland “The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, strongly emphasises the need to provide employees with instruction, information and training necessary to ensure their health and safety. Providing employees with health and safety information and training reduces the chance of them suffering injuries or ill health. It helps them acquire the skills, knowledge and attitude to make them competent in the safety and health aspects of their work and instils a positive health and safety culture.” (HSA).
Myelearsafety – Online Health and Safety Training Platform Developed by DRM Ltd.
Efficient Health and Safety training demands a new approach. The approach that can innovate and evolve at the same pace as business and technology. A model that espouses the highest quality education and focuses on equipping employees with the knowledge and skills they need to safely perform their daily work-related tasks, and to upskill and retrain where necessary to ensure they can stay ahead in their field.
This is why we have established Myelearsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.
About You
Health and Safety is important because it protects the well being of employees, visitors and customers. Looking after Health and Safety makes good business sense. Workplaces which neglect health and safety risk prosecution, may lose staff, and may increase costs and reduce profitability.
If you are an employer, the way you approach health and safety training speaks volumes about your business, your values and your professionalism.
If you are an employee, health and safety training will not just help you to learn of how to address, manage and deal with workplace risks. It will also expand your personal and career development.
No matter how small or large a company is, workers in all fields of industry face workplace dangers that can threaten their health and safety. In some industries, such as in the construction and agriculture, the dangers can be evident: falls from height, crush injuries, exposure to harmful chemicals, fires, breakdown of machinery are just some of the health risks that workers in these fields face every single working day.
For other fields of business, however, the dangers may not be as obvious. Working in an office or a restaurant may seem harmless, but poor ergonomics, food contamination and psychological stress can also cause health problems that can hamper productivity. Because hazards are present in all types of industries, it is essential for companies to provide health and safety training for their workers. This training has to be updated on a regular basis.
Why Choose DRM Ltd. and Myelearnsafety for your Online health and Safety Training
Our clients are the life-source of our business. That integrity in client dealings is an undisputable prerequisite for a successful and sustained business relationship. We provide our clients with the highest quality Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety solutions. Our goal is to help our clients solve critical pain points in their Health and Safety compliance. We operate policies of continual improvement for our products, processes and people. To deliver exceptional solutions, services and client experience that exceed client expectations is a must!
“The golden rule for every business person is this: Put yourself in your customer’s place.” Orison Swett Marden
Here at Design Risk Management Ltd. we are focused on meeting our client objectives!
Myelearnsafety offers fully online health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
Online Health and Safety Training and its Benefits
Online Health and Safety training offers a strong return on investment for employers and a quick way to get employees up to date with workplace safety. Online courses are also tailored to specific areas of workplace safety. They can ensure employees are getting the exact information they need to do their job safely. In this article, we take a closer look at the benefits of online training for workplace safety.
The Importance of Online Training for Workplace Safety
Studies show online education is growing by 5-10% each year as more and more employers move their training methods online. According to the Irish Central Statistics Office (CSO) there was a sharp increase in the use of education portals/websites during COVID-19 with over one fifth (21%) Communicating with instructors or students using educational websites/portals, an increase of seven percentage points in 2019. These numbers remain high even after the COVID-19 pandemic. With the rise of digital technology in all areas of our lives this trend is far from declining.
Online Health and Safety training is a convenient way for staff to learn about their safety in the workplace. It removes many constraints which often hinder classroom training. This type of training is also very specific. It usually focuses on the precise lessons needed to stay safe in the workplace. From food handling and fire safety to workplace stress and working at heights, such online courses are always relevant to the workplace and ensure employers are abiding by certain laws and regulations.
Let’s take a look at some of the main benefits of online training.
7 Key Benefits of Online Training for Workplace Safety
1. Online Training Draws from High Quality Resources
Online training usually draws inspiration from the best interactive experiences online and incorporate these learnings into an online course. As a result, online training can sometimes include video conferencing or webinars and other opportunities which enable staff to engage remotely. Simply put, this consistent high quality and extent of resources is rarely guaranteed in the classroom.
2. Learning Practical Skills for Real World Experience
Employees develop soft skills through online training and practical lessons which they can put into practice at work. These lessons often come from real experience which can feel more relevant than the theory which you might hear about in a classroom. Online courses also use simulations, scenarios and multiple choice questions to ensure these lessons are always relevant to real world scenarios. This also highlights the objective of online training – to give employee the exact education they need to know to do their job safely.
