HAZARD IDENTIFICATION, RISK

ASSESSMENT AND RISK CONTROL

(HIRARC)
https://www.dosh.gov.my/index.php/competent-person-
form/occupational-health/regulation/guidelines/hirarc-2/1846-01-
guidelines-for-hazard-identification-risk-assessment-and-risk-control-
hirarc-2008?path=guidelines/hirarc-2
Now: HIRARC is in here.
HIRARC
Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, Risk Control
Hazard
A source, situation, or act with a potential for harm in terms of human
injury or ill health and damage to property.
Risk
A combination of the likelihood of an occurrence of a hazardous event
or exposure with specified period or in specified circumstances and
the severity of injury or damage to the health of people, property,
environment or any combination of these caused by the event or
exposure.
§ A process of estimating and evaluating the risk(s)
arising from a hazard(s), taking into account the
adequacy of any existing controls, and deciding
whether or not the risk(s) is acceptable.
§ Risk levels for all hazards identified will be ranked
to facilitate decision making in risk control.
 Hazard Risk
Identification Assessment

Risk Control
§ All injuries and occupational illnesses are preventable.
§ Incident in the workplace is largely caused by lack of
management control.
Flowchart of HIRARC Process
Classify work activities in accordance with their similarity, such
as -
i. geographical or physical areas within/outside premises;
ii. stages in production/service process;
iii. not too big e.g. building a car;
iv. not too small e.g. fixing a nut; or
v. defined task e.g. loading, packing, mixing, fixing the door.
Consult supervisors, workers and relevant personnel to gather all the
necessary information such as:
§ Information on chemicals/materials used in the workplace;
§ Process flowchart;
§ Equipment specification & maintenance record;
§ Occupational accident, dangerous occurrence, incidence, poisoning
and diseases record as well as corrective and preventive action
records;
§ Personal exposure monitoring records;
§ Health or medical surveillance records;
§ Training programme and records;
§ PPE used;
§ Standard operating procedures; Safe work procedures.
Identify Hazards
Source of information
§ Investigation/audit/inspection reports
§ Incident/accident records
§ Personal/area monitoring reports
§ Employee complaints and comments
§ Studies and tests concerning the
health and safety of employees
§ SDS of hazardous substances
§ Site observation
§ Benchmarking
 Mechanical

Physical

Electrical
TYPE OF Biological
HAZARDS
Chemical

Ergonomic

Psychological
MECHANICAL
HAZARDS
PHYSICAL
HAZARDS
ELECTRICAL
HAZARDS
BIOLOGICAL
HAZARDS
CHEMICAL
HAZARDS
ERGONOMIC
HAZARDS
PSYCHOSOCIAL
HAZARDS
 Risk Assessment
§ Risk is the combination of the likelihood and severity of a
specified hazardous event occurring.
§ In mathematical term, risk can be calculated using this formula:

Risk = Likelihood (L) × Severity (S)

where,
§ Likelihood is an event likely to occur within the specific period or in
specified circumstances and,
§ Severity is outcome from an event such as severity of injury or
health of people, or damage to property, or damage to environment,
or any combination of those caused by the event.
 Likelihood of Occurrence
LIKELIHOOD (L) EXAMPLE RATING

The most likely result of the hazard /

Most likely 5
event being realized (1 incident/week)
Has a good chance of occurring and is
Possible 4
not unusual (1 incident/month)
Might occur some time in future
Conceivable 3
(1 incident/year)
Has not been known to occur after
Remote 2
many years (1 incident/5 years)
Is practically impossible and has never
Inconceivable 1
occurred (0 incident so far)
 Severity of Consequences
SEVERITY (S) EXAMPLE RATING
Numerous fatalities, irrecoverable property damage
Catastrophic 5
and productivity
Approximately one single fatality, major property
Fatal 4
damage if hazard is realized
Non-fatal injury, permanent disability (or LTI > 4
Serious 3
days MC)
Minor Disabling but not permanent injury (or 1-4 days MC) 2

Negligible Minor abrasions, bruises, cuts, first aid type injury 1

LTI: Lost-Time Injury

Risk Matrix
Action Priority
Principle of Risk Control
Elimination

Getting rid of a hazardous

job, tool, process, machine
or substance is perhaps
the best way of protecting
workers.
Substitution

Sometimes doing the

same work in a less
hazardous way is possible.
For example, a hazardous
chemical can be replaced
with a less hazardous one.
Engineering
Control
A) Redesign - Jobs
and processes can be
reworked to make
them safer. For
example, containers
can be made easier to
hold and lift.
Engineering
Control

B) Isolation - If a hazard cannot

be eliminated or replaced, it can
sometimes be isolated, contained
or otherwise kept away from
workers. For example, a fully
encapsulated manufacturing line
can protect operators from a toxic
chemical. Lockout systems can
isolate energy sources during
repair and maintenance.
Engineering
Control
C) Automation -
Dangerous processes
can be automated or
mechanized. For
example, computer-
controlled robots can
handle spot welding
operations in car
plants.
Engineering
Control
D) Barriers - A hazard
can be blocked before
it reaches workers. For
example, proper
equipment guarding
will protect workers
from contacting
moving parts.
Engineering
Control
E) Absorption - Baffles
can block or absorb
noise. Usually, the
further a control keeps
a hazard away from
workers, the more
effective it is.
Engineering
Control
F) Dilution - Some
hazards can be diluted
or dissipated. For
example, ventilation
systems can dilute
toxic gasses before
they reach operators.
Administrative
Control
A) Safe work procedures -
Workers can be required to
use standardized safety
practices. The employer is
expected to ensure that
workers follow these
practices. Work procedures
must be periodically
reviewed with workers and
updated.
Administrative
Control
B) Supervision and
training – Initial training
on safe work procedures
and refresher training
should be offered.
Appropriate supervision
to assist workers in
identifying possible
hazards and evaluating
work procedures.
Administrative
Control
C) Job rotations and other
procedures can reduce the
time that workers are
exposed to a hazard. e.g.
jobs requiring repetitive
tendon and muscle
movements, noisy
processes, X-ray machines.
Administrative
Control
D) Housekeeping,
repair and maintenance
Housekeeping includes
cleaning, waste disposal
and spill cleanup. Tools,
equipment and
machinery are less likely
to cause injury if they are
kept clean and well
maintained.
Administrative
Control
E) Hygiene - Hygiene
practices can reduce
the risk of toxic
materials being
absorbed by workers
or carried home to
their families.
Personal
Protective
Equipment (PPE)
§ PPE is the least desirable control
and there are limitations of use.
§ Workers must be trained to use
and maintain the PPE to ensure
that it is working properly.
§ Employer must ensure all PPE
use in workplaces have DOSH-
SIRIM certification marks.
HIRARC Form (DOSH)

Guidelines for Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control (HIRARC), DOSH Malaysia, 2008