HIRARC notes NIOSH for Occupational Health Doctors
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Oct 24, 2025
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About This Presentation
Occupational Health
Size: 2.58 MB
Language: en
Added: Oct 24, 2025
Slides: 49 pages
Slide Content
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
AND RISK ASSESSMENT (HIRARC)
Occupational Health Doctor Course
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 20161
SCOPE
❖Introduction
❖Basic Concepts of Risk
❖Planning and Conducting HIRARC
❖Hazard Identification
❖Risk Assessment
❖Risk Control
❖Documenting HIRARC
❖Conclusion
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 20162
INTRODUCTION
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 20163
HIRARC
❖HIRARC is a tool to identify, assess and control
hazards or risks in the workplace
❖The possibility of adverse events can be
controlled , reduced or avoided altogether by
adopting HIRARC
❖One of the responsibility of employers under
the OSHA 1994 (provision of a safe workplace)
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 20164
BASIC CONCEPTS
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 20165
WHAT IS RISK?
❖Combination of the likelihoodand severityof a
specified hazardous event occurring
❖Risk = Likelihood x Severity
❖Likelihood is an event likely to occur within the
specific period or in specified circumstances
❖Severity is outcome from an event
❖Risk assessment :overall process of estimating the
magnitude of risk, deciding whether or not the risk
is tolerable or acceptable, taking into account any
measures already in place
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 20166
•A tiger in cage is less
risk as compared to a
tiger out of cage
•A tiger in cage is less
dangerousthan a
tiger out of cage
since the hazard is
already controlled
A Tigeris a Source
Tigerattack is a hazard
(potential for harm)
A Cage is a Control
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 20167
THE PURPOSE OF HIRARC
❖Identify factors that may cause harm to employees
and others
❖To evaluate risk
❖To enable employer to plan and monitor preventive
measures to ensure the risk are adequately
controlled at all times.
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 20169
WHEN TO DO?
❖Situations : hazard appear to pose significant
threat, uncertain adequacy of existing controls,
before implementing corrective or preventive
measures
❖By organization : intending to improve OSH
Management System.
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201610
PROCESS OF HIRARC
4 Steps:
❖classify work activities;
❖identify hazard;
❖conduct risk assessment (analyze and estimate risk
from each hazard) –likelihood and severity
❖decide if risk is tolerable and apply control
measures if necessary
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201611
FLOWCHART HIRARC PROCESS
Classify work activities
Consultation
Identify Hazards
Risk Assessment
Prepare Risk Control Action Plan
Implement
Employer Rep. Worker Rep.
Review
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201612
HAZARD
❖Source of potential harm (substance, agent or
physical situation)
❖Hazard Identification
–Identify critical operation tasks that is posing significant
risk to health and safety of employees
–Highlight hazards pertaining to certain equipment
❖Three types Health Hazard
Safety Hazard
Environmental Hazard
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201615
HEALTH HAZARD
❖Any agent that can cause illness to an individual.
