The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 defines a hazard as ‘anything (including work practices or procedures) that has the potential to harm the health or safety of a person’.
Hazard identification, risk assessment, and elimination or control offer the best opportunity for reducing workplace injury or illness.
Hazards arise from:
- the work environment
- the use of machinery and substances
- poor work design
- inappropriate systems and procedures.
- physical eg. noise, radiation, light, vibration
- chemical eg. poisons, dusts
- biological eg. viruses, plants, parasites
- mechanical/electrical eg. slips, trips and falls, tools, electrical equipment
- psychological eg. fatigue, violence, bullying.
Hazard management plans can be developed after hazards have been classified, eg. a physical hazard management plan.
It is important for workers to be aware of hazards. Your occupational health and safety committee may recommend hazard specific training.
(Source: Work Cover New South Wales)
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