Types and Roles of Risk Control Measures in the Workplace

Risk control measures serve as the first line of defence against a spectrum of potential hazards.

These measures address diverse workplace risks—from physical injuries on the production floor to health issues arising from chemical exposure, and beyond. Without effective risk management, organisations expose themselves to a cascade of negative outcomes, including severe injuries, chronic health problems, legal penalties, and significant financial losses.

This discussion highlights the essential roles and types of risk control measures that help maintain a secure and healthy work environment.

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Understanding workplace risks

Workplace risks encompass any potential hazards that can adversely affect employees’ safety, health, or well-being, and their likelihood while performing their job duties. These risks vary widely across different environments and can be categorised into several types, including:

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• Physical Risks: These involve factors that can cause bodily harm, such as machinery, noise, and slips, trips, and falls.
• Chemical Risks: Exposure to harmful chemicals in the form of solids, liquids, gases, or vapours, which can lead to health issues ranging from minor irritations to serious diseases.
• Biological Risks: These include exposures to organisms, or substances produced by organisms, that can cause illness. Examples are pathological bacteria, viruses, and fungal toxins.
• Ergonomic Risks: These arise from poor workstation design, repetitive movement, and improper body positioning, which can lead to musculoskeletal disorders.
• Psychosocial Risks: Stress, harassment, violence, and other workplace pressures that impact the psychological well-being of employees.

Assessing the significance and impact of these risks is crucial. Pre-defined categorisation helps with reliable risk ratings, with the use of tools such as descriptive risk matrices. Early identification allows for timely intervention, preventing potential injuries or health issues. This not only ensures the health and safety of employees but also helps organisations avoid the consequences of uncontrolled risks such as legal liabilities and financial losses. Effective risk assessment involves evaluating the likelihood and severity of harm from identified hazards, in order to prioritise resource allocation, and determining explicit steps for the best ways to mitigate these risks before they lead to incidents.

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The role of risk control measures

Risk control measures are specific strategies and actions implemented to mitigate, minimise, or eliminate risks in the workplace. These measures play a crucial role in preventing incidents and ensuring the safety and health of employees. They can be classified into two main types: preventative and reactive measures.

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Preventative measures

Preventative measures are proactive steps taken to prevent hazards from causing harm before an incident occurs. These can act on the probability axis of a risk matrix, trying to reduce the likelihood of unwanted events, or on the severity axis, trying to lower the harm. The Hierarchy of Control is an industry-standard preventative measure system which includes:

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• Elimination: Removing the hazard entirely from the workplace - erasing likelihood.
• Substitution: Replacing a hazardous material or process with a less dangerous one - lowering severity.
• Engineering Controls: Isolating people from hazards through physical means, such as safety guards on machinery - reducing both likelihood and severity of accidents.
• Administrative Controls: Implementing changes in procedures, training, and scheduling to reduce exposure to hazards - lowering likelihood of incidents.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Providing safety gear like helmets, gloves, and goggles to protect employees from direct exposure to physical, chemical, or biological hazards - lowering severity of accidents.

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Identifying the need for preventative measures relies on ‘Leading Indicators’ such as Near-Miss Reporting and Job Safety Observations.

Reactive measures

Reactive measures are implemented after an incident has occurred to prevent recurrence. They include actions like revising risk management protocols, enhancing training programs, and improving emergency response strategies. Identifying the need for reactive measures relies on ‘Lagging Indicators’ such as Lost Time Injury Frequency Rates (LTIFR).

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Understanding and implementing both of the right mix of these risk control measures is necessary to significantly reduce workplace risks and contribute to a safer work environment. This dual approach ensures that both immediate and long-term safety concerns are addressed, promoting a culture of continuous safety improvement.

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The rewards of implementing risk control measures

Enhanced safety climate

Implementing specific safety protocols significantly improves the overall safety standards within an organisation by improving

• Awareness
• Confidence
• Capability

This approach not only protects employees but also supports ongoing improvement by continually adapting and enhancing safety measures. It also builds stakeholder confidence by demonstrating a commitment to maintaining a high level of safety, which is critical for both internal and external perceptions of the organisation.

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Allows appropriate control selection

Customising risk control measures to precisely address specific workplace hazards ensures that safety efforts are both targeted and efficient, reducing the risk of incidents and preventing the misallocation of safety resources. This strategic approach maximises the effectiveness of safety protocols. It is much easier to keep track of risks that are properly classified and quantified.

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Improves training and communication

Consistently delivering thorough training and clear communication about safety procedures ensures that all employees are well-informed and competent in their roles regarding safety. Identifying risks and implementing controls provides a scaffolding around which to build training programs that feel, and are, relevant and important. This practice reinforces a strong safety protocol adherence, which will reduce the likelihood of safety breaches and accidents.

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Enables continuous monitoring and review

Regularly assessing the effectiveness of safety measures is what allows for timely updates and ongoing enhancements in safety practices. Continuous monitoring aligns with the principle of ongoing improvement, ensuring that safety protocols evolve to meet changing workplace conditions and challenges, thereby not only reaching, but maintaining a high standard of safety and compliance.

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Challenges and solutions in risk control

Implementing effective risk control measures in the workplace often encounters several common challenges:

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• Resistance to change – employees and management may be hesitant to adopt new safety practices due to discomfort with altering familiar routines.
• Budget constraints – limited financial resources can restrict the ability to implement the most effective safety solutions.
• Lack of awareness – without proper understanding of the risks and necessary safety measures, employees may not follow through with compliance.
• Biases - Oftentimes, low severity but high frequency hazards are under-attended due to our bias towards focusing instead on large, salient hazards that may in fact have negligible probabilities.

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Solutions with myosh

To overcome these challenges, a good safety management system should provide targeted solutions through its various features. With myosh, this is accomplished with:

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• Streamlined implementation – myosh facilitates the smooth adoption of new safety protocols, helping to overcome resistance by providing clear, manageable transition processes that are invariably much less painful than paperwork and spreadsheets. Its intuitive design and user-friendly interface are made to encourage acceptance and active engagement across all organisational levels.
• Cost-effective safety options – myosh offers scalable solutions that can be customised to fit different budgetary needs, ensuring that organisations don’t have to compromise on safety due to cost concerns. Most organisations report a multiple on labour costs saved vs software costs, when implementing myosh.
• Comprehensive educational tools – the myosh platform includes on-demand training resources and accessible information that enhance workforce participation in safety strategies.

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Lead the way in safety management with myosh

Navigating the complexities of workplace risks requires a robust strategy and the right tools. With myosh, you have access to an advanced suite of modules designed to strengthen your organisation's risk management capabilities.

‍Start your free trial with myosh today and take the first step towards a safer, more compliant workplace. Experience how myosh’s risk hazard management software can make a significant difference in how you manage risk.