HIRAC

QUESTION 1

Many hazard in the workplace require immediate action, resource & effort by the amount of risk

each hazard present which can cause loss; in this case you will obviously firstly act upon those

hazards that present more risk & the hazards that present lower risks will be dealt with a future

time when resource permit. You have been appointed to conduct a HIRAC program for one

occupation from any industry. Identify at least 5 hazard and give your recommendations on how

to control or if possible minimize the risk using the hierarchy of control and you are required to

give some recommendations and justify it based on the regulations in the OSHA and FMA.

(Please use the proper HIRAC format)

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INTRODUCTION

Occupational Health and Safety

- Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control (HIRARC) -

In order to provide a systematic and objective approach to assessing hazards and their

associated risks that will provide an objective measure of an identified hazard as well as provide

a method to control the risk. It is one of the general duties as prescribed under the Occupational

Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514) for the employer to provide a safe workplaces to their

employees and other related person.

The purposes of HIRARC are as follows:-

To identify all the factors that may cause harm to employees and others (the hazards)

To consider what the chances are of that harm actually be falling anyone in the circumstances of

a particular case and the possible severity that could come from the risks

To enable employers to plan, introduce and monitor preventive measures to ensure that the risks

are adequately controlled at all times.

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Term and Definitions

Hazard means a source or a situation with a potential for harm in terms of human injury or ill

health, damage to property, damage to the environment or a combination of these.

Hazard control means the process of implementing measures to reduce the risk associated with a

hazard.

Hierarchy of control means the established priority order for the types of measures to be used to

control risks.

Hazard identification means the identification of undesired events that lead to the materialization

of the hazard and the mechanism by which those undesired events could occur.

Risk means a combination of the likelihood of an occurrence of a hazardous event with specified

period or in specified circumstances and the severity of injury or damage to the health of people,

property, environment or any combination of these caused by the event.

Risk assessment means the process of evaluating the risks to safety and health arising from

hazards at work.

Risk management means the total procedure associated with identifying a hazard, assessing the

risk, putting in place control measures, and reviewing the outcomes.

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INDUSTRY: Maintenance and Services

20 Hazard Use HIRAC Method

Ladder Welding Flame

Wet floor Uncover D.O.L

4

Uncover Blower Bumper

Electrical wire Plywood

Rope Water filter tank

5

Mercury High place

Uncover Genset Nitrogen Cylinder

Socket Outlet Electrical pipe

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Contaminated Tank Sharp Object

Dust Broom Rod

How to Conduct a Risk Assessment7

Step 1: Determine the most likely consequence for the table below

Step 2: Select the words that best describe the likelihood of consequence occurring from

the table below.

Step 3: Note and record the result of the risk assessment and, (eg High, Moderate, Low,

Very Low) use the Key below to determine the action required.

Step 4: Enter the Corrective Action and nominate persons to take action

Eliminate the hazard, Isolate the hazard, Minimized the hazard.

ASSESSMENT THE RISKS THAT FOUND

Risk Assessment

To assessment the hazards, the way is by using the matrix table. The matrix table shows that the

likelihood that will be occurs. The data and hazard must be record and rated by using the matrix

table.

Likelihood

The chance or hazard or event actually occurring during the life of the plant.

Very likely - could happen frequently

Likely - could happen occasionally

Unlikely - could happen, but only rarely

Highly unlikely - could happen, but probably never will

Consequences

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The extent of the harm (injury or ill health) should it actually occur. Once the likelihood and

consequence of each hazardous event or situation has been decided, the risk is o be rated using

the following table.

Risk Matrix Table

Explain the hazards9

1) Physical - Working at high place

Working at high place without safety equipment (PPE) and

harness. This behavior will cause the worker to fell down and

injury. This step of procedure, is commonly being use, because

on step by step procedure, service the outdoor air conditioning

unit is required. The outdoor unit is placed on the outside of the

building, usually al high place. Ladder or staging is required to

reach the outdoor unit.

2) Physical - Working with heat and fire

i. Using a welding without hand glove and mask. Welding is one

of routine the worker have to use with. Without using hand

glove, it may cause the worker burns. And without using mask,

will cause eyes damage.

3) Physical - Working at slippery place

i. The hazard is, the stagnant water on the roof top. Although the

place is roof top, drainage must be function properly. The

stagnant water cause mud and slippery for worker doing their

work with the cooling tower.

4) Physical - Electrical equipment not insulate

i. The D.O.L Starter not insulate properly, the D.O.L starter is

still functioning. The cover of D.O.L Starter has broke. It will

cause electrical shock with people who want to use it.

5) Physical - No cover rotation machine

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i. Blower have no cover. The rotating machine that will cause

harm to people. Blower operate daily to supply air in air

conditioning system. No cover blower will lead ti injury.

6) Physical – The angle of bumper

i. The bump will cos the people accidentally struck while doing

their job.

