MODULE 5: HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL

Dig up the roots!

When investigating hazards discovered in a walkaround inspection or JHA, it's important that you uncover the root causes that have allowed those hazards to exist in the workplace. Taking this approach to hazard investigation is called root cause analysis.

Check out the well-known "accident weed" to the left.

The flower represents the direct cause of an injury. It's always the result of the transfer of a harmful level of energy from an outside source to the body.

The leaves of the weed represent hazardous conditions and unsafe work practices in the workplace. Conditions and/or practices are typically called the surface causes of an accident.

The roots of the weed represent management's effort to maintain a safe and healthful workplace, safety policies, safety supervision, safety training, and enforcement of safety rules. Think of these as management controls which pre-exist every hazardous condition, unsafe work practice, and accident. Inadequate or missing management controls represent the root causes for accidents in the workplace. They feed and nurture hazardous conditions and unsafe work practices.