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Using Hazard/Risk Analysis To Improve The Safety Model Of Your Business

Safety is the foundation with which a successful business is built upon. However, when working in an industry that relies on mass production to be successful, it can often be hard to recognize flaws in your safety model until it is too late. In turn, a bottleneck can arise or, even worse, one of your dedicated and hardworking employees may be injured by a lack of careful safety procedures on the production floor. In fact, you can get head injuries from a simple slip and fall and, yet, most companies seldom take into account these kinds of disasters whatsoever.

I was able to see this firsthand at a previous job in which I was a security specialist. Four women all were injured from ice buildup outside the offices which could have easily been prevented if the company had sprinkled the sidewalks with ice melt as they were asked to do. Two women broke their arms and the other two broke their ankles but this all could have been avoided if the business had followed the safety procedures they should have been following to the tee.

However, unlike the countless businesses in the past that simply had to rely on their own analysis of the work environment, there are plenty of hazard and risk metrics nowadays that can help you to recognize these issues long before they become a serious problem and turn your bottlenecks into a more efficient workflow in the process.

How To Utilize Hazard/Risk Analytics

There are many free hazard and risk analysis software (freeware or open source software) that can easily be utilized along with your regular daily routine to ensure that your safety procedures are in place and to prevent potential problems from ever occurring. However, when conducting a hazard/risk analysis, the most important aspects of these analytics simple stem from the way in which they are utilized and conducted likewise.

A proper analysis should begin with inspection checklists from manufacturers that supply your business with its equipment in order to assure that this equipment is properly functioning before it is ever used. Next, although this may seem fairly self-explanatory, a simple walkthrough of the entirety of your business production floors can tell you quite a bit and present you with possible risks and hazards before the actual accidents ever occur and allow you to create a functional safety program likewise. Similarly, sit through a day of work on the production floor to recognize threats to your employees and determine any bottlenecks so you can focus other employees on these parts of the manufacturing line, in particular.

Once this is done, you can begin to speak with your employees and get real-life suggestions and even complaints from the employees spending the most time in this environment so as to improve in all areas they feel need these improvements the most. After this is complete, it may be wise to have a safety consultant give a second walkthrough in order to ensure that your original analysis of the environment was accurate. Most specialists will do this walkthrough free of charge due to the fact that the safety of a company is extremely important and easily attainable with help and an understanding of potential risks before they occur. After all of this is finished, simply keeping up with your analytics on a daily basis can help you to keep your business production on track and your safety standards tight and strict likewise.

Five Free and Easy-To-Use Hazard/Risk Analysis Software

1. 3MRA

The Multimedia, Multi-pathway, Multi-receptor exposure and Risk Assessment (3MRA) is a freeware created by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Center for Exposure Assessment Modeling (CEAM) that can help you determine potential human and ecological health risks.

2. Adult Lead Model (ALM) for Excel

ALM is a wonderful open source software that is accessible through Excel. Most companies utilize Excel on a daily basis making this software extremely useful for quick inception into the company routine. This software was introduced by the EPA along with Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.

3. Benchmark Dose Software

Benchmark Dose is another software introduced by the EPA. It’s main use is to facilitate the application of benchmark dose (BMD) methods in order to analyze the area for potential hazardous pollutants.  

4. CAMEO

This one is slightly different from the others above. CAMEO is a software yet again introduced by the EPA alongside National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Its specific function is to support industry and government chemical emergency management with chemical safety and emergency response data as well as digitized mapping and air dispersion modeling.

5. ChemAlert App

Unlike the others above, ChemAlert App is used specifically on cell phones making it easy for transportation and travel uses in business. The app was made my Risk Management Technologies (RMT) and has key safety management information.

How Analyzing Safety Procedures Can Positively Impact Workflow

No matter what industry you happen to be a part of, the way that you analyze your safety procedures can mean a whole lot of work for you and your team or an efficient working process that is up to code and only becoming more and more profitable every day.

For instance, in the manufacturing industry, if you are not using your safety data to review potential risks, you could end up with multiple bottlenecks, a slowed production process, less product being supplied than demanded, and even potential equipment malfunctions and employee injuries. By reviewing your production floor before you begin the work day, you can ensure that these kinds of incidents never happen and create a more efficient manufacturing team in the process.

Similarly, in the IT world and any tech or business-related industries, safety and risk analysis can help your company steer clear from potential cyber threats, keep your team on track for success regarding quotas and projects, create a project risk management process that helps you determine these threats early on, as well as promote company culture and work flow likewise. Once you have done this, your business and your team will be able to function in a more productive manner and your agile team organization will allow you to complete any and all tasks in a timely manner no matter what obstacles you may face along the way.

Another example of what risk and hazard analysis can do for your company’s workflow comes in the form of customer appreciation and health. If you happen to be in the field of realty, safety analysis standards must be extremely high. That’s why safety tips for property managers specifically are a very important aspect of renting or selling property. If the customer becomes ill or injured due to an inability to assess the risks accordingly, these managers can find themselves facing serious fines and potential charges for negligence of property likewise.

Lastly, perhaps one of the most important safety analysis procedures that must be completed comes in the form of any and all transportation companies. Whether you are on a plane or a bus, the hazard and risk analytics of this company could mean life or death for its passengers. Therefore, by taking into account the ripple effect of most disasters, these companies can determine major issues before taking off and ensure that all of their passengers are safe and harm-free on their trips.

In the end, the benefits of simple hazard and risk assessments are immense and the outcome of a more safe work environment is both a higher productivity level as well as a far more profitable company. By taking into account basic risks that may face your team and ensuring they are resolved ahead of time, your employees will be far more safe as will your consumers and your company will continue to flourish into something bigger and better every day because of it.