7) Physical – Electrical wire

i. The left over wire had been not store properly. It’s may cause

the person electrocuted.

8) Physical – Plywood

i. The plywood had been not store at the right place. accidentally

struck while doing their job.

9) Physical – Rope

i. The left over rope not been tie up. accidentally struck while

doing their job

10) Physical – Water filter tank

i. The worker don’t wear any PPE while doing servicing.

11) Chemical – Mercury

i. The worker only wear 1 layer rubber glove, its suppose to be 2

layer. It may cause the worker burns.

12) Physical – Working at high place

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i. Working at high place without safety equipment (PPE) and

harness. This behavior will cause the worker to fell down and

injury.

13) Physical – Uncover genset

i. Genset have no cover. It’s may cause the person electrocuted.

14) Physical – Nitrogen cylinder

i. The cylinder tank had been install the wrong place. The work

may not able to flee if the tank explodes.

15) Physical – Socket outlet

i. The socket outlet had been uncovered. Its may cause the user

being electrocuted.

16) Physical – Electrical pipe

i. The pipe had not installed with proper bracket. It may fall

down and hit the person below it.

17) Chemical – Contaminated tank

i. The person not wear proper PPE and working at wrong place.

18) Physical – Exposed pipe

i. There is no notice about pipe exposed, and it may cause the

worker accidentally struck while doing their job.

19) Chemical – Dust

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i. The a lot of dust around the working place, it may cause air

pollution.

20) Physical – Broom rod

i. The broom may cause the person accidentally struck while

doing their job.

FOR THE NEXT STEPS WE MUST RECOMMENDATION TO CONTROL THE RISK

give your recommendations on how to control or if possible minimize the risk using the

hierarchy of control you are required to give some recommendations and justify it based

Recommendation:

The risk control hierarchy ranks risk control measures in decreasing order of effectiveness. Risk

control measures should always aim as high in the list as practicable. Control of any given risk

generally involves a number of measures drawn from the various options.

i. Working at high place

Elimination of hazard: Use proper equipment rather than just using ladder to work

at the high place. Employer must provide equipment that cover the worker safety,

such as staging or skylift. This equipment or machine will covered the worker safety

working at high place.

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ii. Working with heat and fire

Personal protective equipment: Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for

example, hand glove, goggle, safety jacket, and other protective equipment. Employer

should provide the equipment, and the worker should wear the protective equipment.

iii. Working At Slippery Place

Suitable Working Condition: Employee should select the best and safe working

condition and work place. Unsafe working place will lead to accident and injury. The

working area should safe enough and comfortable for employee to perform in their

work.

iv. Working with non insulate equipment

Safe material handling: The employer should provide safety equipment to ensure

the safety of worker. Insulate electrical equipment is one of safety to avoid electrical

shock.

v. Working With Uncovered Rotating Machine.

Engineering Control: Installation of machine guards on hazardous equipment.

Included rotating machine that will cause injury. This guard will avoid injury of

worker while repair or using this equipment.

RECOMMENDATION (OSHA and FMA)

1) Under FACTORIES AND MACHINERY (SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE)

REGULATIONS 1970

REGULATION 6: FLOOR

2) Under FACTORIES AND MACHINERY (SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE)

REGULATIONS 1970

REGULATION 12: WORKING AT HEIGHT

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QUESTION 2

Major industrial accidents which happened the world have incurred huge losses to people \,

property, process, profit, nation and environment. Safety professionals have developed and used

various techniques to identify potential accident and to recommend appropriate actions to

prevent these accidents. Many accidents investigated by DOSH show that most of them are

contributed either directly or indirectly by lack of control and poor safety provision at the

workplace. Describe how “Accident Causation Model” can be incorporated with the “Accident

Causation Model” via Dominoes Theory. By the finding from the Dominoes Theory. You are

required to give some recommendation and justify some suggestions based on the regulation in

the OSHA and FMA.

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INTRODUCTION

DOMINOES THEORY

There are several domino theories. The principal theory of domino was introduced by Heinrich.

Then Bird refined the first theory by making slight adjustment and changes. The first two

theories of domino will be detailed accordingly.

Theories of Domino:

• Heinrich’s

• Bird’s

• Adam’s

• Weaver’s

HEINRICH’S DOMINO THEORY

This theory states that accidents result from a chain of sequential events, metaphorically like a

line of dominoes falling over. If one domino falls, it will trigger the next one, and next, and next,

and so on. Removing key factor helps prevent the start of chain reaction. Heinrich highlighted

the third domino as Key domino. These are the factors represented by the dominoes in sequence;

1- Social Environment & Ancestry

Undesirable personality traits such as stubbornness, greed, and recklessness can be “passed along

through inheritance” or develop from a person’s social environment and that both inheritance

and environment (what we usually refer to now as “nature” and “nurture”) contribute to Faults of

Person.

