Risk Management Principles and Guidelines - Term Paper Example

Risk Management Principles and Guidelines Name: Lecturer: Course: Date: Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Occupational hazards that exist in Construction Industry 3 Physical hazards 4 Chemical hazards 4 Biological hazards and environmental diseases 5 Psycho-social hazards 5 Ergonomic hazards 5 Assessing the risk of the five hazards in the workplace 6 Identification of risks 7 Assessing the hazards: Matching hazards to potential victims 7 Controlling Risk exposure 8 Implementing extra risk controls 9 Monitoring, Reviewing and Recording findings 10 Applicable Codes of Practice 10 Conclusions 12 Reference List 13 Introduction Based in Perth, Highway Construction is a construction company that specialises in civil engineering. The company has grown from its beginnings in 1986 to become a major civil construction company in Australia. Over the recent years, most contracts secured by the company have focused on transportation projects (Highway Construction, 2012). Emphases have been on highway construction and interchange, specialised foundation work, concrete structural components, transit projects, and bridge construction. However, the construction industry is a high-hazard industry that is made up of a range of activities that involve construction, renovation, and modification (Adisesh et al., 2007). The construction workers at Highway Construction engage in a range of activities that expose them to diverse risks (Highway Construction, 2012). This paper examines the five main occupational hazards that exist in the construction industry with particular focus on Highway Construction. It further explores the methods that can be used to assess the risk of the five hazards basing on a team-based approach. Further, the Codes of Practice are identified that can be used to help manage these hazards. Occupational hazards that exist in Construction Industry While the number of occupational hazards in the construction industry is unlimited, they can be divided into five categories, namely chemical hazards, biological hazards, physical hazards, psychosocial hazards and ergonomic or degenerative hazards (Adisesh et al., 2007). Physical hazards Physical hazards may include heat, noise, radiation, and vibration that pose health risks to the health of workers. They consist of mechanical injuries resulting from exposure to vibrations and noise, non-ionising ultraviolet radiation due to exposure to electric arc welding or sun. Working in foggy, raining, windy, or extremely hot weather also exposes the workers to physical hazards (Kulkami, 2007). For instance, high noise level that characterise most construction works, such as using concrete breakers and compressors can inhibit concentration causing difficulties in speech communication and increasing risks to accidents. Long-term exposure to noise can cause permanent hearing damage (Tiwary & Gangopadhyay, 2011). Use of ionising radiations in detection of weaknesses of metal structures at construction sites also exposes the works to health hazards. Exposure to the ionizing radiation increases risks of developing genetic diseases and cancer. Additionally, many jobs in construction sites involve using hand-held power tools like disc grinders and pneumatic breakers, whose vibration may lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Permanent damages such as loss of touch may also result. Chemical hazards The chemical hazards consist of the fumes, dusts, mists, gases and vapours that affect the health of the workers due to their harmful chemical compositions. Exposure to chemicals at the construction sites can affect the body of the construction workers through inhalation, skin absorption, and ingestion (Arndt et al., 2005). At Highway Construction, the workforce is exposed to diverse chemicals, such as asbestos and silica. Essentially, silica dust is a major element of the earth crust. Many building materials such as brisk and natural stone have silica. Construction processes of grinding, breaking and crushing natural stone can cause excessive exposure to silica, leading to a lung disease called silicosis (Tiwary & Gangopadhyay, 2011). During road construction projects, the workers at construction site are exposed to diverse hazardous physical agents and substances, such as organic solvents, lead and asbestos. Excessive exposure to these agents or substances may lead to acute chronic illness, injury, permanent disability and in some cases death (Cherrir, 2009). Biological hazards and environmental diseases Unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation at the construction site can expose the workers to biological hazards and environmental diseases (Tiwary & Gangopadhyay, 2011). Psycho-social hazards Employment of construction workers at Highway Construction is highly temporary and dependent on the duration of construction projects. Additionally, most construction works require living in camps away from family. In addition, tendency to heavy workloads, likelihood of workplace violence and limited social support increase the stresses associated with construction work. The likely health hazards include depression or associated addictions with smoking tobacco and taking alcohol contributing to illnesses (Tiwary & Gangopadhyay, 2011). Ergonomic hazards Ergonomic hazards are those related to non-application of ergonomic principles, such as using defectively designed machinery or poorly designed work practices. The hazards in the construction site may be caused by improper illumination, high platforms, obstructive materials, sliding surfaces, improperly designed