Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
andAvoidance
hAzArd IdentIFIcAtIon
Potential. safety.hazards. come. from. a.large.number. of. sources..Each. poses. it.own.
unique.danger.and.also.varies.greatly.in.the.degree.of.risk.that.it.poses.as.well.as.
the. type. of. energy. that. it. can. release. when. not. prevented. or. controlled.. Table 4.1.
provides.a.list.of.a.wide.range.of.equipment,.tools,.sources,.etc..that.can.cause.safety.
hazards.to.exist.
emPhAsIs on hAzArds
The.emphasis.in.this.chapter.is.on.safety.hazards..Hazards.are.deined.as.a.source.
of.danger.that.could.result.in.a.chance.event.such.as.an.accident..A.danger.itself.is.a.
potential.exposure.or.a.liability.to.injury,.pain,.or.loss..Not.all.hazards.and.dangers.
are.the.same..Exposure.to.hazards.may.be.dangerous.but.this.depends.on.the.amount.
of.risk.that.accompanies.it..The.risk.of.water.contained.by.a.dam.is.different.from.
being.caught.in.a.small.boat.in.rapidly.lowing.water..Risk.is.the.possibility.of.loss.or.
injury.or.the.degree.of.the.possibility.of.such.loss..Accidents.do.not.occur.if.a.hazard.
does.not.exist.that.presents.a.danger.to.those.working.around.it..If.the.potential.expo-
sure.is.high,.there.is.a.greater.risk.that.an.undesired.event.will.occur..An.accident.
is.an.unplanned.or.undesirable.event.whose.outcome.is.normally.a.trauma..Trauma.
is. the. injury. to. living. tissue. caused. by. some. outside. or. extrinsic. agent.. Trauma. is.
caused.by.an.agent,.force,.or.mechanism.impinging.on.the.human.body.
The.emphasis.area.regarding.safety.hazards.will.be.to.identify.the.hazard.and.its.
danger,.and.to.suggest.ways.to.remove,.intervene,.or.mitigate.its.risk.for.the.purpose.
of.preventing.accidents.that.result.from.the.errant.uncontrolled.release.of.energy.that.
normally.results.in.trauma.to.those.who.have.the.exposure.to.that.hazard.
AccIdent cAuses
Experts.who.study.accidents.often.do.a.“breakdown”.or.analysis.of.the.causes..They.
analyze.them.at.three.different.levels:
.
1.. Direct.causes.(unplanned.release.of.energy.and/or.hazardous.material)
.
2.. Indirect.causes.(unsafe.acts.and.unsafe.conditions)
.
3.. Basic.causes.(management.safety.policies.and.decisions,.and.personal.factors)
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