Eliminate the hazards and pitfalls of construction

Hazard Elimination - RAG lists

Are a helpful management tool that use a traffic light system of Red, Amber and Green to categorise items based on risk or status. In design they guide designers on what to eliminate (Red), reduce (Amber) or encourage (Green).

  • Red items include hazardous procedures, products and processes that must, so far as possible, be eliminated from the design
  • Amber items include products, processes and procedures that you should aim to eliminate or at least reduce, so far as possible, and only to remain if it is unavoidable

Provide relevant information on the residual risks

  • Green items are ones that provide a safe solution, such as suitable or appropriate edge protection, windows for which there is a safe cleaning method or light fittings where the lamp or bulb can be replaced safely
Significant hazards

 
  • Are not necessarily the ones that present the most risk
  • It is equally important to identify the ones that are not obvious, that are unusual, or that will be difficult to manage
  • For effective design management you need to understand the difference between a hazard and a risk
  • A hazard is an object, substance, situation or activity that has the potential to cause someone harm
  • A risk is the likelihood - that is, probability or frequency that a hazard will actually cause someone harm, together with a measure of its effect
Hierarchy of controls

 
  1. Eliminate
  2. Substitution
  3. Engineering controls
  4. Administrative controls
  5. Personal protective equipment
  • Physically remove the hazard
  • Replace the hazard
  • Isolate people from the hazard
  • Change the way people work
  • Protect the worker with personal protective equipment
Posted in Health & Safety.