How should I proceed?

The precondition for all subsequent steps in the risk assessment is the identification and recording of the hazards in your establishment. The hazards should always be determined on the spot at the individual workplaces and while including the workers affected.

There are two methods for identifying hazards:

• the direct (predictive or preventive) method, for example by means of on-site workplace inspections and/or surveys and
• the indirect (retrospective) method, for example by means of accident investigations and/or the investigation of work-related illnesses.

Direct (predictive or preventive) method

With the direct method, working systems and sequences which have not yet led to accidents are examined to establish the hazards. The supreme goal is to prevent work accidents and work-related illnesses!

Hazards are identified directly in six stages:

1. Determination of the relevant risk factors

Determine all hazards and exposures (characterised by risk factors), which may affect the workers at the workplace. At the same time deficiencies in operational occupational safety and health management which favour the occurrence of hazards must also be revealed.

Note:

Further information on corporate occupational safety and health management can be found under the heading What role does corporate organisation play? Details information on risk factors can be found under the heading Expert knowledge.

2. Identification of danger sources

Identify the cause of the possible hazards – the danger source.

3. Identification of the dangerous conditions

Identify the circumstances which facilitate the coincidence of the hazard factor and people (dangerous conditions). The conditions are mostly known.

4. Note special performance prerequisites for workers

Check whether special individual performance prerequisites must be taken into account for workers, e.g. for young people, older workers, pregnant women, disabled persons or workers who do not have complete mastery of the German language.

Example:

While some risk factors are "not age-critical", certain risk factors also have to be considered in relation to the workers' age.¹⁾
For example, electrical hazards, hazardous substances, biological hazards etc. are not to be regarded as age-critical, while hazards due to special physical impacts (for example whole-body or hand-arm vibrations) or physical loads (lifting and carrying of loads) must be seen as age-critical.

5. Information gathering

Check whether there are government or Berufsgenossenschaft regulations (acts, ordinances, accident prevention regulations etc.) or Technical Rules for the risk factors identified which have to be complied with (e.g. occupational exposure limits in the case of hazardous substances). If such specifications exist, they must be complied with! In the case of non-compliance protective measures must be taken immediately (see steps 4 and 5: "Stipulation of measures" and "Implementation of measures").

6. Check whether there is a hazard

Check whether a recognised, injury-inducing or illness-inducing factor can actually affect workers.

Indirect (retrospective) method

In the indirect method accidents which have already occurred are included in the risk determination.

¹⁾ Source: "Alternsgerechte Arbeit gestalten", Arbeitshilfe IG Metall , NRW, Frankfurt am Main, 2007