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2- Fault of Person

Inborn or obtained character flaws such as bad temper, inconsiderateness, ignorance, and

recklessness contribute at one remove to accident causation. Natural or environmental flaws in

the worker’s family or life cause these secondary personal defects, which are themselves

contributors to Unsafe Acts, or the existence of Unsafe Conditions.

3- Unsafe Act and/or Unsafe Condition

Unsafe acts and unsafe conditions were the central factor in preventing incidents and the easiest

causation factor to remedy, a process which he likened to lifting one of the dominoes out of the

line. These combining factors (1, 2, and 3) cause accidents.

4- Accident

“The occurrence of a preventable injury is the natural culmination of a series of events or

circumstances which invariably occur in a fixed and logical order.” He defines accidents as,

“events such as falls of persons, striking of persons by flying objects are typical accidents that

cause injury.”

5- Injury

Injury results from accidents and some types of injuries are cuts and broken bones.

Heinrich’s theory has two central points:

• Injuries are caused by the action of preceding factors

• Removal of the central factor (unsafe act/hazardous condition) negates the action of the

preceding factors and, in so doing, prevents accidents and injuries.

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But, early domino theory has weaknesses which are:

• Too much emphasis on individual blame,

• Doesn’t deal with organizational and managerial failure, and

• Looks for a single cause where more than one may be present.

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INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS

Based on the records provided by Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia, on July 24 2010, at

approximately 1:30 pm, there was a fire and explosion at the LPG facility in Selangor. As

information, LPG is a flammable substance which classified as hazardous substance as it can

undergo a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE) when LPG stored inside a cylinder

is subject to fire of sufficient duration and intensity.

According to ‘Accident Causation Model’ this case can be investigate based on five main block

of Lack of Control, Basic Causes, Immediate Causes, Incident and Loss; which can be shown

clearly the effect of each block on ‘Dominoes Theory’. Firstly, as investigation conducted there

are two main factors that initiated this accident which are an occupier has possibly carried out

decanting process in the facility; and an arrangement of LPG cylinders that not followed the

standard. Therefore under ‘Lack of Control’ block, this is seen as an inadequate observation from

the person in charge while leaving the store; or controlling the person who has an access on the

facility. Besides that, lack of knowledge in handling an LPG cylinder among workers will

become a major factor in these cases.

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Figure 1: LPG cylinders at incident scene

As move further, the ‘Basic Causes’ can be seen with two different factors which are personal

and job factor. Lack of awareness among workers to learn and understand the rules and

regulations, other than practicing those ethics as well may become reasons for the incident to

take place. Besides that, irresponsible acts upon work’s environment and an unsafe condition in

LPG stored in term of arrangement and location may trigger an unexpected result.

In conjunction with those two blocks, the 12kg LPG cylinders had been arranged upside down

on the upper row and sit atop on another row of upright 12kg LPG cylinders at the bottom row.

The 12kg LPG cylinder were then connected to the row of 50kg LPG cylinders through the

flexible connecting tubes or copper tubes. This condition may refer as an ‘Immediate Causes’.

The arrangement will allow the content to discharge by gravity from the 12kg cylinders to the

50kg LPG cylinders. The process will continue until the 50kg LPG cylinders have been

completely filled up. This dangerous condition then will turn to be an incident whereby there’s a

present of spark or flame in the facility. Finally, as a result this will cause loses for people,

property, process, profit, nation and environment in general.

Specifically on this case, there’re few loses have been identified even though there’s no loss of

life, the incident had causes several damages to the property at the site where LPG cylinders

were stored. Approximately 150 of 12kg LPG cylinders and 50 of 50kg LPG cylinders and the

workers' living quarter were destroyed as a result of the incident. As for the company, this is

seriously affecting its profit for that particular months and also the consumers will suffer an

insufficient supply to be used; and if this incident occur frequently, it may affecting nation’s

economics and a pollution upon the environment.

Therefore, a slight error from ‘Lack of Control’, would be an initiator for ‘Basic Causes’ to take

place, followed by immediate causes which then an incident would be the result; and loss

couldn’t be avoided anymore. This situation is correctly supporting Dominoes Theory.

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Recommendation and suggestion:

1. Hazard identification, risk assessment and control (HIRARC) has to be carried out for

such facility involving the handling and storage of liquefied petroleum gas to ensure

that the work can be carried out safely;

2. All cylinders shall be kept in a safe, well-ventilated place (open air), and away from

occupied buildings, public road, boundaries and sources of ignition of heat;

3. All cylinders shall be kept and stored upright and safely secured;

4. Ensure no electrical equipment or vehicles which can give rise to sources of ignition in

the facility;

5. Storage area should be well maintained through good housekeeping and provided with

adequate warning signs and firefighting equipment; and

6. To comply with the Petroleum (Safety Measures) Act 1984 (Act 302) and the

regulations made there under.

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Figure 2: Dominoes Theory