Risk Matrix

identified a potential hazard

Using the Risk Matrix

When you add a new potential hazard a window similar to the above will pop up and ask you to select the risk rating. So you have identified a potential hazard, and if you do not apply any control measure at all you need to select the appropriate risk rating.

 

  1. If you do not apply a control how likely are you to have an incident? (Work your way down the left hand side of the matrix)
    1. Almost Certain (This would almost certainly occur -  daily or less)
    2. Likely (This would be likely to occur weekly - not greater than 4 times a month)
    3. Occasionally (This would be likely to occur occasionally - monthly)
    4. Unlikely (This would be unlikely to occur - annually or maybe once a year this would happen)
    5. Rare (It would be rare that an incident would occur - if it did it may happen once every five years)

  2. Now that you have determined the frequency (likelihood) that an incident would occur work your way across the matrix in the row adjacent the selected frequency to determine the consequence. So if the incident did occur it would result in:
    1. Minor - A minor injury or if the hazard was an environmental hazard an inconsequential incident
    2. Medical - An injury requiring medical attention or if the hazard was an environmental hazard a negligible incident
    3. LTI - A Loss Time Injury (As a result of the injury a person is likely to absent from for more than a full shift or day. If the hazard was an environmental hazard it would be a marginal incident
    4. PTD - an injury resulting in a permanent or total disability. Or if the hazard was an environmental hazard a critical incident
    5. Fatality - the potential hazard is likely to kill someone. Or if the hazard was an environmental hazard a catastrophe or a catastrophic incident
PROCEDURE
hazard control measure

So if the potential hazard is almost certain to end in a fatality the risk rating would be a 25

If you apply a control measure, you will reduce the likelihood (frequency) of an incident, the control should also reduce the consequence should an incident still occur after applying the control.
 

 

So if the potential hazard is almost certain to end in a fatality the risk rating would be a 25
If you apply a control measure, you will reduce the likelihood (frequency) of an incident, the control should also reduce the consequence should an incident still occur after applying the control.
 

Hint

If your job step was to disconnect the electrical power feed into a machine, and you applied no control measure what so ever, you would be almost certain to electrocute yourself and end up with a fatality. Therefore a risk rating of 25.
If before undertaking this task you applied some control measures like disconnecting and isolating the power, the likelihood of electrocution would be reduced from almost certain to rare. So if you did have an incident disconnecting the power after you diconect4ed and isolated the power it would probably only be a minor incident (Possible a scratch) thus reducing the risk rating from a 25 to a 1.

If by applying control measures you can not reduce the risk rating to fall into the Low (Green) area, then further consideration is definitely required.