Element 3 cheat sheet: Managing risk: understanding people and processes

3.1 Health and safety culture

• Safety culture is the shared attitudes, values and habits that decide how things are really done when nobody is watching.
  • ('text', 'Safety culture is the shared attitudes, values and habits that decide how things are really done when nobody is watching.')
• Indicators of culture include: incident numbers, absenteeism and sickness rates, worker turnover, how well rules and procedures are followed, and complaints about working conditions.
  • ('text', 'Indicators of culture include: incident numbers, absenteeism and sickness rates, worker turnover, how well rules and procedures are followed, and complaints about working conditions.')

Terms: Safety culture

Tip: Culture is usually judged from several indicators together, never from one.

3.2 Improving health and safety culture

• Culture improves when: management is visibly committed; leaders take part (for example in inspections) and use disciplinary procedures fairly and consistently; workers are competent, which means they are trained; and communication is good.
  • ('text', 'Culture improves when: management is visibly committed; leaders take part (for example in inspections) and use disciplinary procedures fairly and consistently; workers are competent, which means they are trained; and communication is good.')
• Communication methods have strengths and limits.
  • ('text', 'Communication methods have strengths and limits.')
• Cooperation and consultation with workers and contractors bring better ideas, a feeling of ownership and early warning of problems.
  • ('text', 'Cooperation and consultation with workers and contractors bring better ideas, a feeling of ownership and early warning of problems.')

Tip: Give a benefit and a limitation for each communication method you mention.

3.3 How human factors influence behaviour

• Human factors are the things that affect how people behave at work.
  • ('text', 'Human factors are the things that affect how people behave at work.')
• Organisational factors: culture, leadership, resources, work patterns (for example long shifts), and communications.
  • ('text', 'Organisational factors: culture, leadership, resources, work patterns (for example long shifts), and communications.')
• Job factors: the task, the workload, the environment, displays and controls, and procedures (are they clear and practical?).
  • ('text', 'Job factors: the task, the workload, the environment, displays and controls, and procedures (are they clear and practical?).')
• Individual factors: competence, skills, personality, attitude and risk perception.
  • ('text', 'Individual factors: competence, skills, personality, attitude and risk perception.')
• The three kinds are linked.
  • ('text', 'The three kinds are linked.')

Terms: Human factors

Tip: Use the three headings to organise any answer on why an incident happened.

3.4 Assessing risk

• A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm.
  • ('text', 'A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm.')
• A risk assessment is a more detailed study of specific hazards.
  • ('text', 'A risk assessment is a more detailed study of specific hazards.')
• The five step approach:
  • Identify the hazards, using task analysis, legislation, manufacturers' information, incident data and guidance, and identify who is at risk (workers, contractors, visitors and the public).
  • Assess the risk, taking account of existing controls, using the likelihood of harm and the probable severity, considering acute and chronic effects, and give a risk rating. Decide whether more needs to be done.
  • Control the risks, using the principles in ILO-OSH 2001 section 3.10.1 and the general hierarchy of control in ISO 45001 clause 8.1.2, prioritised by risk, and considering residual risk and acceptable levels.
  • Record the findings.
  • Review the controls.
• ISO 45001's hierarchy of control, from most to least effective:
  1. Eliminate the hazard.
  2. Substitute with something less hazardous.
  3. Use engineering controls and reorganise the work.
  4. Use administrative controls (including training).
  5. Use personal protective equipment (PPE) last.
• Some risks need their own specific assessment method: fire, display screen equipment, manual handling, hazardous substances and noise.
  • ('text', 'Some risks need their own specific assessment method: fire, display screen equipment, manual handling, hazardous substances and noise.')

Terms: Risk, Residual risk, Suitable and sufficient

Tip: In an exam or in the GIC2 practical, say what the existing controls are before you decide what further controls are needed.

3.5 Management of change

• Change creates new hazards.
  • ('text', 'Change creates new hazards.')
• To manage the impact: communicate and cooperate with those affected; carry out a risk assessment before the change; appoint competent people; separate the work area from others (segregation); amend emergency procedures; and provide welfare facilities for the people involved.
  • ('text', 'To manage the impact: communicate and cooperate with those affected; carry out a risk assessment before the change; appoint competent people; separate the work area from others (segregation); amend emergency procedures; and provide welfare facilities for the people involved.')
• Review the change during and after it, to check that the controls worked and nothing unexpected happened.
  • ('text', 'Review the change during and after it, to check that the controls worked and nothing unexpected happened.')

Tip: A change that looks small, such as moving a machine, can block an escape route.

3.6 Safe systems of work for general work activities

• A safe system of work (SSoW) is a formal procedure that comes from looking at a task, identifying the hazards and setting out the safe way to do the task.
  • ('text', 'A safe system of work (SSoW) is a formal procedure that comes from looking at a task, identifying the hazards and setting out the safe way to do the task.')
• It should be written down so that it is consistent, can be used for training and shows what was agreed.
  • ('text', 'It should be written down so that it is consistent, can be used for training and shows what was agreed.')
• Controls are of three types:
  • Technical (engineering, such as guards).
  • Procedural (such as inspections and permits).
  • Behavioural (such as training and supervision).
• To develop an SSoW:
  1. Analyse the task, identify the hazards and assess the risks.
  2. Introduce controls and formulate procedures.
  3. Instruct and train people in how to use the system.
  4. Monitor it to check that it is followed and still works.

Terms: Safe system of work

Tip: Remember that a procedure that is not monitored will slowly be forgotten.

3.7 Permit to work systems

• A permit to work is a formal written record that authorises specific people to carry out specific work, at a specific place and time, and which lists the precautions that must be taken.
  • ('text', 'A permit to work is a formal written record that authorises specific people to carry out specific work, at a specific place and time, and which lists the precautions that must be taken.')
• A permit works like this:
  • The work is assessed
  • A competent person issues the permit once the precautions are in place
  • The people doing the work accept the permit and follow its conditions
  • The permit is displayed or carried
  • At the end the work is signed off, the area is made safe, and the permit is cancelled
• Use a permit for: hot work, work on non-live (isolated) electrical systems, machinery maintenance, confined spaces and work at height.
  • ('text', 'Use a permit for: hot work, work on non-live (isolated) electrical systems, machinery maintenance, confined spaces and work at height.')

Terms: Permit to work

Tip: A permit is not just paperwork. The precautions have to be physically in place before work starts.

3.8 Emergency procedures

• Emergencies such as fire, serious injury, chemical release or structural failure need planned responses.
  • ('text', 'Emergencies such as fire, serious injury, chemical release or structural failure need planned responses.')
• People need training so that they know their role, and procedures must be tested, for example by drills, so that weaknesses are found and corrected before a real emergency.
  • ('text', 'People need training so that they know their role, and procedures must be tested, for example by drills, so that weaknesses are found and corrected before a real emergency.')
• When deciding on first aid, consider shift patterns, the location of the site, the activities carried out, the number of workers, and how far the workplace is from hospitals and emergency services.
  • ('text', 'When deciding on first aid, consider shift patterns, the location of the site, the activities carried out, the number of workers, and how far the workplace is from hospitals and emergency services.')

Tip: First aid needs depend on the hazards and the distance to help, not only on the number of people.