ladders, unsafe demolition methods and poorly maintained lifting equipment (Donoghue, 2004). Additionally, Muscoloskeletal disorder, fatigue or loss of concentration while working on heavy machinery can increase the risk of accidents to the Highway Construction employees (Gopinadh et al.,2005). Manual handling of tools and equipment is common in the company’s construction sites. It is also a leading cause of injury. This may include lifting wire gauze or handling tools (Tiwary & Gangopadhyay, 2011). Assessing the risk of the five hazards in the workplace Risk assessment is a critical pathway to protecting Highway Construction’s workforce at construction sites and ensuring compliance with section 274 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012. It ensures that focus is placed on risks that need most attention, because of their greater potentialities to cause real harm. Risk assessment therefore comprises carefully examining what could cause harm, examining whether enough precautions have been taken and whether more interventions is needed. To ensure a team-based approach is used, it should be consultative (UWS, 2010). The consultative risk assessment procedure suggested for the cause of Highway Construction is illustrated in Figure 1, based on risk management principles, with reference to ISO 31000 -- which require that a risk management initiative has to be relative to the level of risk and the complexity of the organisation, as well as aligned with other corporate activities and by being responsive to changing situations. Figure 1: Risk assessment (UWS, 2010) Identification of risks To identify each of the five hazards, the employees can be asked what they expect to cause harm at their departments based on each category (HSE, 2011a). The process can be ensured using survey questionnaires. The employees can also be asked to check data sheets or manufacturer’s instructions for machinery or chemical to define the related physical or chemical hazards (UWS, 2010). The organisation’s ill-health and accident record should further be surveyed and reviewed to identify less obvious risk. Later, construction sites should be inspected to examine how the employees relate to each other, their equipment and the environment. Creative thinking on what could possibly go wrong or likely hazardous events should also take place. Assessing the hazards: Matching hazards to potential victims At this stage, the likely results of individual exposure to risks, the likely injury, and the likelihood of such occurrences are evaluated using a team of workers. Hence, the factors that contribute to each of the five hazards are identified. The health and safety information is later reviewed from authoritative sources and matched to each of the five hazards (UWS, 2010). The severity of the harm is evaluated by checking the types of illnesses, damage or injuries that may result from each of the five hazards. Assessment of how the hazard may cause harm is also evaluated by examining how the construction workers complete work and whether they use any control or safety measures in place. The likelihood of risk occurrence is determined, as the risk level may increase with the likelihood of harm (Adisesh et al., 2007). Controlling Risk exposure The risk is evaluated and precautions or controls decided consultatively in a group. Once the hazards are spotted, a decision is made on how to control them in order to protect the workers (HSE, 2011a). An efficient way is comparing or rating them with good practices proposed by the international ISO 31000 Risk Management Principles and Guidelines. Once the risk is rated, each of the five hazards is given an existing control measure, evaluated through the use of Evaluation of Control Effectiveness table (Figure 2) to determine any necessary requirement. Figure 2: Evaluation control table (UWS, 2010). Implementing extra risk controls The identified risks based on the five occupational health hazards are afterwards eliminated one after the other. Where elimination is unfeasible, the risks are minimised as much as possible. At this stage, the Hierarchy of Controls can be used to rank control options, starting with the highest and most reliable protection to the lowest (Figure 3) (UWS, 2010). Figure 3: Hierarchy of Controls (UWS, 2010). At level 1, most effective control is employed by eliminating the hazards or using alternative products or machinery. At level 2, control measures are used to minimise risk through combination of substitute to the hazard, isolating the hazard (for instance locking faulty equipment) and using engineering controls (such as modification of machinery, such as trolleys or cranes), using administrative procedures (such as distributing procedures) and using protective equipment (PPE) (UWS, 2010). Monitoring, Reviewing and Recording findings Since the risk assessment process is an ongoing process, further risk assessment should be undertaken whenever there is a change to workplace. The effectiveness of the proposed control measures can be monitored through regular review and most importantly, in consultation with the workers. The findings are recorded and maintained to be shared to the staff for implementation (HSE, 2011a). Applicable Codes of Practice Highway Construction operates in Perth, Western Australia. Under the Safe Work Australia regulations, the company should comply with the Construction Work Code of Practice published by Safe Work Australia in 2012 that is approved under section 274 of the Work Health and Safety Act (Government of Western Australia, 2012). Overall, the five hazards should be managed through risk management. This is in compliance