Work Hazards -vs- Risks, What’s the Difference?

Most often used interchangeably, what really makes the difference when it comes to planning for hazards and risks. Are they really that much different? And if so, what should be the approach for protecting your workforce against them both.

The truth is hazards and risks are two different aspects of the workplace that work in concert to produce a harmful injury. The difference between the two lies at the root of their meanings. A hazard is the situation in the workplace that has the potential to harm the health and safety of a worker or damage equipment, such as a chemical ,an unguarded blade, or flying debris. Where as a risk is the chance or probability that a person will be harmed if exposed to a hazard.

There are many different types of hazards such as:

• Biological – bacteria, viruses, insects, plants, birds, animals, and humans, etc.,
• Chemical – depends on the physical, chemical and toxic properties of the chemical.
• Ergonomic – repetitive movements, improper set up of workstation, etc.,
• Physical – radiation, magnetic fields, pressure extremes (high pressure or vacuum), noise, etc,
• Psychosocial – stress, violence, etc.,
• Safety – slipping/tripping hazards, inappropriate machine guarding, equipment malfunctions or breakdowns

It is suggested you perform a risk assessment when trying to measure out the risk or likelihood of those hazards becoming real problems. What is a risk assessment? A Risk assessment is the process where you:

• Identify hazards around your workplace that pose threats to your environment and facility
• Analyze and evaluate the risk associated with each individual hazard
• Determine appropriate ways to eliminate or control each hazard based on the needs of your facility and the hierarchy of controls most available to your work environment.

When discovering and implementing change throughout your workplace, be sure to include your employees, they may be able to provide additional insight on procedures unknown to your safety manager. Their input is important and will help in creating a safer workplace.