❖May produce serious and immediate (acute) affects
or may cause long-term (chronic) problems
Health Hazard Examples
Chemical Acids, solvents
Physical Heat, Light, Noise, Vibration
Biological Bacteria, viruses, mold
Work Design/
Ergonomic
Repetitive movement, contact
stress, prolonged standing
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201616
PHYSICAL HAZARD
❖Any force strong enough to cause injury, or damage
to property (usually obvious)
❖Safety hazards cause harm when workplace
controls are not adequate
Safety Hazard Examples
Slipping/
tripping
Wires run across floors
Fire Flammable materials
Work at heightWork done on scaffolds
Pressure
systems
Steam boilers and pipes
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201617
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD
❖Release to the environment that may cause harm
or deleterious effects (may not be obvious)
❖Cause harm when controls and work procedures
are not followed
❖Example: a worker who drains glycol and releases
the liquid to a sewer system
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201618
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION TECHNIQUE
Documents/Information:
❖Hazardous occurrence investigation reports
❖First aid records and minor injury records
❖Workplace health protection programs
❖Results of workplace inspections
❖Employee complaints and comments
❖Government or employer reports, studies and tests
concerning the health and safety of employees
❖Reports made under the regulation of OSHA 1994
❖Record of hazardous substances
❖Other relevant information
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201619
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION TECHNIQUE (Cont)
Examples of technique/method:
❖Work place inspections
❖Task safety analysis or job hazard analysis
❖Preliminary investigations
❖Potential accident factors
❖Failure analysis
❖Accident and incident investigations (unsafe act/
unsafe condition)
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201620
JOB HAZARD ANALYSIS (JHA)
◼JHA breaks a job or task into specific steps, analyzes
each step for specific hazards, develops safe work
procedures to eliminate or reduce those hazards, and
integrates safe work procedures into safety and health
programs
◼JHA must be developed for each job or task
◼6 major steps of JHA:
◼Select the job task to be analyzed
◼Identify the major sequence of steps for each step (specific job step
description)
◼Identify the potential hazards for each step (hazard identification)
◼Determine preventative measures to protect against the hazards
(required precautions)
◼Develop a worker-training program
◼Re-evaluation
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RISK ASSESSMENT
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ANALYSING & ESTIMATING RISK
Qualitative
Analysis
Semi-Quantitative
Analysis
Quantitative
Analysis
•Uses words to
describe
magnitude
and likelihood
•Usesexpert
knowledge
and
experience to
determine
likelihood and
severity
category
•Qualitative scales
are given values
•Objective: to
produce a more
expanded ranking
scale than
qualitative analysis
(not to suggest
realistic values)
•Uses numerical values
for severity and
likelihood (datafrom
past accident
experience and
scientific research)
•Severity may be
expressed in termsof
monetary, technical
or human impact
criteria
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201623
LIKELIHOOD OF AN OCCURENCE
❖Likelihood of an event occurring
❖Assessing likelihood is based on worker
experience, analysis or measurement
LIKELIHOOD(L) EXAMPLE RATING
Mostlikely
The most likely result of the hazard
/ event being realized
5
Possible
Has a good chance of occurring
and is not unusual
4
Conceivable
Might be occur at sometime in
future
3
Remote
Has not been known to occur
after many years
2
Inconceivable
Is practically impossible and has
never occurred
1
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SEVERITY OF HAZARD
❖Based upon an increasing level of severity to an
individual’s health, the environment or to property
SEVERITY(S) EXAMPLE RATING
Catastrophic
Numerous fatalities, irrecoverable
property damage and productivity
5
Fatal
Approximately one single fatality
major property damageif hazard is
realized
4
Serious
Non-fatal injury, permanent
disability
3
Minor Disabling but not permanent injury 2
Negligible
Minor abrasions, bruises, cuts, first
aid type injury
1
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201625
RISK ASSESSMENT
❖Risk matrix is a very effective way of
communicating risk analysis that uses likelihood
and severity in qualitative method
❖Relative Risk = L x S
L = Likelihood
S = Severity
❖Relative risk value can be used to prioritize
necessary actions to effectively manage work
place hazards
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201626
RISK MATRIX
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RISK & ACTION PRIORITY
RISK DESCRIPTION ACTION
15 -25 High
•Requires immediate action to control the
hazard (hierarchy of control)
•Document actionstaken on the risk
assessmentform incl. date for completion
5-12 Medium
•Requires a planned approach tocontrol
the hazard and apply temporary measure
if required
•Document actions taken on the risk
assessment form incl. date for completion
1-4 Low
•Riskconsidered asacceptable & further
reduction may not be necessary
•If the risk can be resolved quickly and
efficiently→control measures should be
implementedand recorded
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RISK CONTROL
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PRINCIPLE OF CONTROL
❖Elimination or inactivation of a hazard in a manner
such that the hazard does not pose a risk to
workers who have to enter into an area or work on
equipment in the course of scheduled work
•Where the problem is created
•Closer to source of the hazard is better
•Engineering control
SOURCE
•Between the source and worker
•Administrative control
PATH
•Level of worker
•Least desirable method
•PPE
RECEIVER
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Elimination
Substitution
Total Enclosure
Isolation
Modification
Engineering
control
SOP
PPE
Most
useful
Least
useful
HIERARCHY OF CONTROL
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SELECTING SUITABLE CONTROL
❖Evaluating and selecting short and long term
controls
❖Implementing short-term measures to protect
workers until permanent controls can be put in
place
❖Implementing long term controls when reasonably
practicable
❖Example: Noise hazard
–Short term -hearing protection
–Long term -remove or isolate the noise source.