with Regulation 297 of the code that requires that an individual who conducts or undertakes a business has to manage risks related to performing construction. This indicates the need for the Highway Construction to manage the risks to protect its workers. To manage the ergonomic hazards related to poor work designs and coordination, there has to be compliance with the Code of Practice based on section 46 of the WHS Act. This is since work activities at the construction site tend to overlap sometimes, resulting to poor understanding of how each person may contribute to a specific job (Adisesh et al., 2007). To manage chemical hazards related to exposure of the construction workers to silica, during excavation work, regulation 304 of the Code should be implemented. According to the Code, contractors looking to carry out construction work must acquire current underground services information related to the workplace, as well as ensure it is inspected to ensure it is safe for the construction workers. Under WHS regulation, while risk assessment is not compulsory for construction work, it is mandatory that particular situations, such as working with asbestos need risk assessment. Additionally for Class A asbestos, the main contractors must ensure that asbestos are remove by licensed asbestos removalists, after a clearance certificate is obtained. Additionally, an independent licensed asbestos assessor must conduct air monitoring. The control measures should be effectively managed to eliminate one hazard after the other. This requires compliance with Regulation 37, which requires that control measures that have been implemented should be maintained to see to it that they are on top form for purpose and that they are used properly. Based on this code, it is also perceivable that control measures created to protect the health and safety of the construction workers should be reviewed regularly to ensure they are effective. Revising the control measures in case of new construction projects is also essential. This requires compliance with Regulation 38, which states that businesses must review their control measures and when necessary, revise them. This is specifically so when the control measures have failed to be effective in mitigating the risks or when a relevant risk or hazard has been identified (Adisesh et al., 2007). To manage the 5 hazards based on the developed control measures, it is important that employees must be trained (Adisesh et al., 2007). This required compliance with Regulation 39 of the Code, which states that an individual who conducts a business must make sure that instruction and training that is presented to a worker is sufficient and appropriate to construction, as well as in regards to the nature of risks related to the work. Additionally, Regulation 317 of the Code requires that individuals who undertake or conduct a business must ensure that the construction workers have effectively completed general construction induction training before he is allowed to start construction work. Conclusions The construction workers at Highway Construction engage in a range of activities that expose them to diverse risks. In essence, this is since the construction industry is a high-hazard industry characterised by varied activities that involve construction, renovation, and modification. Additionally, this is since the construction work is characterised by high turnovers, changeful work environment and site conditions in addition to carrying out different tasks simultaneously, all of which increase the health risks to the workers. While the number of occupational hazards in the construction industry is unlimited, they can be divided into five categories namely chemical hazards, biological hazards, physical hazards, psychosocial hazards and ergonomic or degenerative hazards. Additionally, while the level of exposure differs according to the job, the workers in the company are exposed to a combination of these hazards while at work. Risk assessment is a critical means to protecting Highway Construction’s workforce at construction sites. It should be consultative to ensure a team-based approach is used. In assessing the risks of the five hazards, the risks are identified, the hazards are also matched to potential victims, risks are controlled, extra risk controls are implemented and lastly, the risk controls are monitored and recorded for reference. Reference List Arndt, V., Rothenbacher, D., Zschenderlein, B., Schuberth, S. & Brenner, H. (2005). Construction work and risk of occupational disability: a ten year follow up of 14 474 male workers. Occup Environ Med 62, 559-566 Donoghue, A. (2004). Occupational health hazards in mining: an overview. Occup Med (Lond) 54(5), 283-289 Gopinadh, A., Devi, N., Manner, C., Sampath, A. & Babu, M. (2005). Ergonomics and Muscoloskeletal Disorder: As an Occupational Hazard in Dentistry. The Journal of Contemporary Dental practice 14912), 299-303 Government of Western Australia. (2012). Work Health and Safety Model Regulations and Codes of Practice. Model Work Health And Safety Regulations And Model Codes Of Practice - Western Australian Assessment Public Discussion Paper Highway Construction. (2012). Corporate profile. Retrieved: Kulkami, G. (2007). Construction industry: More needs to be done. Indian J Occup Environ Med. 11(1), 1–2. Tiwary, G. & Gangopadhyay, P. (2011). A review on the occupational health and social security of unorganized workers in the construction industry. Indian J Occup Environ Med. 15(1): 18–24. UWS. (2012). Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control Procedure. University of Western Sydney. Retrieved: Read More