Hazards and Risk

1
Hazards and Risk
2
Workplace Responsibility

• It is the responsibility of everyone in the
  workplace to
• identify actual or potential hazards
• assess the level of risk
• take action to control the risk.

3
Hazards

• A hazard is something thats unsafe.
• It could hurt you or make you sick.
• A hazard is any real or potential condition that
  can cause
• injury,illness or death
• damage or loss of equipment or property
• negative effects on the environment.

4
Hazards

• Hazards can be
• Physical
• Chemical
• Biological
• Ergonomic
• Radiation
• Psychological

5
Identifying Hazards

• Hazards which may impact on the health and safety
  of people can be identified
• Before a possible event
• by observing and reporting potential hazards
• by using a checklist to identify hazards and
• by undertaking workplace inspections or surveys
• After the event
• by incident reports and investigations following
  any injury, illness, accident or near miss
  events.

6
Risks

• A risk is the chance that a hazard might hurt
  someone.
• To assess the risk ask
• Is this hazard likely to hurt someone?

7
Assessing Risk

• When assessing the level of risk, you should look
  at four areas
• 1. Tasks performed
• 2. Equipment used
• 3. Substances used
• 4. People involved.

8
Risk Control

• When you have identified the hazard and assessed
  the risk, the next step is to risk control, which
  may involve
• minimising the risk
• reducing the risk
• eliminating the risk.

9
Risk Control Manual Handling

• Manual handling is a major hazard in disability
  and aged care services.
• Disability support workers need to be competent
  in identifying, assessing and controlling risk in
  manual handling.

10
Dignity of Risk

• Dignity of risk is an important concept in
  disability support work.
• NT Disability Service Standard 5.5 says
• Each consumer will have the right to make
  informed choices and to take calculated risks.
• Dignity of risk refers to people, with or without
  disabilities, having the right to take advantage
  of opportunities for learning, developing skills
  and independence and, as part of this process,
  taking calculated risks.

11
Dignity of Risk (cont.)

• Upholding our clients dignity of risk presents a
  dilemma
• We need to weigh up a consumer's right to take
  risks against his or her ability to understand
  the possible consequences of certain actions.
• Risk-taking is an important part of all our
  lives.
• A walk to the shops or preparing a meal involves
  some measure of risk.

12
Risk Control and Carers

• Clients in care have traditionally had all the
  risks taken out of their lives.
• It has been a carers role to look after clients
  and make sure that nothing happens to them.
• We should not remove the clients right to
  increase their independence or to attempt new and
  exciting experience.

13
Risk Control and Carers

• People need to take risks. If they are to grow,
  they need the freedom to learn from mistakes and
  make decisions on their own.
• However, risk-taking is a double edged sword. It
  is a powerful and useful weapon but it can also
  be dangerous.
• You must balance the possible benefits to the
  client against the possible dangers.

14
Incident Reports

• Although we do our best to minimise hazards and
  control risk, incidents may still occur.
• You need to know your organisations policies and
  procedures for reporting any incident.
• If you are unsure about what to do, ask your
  supervisor.

15
Incident Reports (cont.)

• Incidents may include
• accidents
• injuries
• near misses
• illness
• assaults (including sexual assault).

• Incidents may happen
• on the organisations premises
• in public places
• in the clients home.

16
Alleged Criminal Acts

• All alleged criminal acts must be reported to the
  police as soon as practicable.
• Your organisation should have procedures for this.

17
Incident Reports (cont.)

• Incident reporting may involve
• verbal reports
• written reports
• filling in forms.
• Incident reports may contain personal and other
  sensitive information.
• The Northern Territory Disability Services Act
  covers privacy and confidentiality. This may be
  important when you are reporting.
• Check with your supervisor to make sure you do
  not breach a clients privacy or confidentiality
  when reporting or discussing incidents.