1.5.4. Accident analysis

Accident analysis includes statistic, mapping, monographic, economical, survey and expert analysis.

Accident statistic analysis is studying accidents through documents, such as reports, acts, and logs. That allows selecting accidents by some features: occupancy, workplace, workshop, experience, age, and causal factors, equipment, which caused injury.

Comparing the number of accidents, incidents or near misses at particular work locations will not necessarily establish which location is the safest, because of other factors, particularly the number of people working at each location. Use of the incident rate partially eliminate this problem and is defined as follows.

Incidence Rate: the number of undesired events for each one thousand persons' working at that location. The formula to calculate the incident rate is:

The incident rate gives a far more accurate comparison between locations, however, to achieve the best figure for comparisons between similar work locations we need to take into consideration the number of hours each person works at the particular locations. The result of this calculation is known as the frequency rate.

Frequency Rate: the number of undesired events for each one million hours worked. The formula to calculate the frequency rate is:

If another work place or enterprise maintains their records per thousand workers or per 100 000 hours worked, you only have to shift a decimal place from one set of figures to obtain a direct comparison. This is one reason why you must define your terminology.

Monographic analysis is focused in detailed examination of all working environment, technology, workplace, sanitary and hygiene conditions, personal protective equipment.

For example a workplace being analyzed can be described as one of the following.

Hazardous workplace: A work environment, which contains dangerous situations that can cause injury to a person.

Unsafe workplace: A workplace, which contains hazards, which are not recognized, or are recognized and ignored.

Unsafe system of work: A work procedure or process where it is foreseeable that a hazard or risk can cause an injury; and

Unsafe work practice: An activity which deviates from a safe system of work, in that it does not take account of a hazard, or is inherently risky in the face of a recognized hazard.

Mapping analysis implies spotting accidents in the map of workshop. That helps identify high-risk places, which need implementation of routine and perspective preventive measures.

Economical analysis consists in studying expenses imposed by occupational accidents.

Survey analysis considers worksheets filled by employees to recommend preventive measures.

Expert analysis is grounded on expert assessment of working environment, discovering noncompliance of technology, equipment, tools with OS and ergonomic standards.

1.5.5. Risk management

All employers, employees and self-employed persons have a duty of care towards their own, and others' safety and health at their workplace.

Compliance with legislative requirements may assist by providing either performance based or prescriptive criteria to achieve required results. Various legislative requirements may impact on activities within workplaces to ensure that workers are able to work in a safe environment.

Under general duty of care legislation, employers have a duty to ensure, as far as practicable, that employees are not exposed to hazards at the workplace. Under regulations and in accordance with codes of practice, employers also have an obligation to identify workplace hazards, to assess the associated risks and to make the necessary changes to minimize the risks. These three basic steps should be taken to ensure a safe and healthy workplace and prevent accidents. They are based on the concept that the workplace should be modified to suit people, not vice versa. The three steps are hazard identification, risk assessment, risk control.

Identifying the Hazard - involves recognizing things which may cause injury or harm to the health of a person, for instance, flammable material, ignition sources or unguarded machinery.

Assessing the Risk - involves looking at the possibility of injury or harm occurring to a person if exposed to a hazard.

Controlling the Risk - by introducing measures to eliminate or reduce the risk of a person being exposed to a hazard.

It is important to regularly review the steps, especially if there are changes in the working environment, new technology is introduced, or standards are changed.

Occupational Safety and Health legislation promotes cooperation and consultation between the employer and employees within the workplace to achieve a safe and healthy work environment. Employers should consult with safety and health representatives, if any, and employees during these steps. Involvement of elected safety and health representatives can provide an opportunity for problems to be resolved using knowledge within the immediate work area.