OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY RISK ASSESSMENT – WARSAW AND SURROUNDINGS
It is similar in the organisation of workplaces. We are faced with a choice: buy new safety devices, re-plan processes, reorganise workstations. These actions can have a real impact on the level of occupational risk. When preparing a risk assessment, we pay attention to the analysis of the current state (characteristics of the threat, its consequences and the degree of risk), and then we move on to corrective actions.
Risk assessment is not only a legal requirement, but also a tool to analyse the safety of the workplace.
As jobs or processes change, the assessment should be kept up to date.
THE REQUIREMENT TO CARRY OUT AN OCCUPATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT COMES FROM THE LABOUR CODE:
Art. 226.
The employer:
- assesses and documents occupational risk associated with the work performed and applies the necessary preventive measures to reduce the risk;
- informs employees of occupational risk connected with their work and of the principles of protection against risks.
In addition, the result of the occupational risk assessment may have an impact on other obligations of the employer, such as the need to carry out periodic training for employees employed in the administrative and office position (Art. 2373 § 22 of the Labour Code).
The occupational risk assessment is a document which should be elaborated in a team, especially by people who have knowledge about the given position. The fact of consulting the occupational risk assessment is reflected in Art. 23711a § 1:
The employer consults with employees or their representatives on all activities related to occupational health and safety, in particular on:
2) assessment of occupational risk occurring while performing specific work and informing employees about this risk.
RISK ASSESSMENT ON A WORKSTATION WARSAW – CALL FOR SERVICES
By using the services of an occupational health and safety specialist, you can be sure that the developed occupational health and safety risk assessment on a workstation is performed in the correct manner. There are many methods of carrying out an occupational risk analysis, including the Polish PN-N-18002 standard; PHA (Preliminary Hazard Analysis); Risk Score; JSA (Job Safety Analysis). However, sometimes we have to choose which of the methods will work best in a given workplace and will be understandable for employees.
A person who has knowledge and experience in this area can help to choose the method and collect the results of the risk analysis.
EHS CONSULTING OCCUPATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT – THE FIRST STEP IS A ZERO RISK AUDIT
At EHS Consulting we start with a “zero audit”, during which we assess the risks on a particular job. During the audit, we pay attention to the compliance of the workplace with occupational safety and fire protection requirements. Verification is carried out by means of a checklist which includes questions concerning.
- Surface area, volume of the workstation
- Has the employee been provided with at least 2 m2 of free floor space at the workstation?
- Is the volume of the workplace not less than 13 m3?
- is the surface of the passageway inside the facility: stable, even, not slippery?
- Are there any cables lying in the passageways that could cause tripping?
- Evacuation, fire protection
- Have escape routes been provided from all rooms in the building?
- has the effectiveness of anti-shock protection been confirmed by measurements?
- Are the results of the measurements referred to above up to date?
III. Light
- Has daylight been provided to the workplace?
- Has emergency lighting been provided in rooms and at workplaces where, in the event of a lighting failure, there may be a danger to the life or health of employees?
- Noise
- Does the noise in the workplace not exceed 75 dB?
- Temperature
- Is the temperature in the working room at least 18°C? (min. 18°C, however for comfort reasons it should be approx. 22°C)
- Equipment
- Does the equipment in the workstation meet the requirements for conformity assessment? (CE marked, have operating instructions in Polish)
- Is the equipment used in accordance with operating instructions?
- Are the operating instructions clearly written for the user?
- Do the devices have buttons which make it possible to switch off the device easily and quickly?
VII. Occupational risk assessment, training
- Has a risk assessment been carried out for workplaces?
- Has the risk assessment been documented?
- Have employees been provided with first aid facilities in the event of an accident or other mishap? (employee(s) designated and trained, first aid equipment provided)?
- Have employees received initial training in occupational health and safety?
RISK ASSESSMENT WARSAW AND SURROUNDINGS – ZERO RISK AUDIT IS CARRIED OUT AT COMPANY HEADQUARTERS
exposure (E) to the hazard in question
the probability (P) of the hazard occurring
consequences (C) caused by the hazard
Using the formula R= CxExP we calculate the risk of occurrence of a given hazard:
In the assessment you will find two risk estimations (before and after the introduction of preventive measures). This makes it easier for you to analyse the minimisation of risk after the introduction of countermeasures.
Once the risk value is obtained, we determine whether it is at an acceptable level. For an unacceptable risk, immediate action is required (e.g. by taking protective measures). Work may not be started or continued until the risk has been reduced to an acceptable level.
If the risk is at an acceptable level, it is worth considering whether it is possible to improve working conditions further. Otherwise, we should ensure that occupational risks remain at the same level at the most.
It is worth ensuring that planned and implemented solutions are
- appropriate to the risks in the organisation;
- consulted with workers and/or their representatives;
- periodically reviewed and modified if necessary;
- using the formula: R= SxExP we calculate the risk of a given hazard (paste: risk assessment_fig.4)
The next step is the ongoing monitoring of the harmful, strenuous and hazardous factors that are present in the workplace. Every company changes, and the various work-related risks can also change. With ongoing contact, we are able to determine whether a reassessment of occupational risk is required.
In addition to the standard occupational risk assessment for a workplace, we may also need to carry out a risk assessment for documents such as the Instruction for Safe Work Performing (IBWR). In the IBWR, we should indicate what hazards may occur in connection with carrying out the work, e.g. being caught by moving parts, being electrocuted, being struck by immovable objects.
ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL RISK AT THE WORKPLACE – THANKS TO THIS WE ARE ABLE TO ASSESS WHETHER THE RISK IS AT AN ACCEPTABLE OR UNACCEPTABLE LEVEL.
It is worth knowing the occupational risks so that you can plan and organise your work accordingly!
If you need advice in this area, leave a message or give us a call. Trust the experts and entrust us with the development of occupational risk in Warsaw and the surrounding area – we invite you.