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201632
SOURCE CONTROL
Method Explanation
Elimination
Getting rid of a hazardous job, tool,
process, machine or substance
Substitution
Doing the same work in a less hazardous
way is possible
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ENGINEERING CONTROL
Method Explanation
Redesign
Jobs and processes reworked to make
them safer
IsolationContained or kept away from workers
Automation
Automate or mechanizedangerous
processes
Barriers Hazard blocked before it reaches workers
AbsorptionBlock or absorb noise with baffles
Dilution Hazard diluted or dissipated (usually gasses)
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Barrier Automation
Absorption Isolation
35
ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL
Method Explanation
Safe work
procedure
Use of standardized safetypractices (periodically
reviewed)
Supervision and
training
Initial training on safe work procedures and
refresher.
Appropriate supervision to assist workers in
identifyinghazards and evaluatingprocedures
Housekeeping,
repair &
maintenance
programs
Cleaning, waste disposal and spill cleanup.
Tools, equipment and machinery are less likely to
cause injury if cleaned& maintained.
Hygiene
Reduce the risk of toxic materials being absorbed
by workers or carried home
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PPE
❖Used when other controls measures are not
feasible and where additional protection is needed
❖Workers must be trained to use and maintain
equipment properly
❖Employer and employee must understand the
limitations of PPE
❖Care taken to ensure PPE working properly –to
avoid illusion of protection
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Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201638
MONITORING CONTROL
❖Effectiveness of controls must be checked regularly
❖Evaluate & monitor during inspections, routine
maintenance & other activities
❖Questions to answer:
–Problem solved?
–Risk to worker by the control?
–All new hazard identified?
–Significant, new hazard controlled?
–Accident report analyzed?
–Other measures required?
❖Document control activities to track their effectiveness, re-
evaluate if necessary
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201639
DOCUMENTING HIRARC
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RESPONSIBILITY
❖Each HIRARC must be fully documented
❖HIRARC form must be completed by the HIRARC team and
signed by the in charge personnel of the area
❖Management/ employer must endorse & approve HIRARC
results and communicate to employees, monitor the follow
up action and keep records
❖Maintain all records of assessments for at least 3 years
(depending on legislative requirement)
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201641
REQUIREMENT & PROCESS
1.Complete the HIRARC Form (single form for each work
process)
2.Record the names & designation of HIRAC team
3.Outline the process workflow and indicate in the form
under ‘process/ location’ column
4.List all activities (routine and non-routine) for each work
process under the “Work Activity” column
5.Identify the hazards associated with each activity and
record in “Hazard” column
6.Determine the effect of each hazard identified and record
in “Effect” column
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201642
DOCUMENTING PROCESS (cont)
7.Record any existing hazard control measures
8.Determine likelihood (L) and severity (S) →assign rating
(existing control measures to be taken into consideration)
9.Assign one risk by using Risk Matrix and record under
“Risk”
10.Recommend appropriate risk control measures
11.Assign a suitable person to implement the risk control and
indicate follow up action date and status
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201643
DOCUMENTING PROCESS (cont)
12.Repeat the HIRARC for other activities and
process
13.Conduct another round of HIRARC after control
measures have been implemented
14.Review HIRARC for every three years or
whenever there are changes in process or
activities
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201644
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EXAMPLE: WOOD PANEL CUTTING PROCESS
◼A team of two workers operates a cross-cut saw
machine
◼Their work includes:
◼loading wood panel onto the machine
◼cutting the wood
◼unloading the cut wood
◼also need to repair and maintain the machine regularly
and change the blades of the machine
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CONCLUSION
❖Risk is combination of likelihood and severity of a
specified hazardous event occurring
❖Likelihood and severity is used to generate Risk
Matrix (for risk assessment)
❖Action to control the risk is prioritized according to
the level of risk (high, medium & low)
❖All HIRARC must be documented as required
Copyright@NIOSH Edition 201648