3. Employees Often Retain More through Online Training
Research shows how many employees are likely to forget what they learn in the classroom. It makes sense when you think back to school days and just how little algebra or poetry you might remember! Memory retention is boosted by relevant experiences which can be applied straight away. With this in mind, online training is often split into areas of knowledge and structured to increase relevancy. This increased relevancy means employees will more likely learn and recall the contents of an online course than they might in a classroom.
4. Online Courses Can Be Scheduled for Any Time/Place
Standard classroom training is always set at a specific time but co-ordinating this time is near impossible in such a fast-moving world. There is also a time loss for going to and from a classroom. Many employees are likely to feel restricted in a classroom environment. Online training can take place at any time and enables employees to undergo the training at their own pace. It’s a win-win situation for both employers and employees. In addition, it also removes the requirement for having a classroom to facilitate the training.
5. Immediate Access to Support and Resources
Online training provides immediate access to a large number of resources which allows them to find answers at the time of learning. Classroom training takes place in a specific location where employees are most often unable to access training resources in real time. This means employees don’t need to wait until the next class to ask questions and can address any immediate challenges or concerns before moving on with the training. Online training can use forums or social media groups to provide extra support and provide employees with a place whether they can share tips or ask questions.
6. Online Training is Designed for Different Learning Preferences
Every audience consists of different people with varying abilities and backgrounds. However, more recent generations have become accustomed to smart technology and the online world. These employees are also likely to have acquired skills through Google, YouTube and apps in the past and appreciate this method of learning. This is why the rate of attention and engagement with online training is often said to be higher than a classroom. Online training is designed to cater to all learning preferences.
7. High Levels of Engagement and Responsibility
Some online training courses are gamified which means they feature levels, rewards and certain mechanics which encourage progress. These courses seek to encourage the learner to progress and keep going until they complete each lesson. They can also monitor performance along the way and feel more invested or responsible for participating in the course. It is this high engagement which should be attractive to employers and the fact they can outsource this time consuming process to a trusted online training platform.
Working with a training company
Working with an online training platform can help employers lighten the load and allow the experts to take care of the training. However, it’s important to choose a platform which abides by laws and regulations and incorporates these requirements into the online training. For instance, MyElearnSafety offer courses online health and safety training for Food Safety which adhere to the principles of the internationally recognised Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). It also offers Fire Safety Awareness, Manual Handling Awareness, Paediatric First Aid just to name a few.
Check out MyElearnSafety today and we can get everyone up to speed on their workplace safety!
Food Safety HACCP & EU
What is HACCP?
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a system meant to ensure that food products are not a risk to human health. It is a tool to assess hazards and establish control systems that focuses on prevention.
Interestingly NASA developed and used the approach for production of safe foods for manned space flights.
Procedures based on HACCP principles are mandatory for most business operators placing food or feed on the EU market. Since 1998 it has been a legal requirement for all food businesses in Ireland to have a food safety management system based on the principles of HACCP.
Importance of Food Safety HACCP training in the workplace
EU Legislation Covering Food Hygiene
EU food law places full responsibility for safe food on the food business operators. In accordance with EU law all food businesses are, therefore, obliged to implement own-check systems. This own-check system must build on the principles of HACCP.
The specific pieces of legislation which cover this are Regulation (EC) 852/2004 and Regulation (EC) 853/2004.
The following principles are covered under these hygiene rules:
- Primary responsibility for food safety borne by the food business operator
- Food safety ensured throughout the food chain, starting with primary production
- General implementation of procedures based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points principles (HACCP)
- Application of basic common hygiene requirements, possibly further specified for certain categories of food
- Registration or approval for certain food establishments
- Development of guides to good practice for hygiene or for the application of HACCP principles as a valuable instrument to aid food business operators at all levels of the food chain to comply with the new rules.
- Flexibility provided for food produced in remote areas (high mountains, remote islands) and for traditional production and methods.
Who must be trained in HACCP?
Food handlers must be supervised, and also instructed and/or trained in food hygiene based on the level of activity they are involved in.
If you are responsible for your business’s HACCP system then you must undertake adequate training in the application of HACCP principles.
You can learn how to develop and implement an effective food safety system, incorporating Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) via online learning giving certification which is recognised nationally by employers and environmental health officers.