Hazard identification, Risk Assessment, Risk Control and Performance Monitoring
Steamship Mutual P&I Club has issued a Risk Assessment Guidance for Ship Owners regarding a number of losses identified by the Club where there may have been an inadequacy in Risk Assessment of a particular task.The Clubs explains the principles of risk assessment in relation to occupational health and safety and provides some supplementary guidance on how the assessment and control of risks may be approached.
Employers are required under ISM Clause 1.2.2 to ensure the health and safety of workers and other persons so far aspossible, by the application of certain principles, including the evaluation of unavoidable risks and the taking of action to reduce them. Employers are to make an assessment of the risks to health and safety of workers arising in the normal course of their activities or duties, for the purpose of identifying
(a) Groups of workers atparticular risk in theperformance of their duties.
(b) The measures to be taken tocomply with the employer’sobligations.
The assessment should extend to those others on board ship who may be affected by the acts or omissions of the employer. Employers must review the assessment when there is reason to believe that it is no longer valid, and make any necessary changes.
| Principles of Risk Assessment |
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The process may be considered to consist of four activities: a) Hazard Identification |
A. Hazard Identification
It follows that the first step is to identify the hazard and this is probably the most difficult part of any Risk Assessment as it means that all hazards must be identified and in a systematic way. This process should be carried out by, or with the assistance of people who have detailed knowledge, understanding and experience of the activity in question. Wherever possible it should be based upon observation of the activity in realistic simulated conditions.
B. Risk Assessment
Risk Assessment provides an estimation of the risk but cannot be a precise measure since risk is all about uncertainty. The term covers a range of activities; for example, a detailed statistical analysis of the risks involved in the very smallest details of an activity, normally conducted by specialised people and often referred to as a Full Safety Case. At the other end of the range are less formal assessments conducted by people familiar with an operation who will consider what could go wrong and what should be done to prevent it.
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The assessment of risks must be suitable and sufficient. The process need not be overcomplicated. This means that the amount of effort that is put into an assessment should depend on the level of risks identified and whether those risks are already controlled by satisfactory precautions or procedures to ensure that they are as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).
C. Risk Control
The most effective way of reducing risk is to eliminate the hazard completely, however in many cases this will be impossible and risk controls will need to be used.Controls should be chosen taking into account the following, which are in order of effectiveness:
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D. Performance Monitoring
An important part of Risk Assessment is performance monitoring including an evaluation of whether the controls are put in place and are being used correctly. Performance monitoring should also include an evaluation on whether the perceived risk was sufficiently reduced. Any action plan should be reviewed before implementation.
| Risk Assessment and control isa continual process. Hence,written risk assessments shouldbe subject to periodic formalreviews to confirm the validityof the assessment and whetherthe risk controls are still effectiveand adequate. |
Further details and guidance for Risk Assesment may be found at Steamship Mutual’s Risk Alert
