What is hazard? What is risk? What are the types of hazards?Do you know the difference between Hazard and Risk?

Industrial Health and Safety blogs.

What is hazard? What is risk? What are the types of hazards?Do you know the difference between Hazard and Risk?

Anything which has potential to cause harm is known as hazard. Anything means anything. Examples are as below:

1-      Sharp protruded nail is hazard.

2-      Hot machine surface is hazard.

3-      Rotating coupling part without machine guard is hazard.

4-      High speed diesel vapors are chemical hazard.

5-      Open wire, damage insulation, puncture wire are examples of electrical hazard.

6-      Fall from height is work at height hazard.

7-      Broken welding holder exposing conductor is also an electrical hazard.

8-      Slippery portable ladder rung is also a hazard.

9-      Hanging load is also a hazard.

10-   Potholes, hole in floor are also examples of hazard.

Few below mentioned are hazards pictograms:

Types of Hazards:

Below are the common types of hazards you should be aware of at work.

·         biological - bacteria, viruses, insects, plants, birds, animals, and humans, etc.,

·         Electrical- High voltage, bare wire etc.

·         Physical- include slips, trips, falls and exposure to loud noises, working from heights, vibrations, and unguarded machinery.

·         chemical - depends on the physical, chemical and toxic properties of the chemical,

·         ergonomic - repetitive movements, improper set up of workstation, etc

Risk is combination of probability and consequence/ severity. Risk is major or minor; less or more; high or low depends upon the combination of probability and severity. Below examples provide more clarity of risk following the risk classification matrix:

Example 1- Lifting of 25 kg load

-          Likelihood/ Probability of hazardous event according to above risk matrix is Unlikely (D)

-          Consequence / Severity of hazardous event is Minor (4)

-          Risk measured combining both likelihood and Consequence is 21 i.e. Low

Example 1- Lifting of 250 kg load

-          Likelihood/ Probability of hazardous event according to above risk matrix is Unlikely (D)

-          Consequence / Severity of hazardous event is Major (2)

-          Risk measured combining both likelihood and Consequence is 12 i.e. Medium.

It is apparent from the above examples although activities were same, likelihood is also same .However when we face hazardous event consequence/ severity related to 25 KG which is minor but hazardous event consequence / severity related to 250 KG which is major. Hence risks also got change from low to High.

Examples of Major and Minor risks are:

1-      Slip on muddy water, may be risk is low but slip while carrying hot water, may be risk is high due to hot water.

2-      Fall from stool, may be risk is low. But when fall from first or second floor of building, risk is high.

So it is very clear that risk is combination of Likelihood and consequence (Please consider likelihood or probability, both words are same. Similarly Consequence and severity are same.)