MODULE 5: HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL

Murphy's middle name is Gotcha!

In Module Four we studied about communication and how it can be used to improve employee involvement in the company's safety and health program. In this module, we'll take a look at how employees can get involved in proactive hazard identification (uh-hem.. .that should be hazard analysis) to help eliminate hazards in the workplace. So, let's get hopping!

OK...so what's a hazard?

Before we study identifying, analyzing and controlling hazards in the workplace, it's important to know how OSHA defines the term. A hazard is:

A hazard is an..."unsafe workplace condition or practice that could cause an injury or illness to an employee."

Look around...what do you see?

I'll bet if you look around your workplace, you'll be able to locate a few hazardous conditions or work practices without too much trouble. Did you know that at any time an OSHA inspector could announce his or her presence at your corporate front door to begin a comprehensive inspection. What would they find? What do they look for? Now, if you used the same inspection strategy as an inspector, wouldn't that be smart? Well, that's what we're going to discuss in this module.