Performing a Risk Assessment
(the Preventive Management Tool)
By Ricky Smith CMRP and Keith Mobley
Source: “Rules of Thumb for Maintenance and Reliability Engineers”
As a former industrial mechanic, maintenance supervisor and maintenance manager you
should always make safety your primary concern in the workplace. No job should be
performed that would endanger your life or the lives of others. Always remember,
“Safety first, Safety always.”
Each year in the United States more people are injured or killed in accidents at home, at
work, school, at play, or while traveling than were injured or killed in either the Korean or
Vietnam wars.
Efforts to lessen or to eliminate the conditions that cause accidents are known as safety
measures. Safety is a growing concern around the world, and safety skills are being taken
more seriously today than ever before. People have come to realize that safety can be
learned. Safety experts agree that it is possible to predict and prevent the majority of
accidents.
Few accidents simply “happen.” Most accidents are caused by ignorance, carelessness,
neglect, or lack of skill.
Since the introduction of automatic devices to move and handle materials, the exposure
of workers to mechanical and handling hazards has been greatly reduced; however, the
basic principles of safeguarding continue to be of great importance. Injuries result when
loose clothing or hair is caught in rotating mechanisms; when fingers and hands are
crushed in rollers, meshing gear teeth, belts, and chain drives; and when moving parts
supply cutting, shearing, or crushing forces. Machine guards are designed to prevent such
injuries. They may be fixed guards or automatic interlocking guards that prevent the
operation of a machine unless a guard is in position at the danger point.
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Other types of guards prevent the operator from coming in contact with the dangerous
part through a barrier, through devices that push the hands away, or through the use of
sensor devices that stop the machine when hands are put into the danger zone. Making
sure that the machinery, tools, and furniture associated with a job fit the workers who do
that job is known as ergonomics, or human engineering. A properly designed workplace
can reduce worker fatigue and increase safety on the job.
Although many aspects of materials handling have been taken over by machine, a great
deal of manual lifting and carrying must still be done in industry. In such cases, it is
important to avoid unsafe work practices, such as improper lifting, carrying too heavy a
load, or incorrect gripping. Workers must take responsibility for their own safety.
The Risk: Performing a Risk Assessment (the Preventive Management Tool)
The identification and the analysis of risk, and making rational decisions based on the
known risk, are the best preventive management tools a maintenance workforce can use.
The risk assessment will allow a company to maximize its safety program and thus reduce
accidents. The risk assessment process should be formalized to reduce accidents that
could cause injuries, death, machine damage, and longer equipment stoppage.
One must learn in maintenance that one must always reduce risk. In any task there are
risk and thus the reduction or elimination of risk will make all tasks more successful and
safer.
To perform a risk assessment, one must know the risk and then identify countermeasures
to reduce or eliminate risk. Once one has reduced or eliminated the risk, a maintenance
person can then perform the task with known acceptable risk. The Risk Assessment
Worksheet shown below will assist in the explanation of this process.
Risk Assessment Worksheet
The Risk Assessment Worksheet should be used for all maintenance tasks. What is known
in maintenance is that a maintenance organization, in order to be successful, must have
defined processes, and thus this worksheet is one of the important processes one must
utilize in order to be successful. What makes this process so important is that lives are at
risk if we do not follow it.
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Note: The score noted on the far right has three numbers to score each risk after
countermeasures are in place. Once the assessment is completed the scores are then
added and matched to the Task Risk Scale at the bottom of the chart.
WARNING: Sample Only—Table 4.1: This table is designed to provide a maintenance
person with the understanding of the risk assessment process and should not be used
for any determination of risk or safety criteria.
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Risk = High/Danger
Note: Task risk scale: The score for a risk is only determined once the countermeasures
are followed; 1 = no risk; 2 = moderate risk; 3 = high risk (other countermeasures must
be found). ANY 3 must be addressed immediately before the rigging and hoisting can
begin.
Total task risk: add all scores from each risk and match to the final score scale.
Final score scale = minimal risk: 4–5; moderate risk (review with higher management
before task begins): 6–7; high risk/danger (task will not begin until reduction of risk to
level acceptable by management): 8 and above.
Risk Assessment Conclusion
As one can establish from the chart above, if one can identify the known risk in a specific
task then an organization can reduce or eliminate accidents. One can use the risk
assessment process for not only large, complex tasks, but for all tasks. A simple laminated
risk assessment card can be use by maintenance supervisors and maintenance personnel
for emergency and just-in-time tasks. A maintenance planner should use the risk
assessment process for all jobs planned. A copy of the Risk Assessment Worksheet should
be a part of the job plan package given to maintenance technicians.
Lockout/Tagout/Tryout
All machinery or equipment capable of movement must be de-energized or disengaged
and blocked or locked out during cleaning, servicing, adjusting, or setting up operations,
whenever required. The locking out of the control circuits in lieu of locking out main
power disconnects is prohibited.
All equipment control valve handles must be provided with a means for locking out. The
lockout procedure requires that stored energy (i.e., mechanical, hydraulic, air) be
released or blocked before equipment is locked out for repairs.
Appropriate employees are provided with individually keyed personal safety locks.
Employees are required to keep personal control of their key(s) while they have safety
locks in use. Employees must check the safety of the lockout by attempting a startup
after making sure no one is exposed. Where the power disconnect does not also
disconnect the electrical control circuit, the appropriate electrical enclosures must be
identified. The control circuit can also be disconnected and locked out.
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Manual Lifting Rules
Manual lifting and handling of material must be done by methods that ensure the safety
of both the employee and the material. It is important that employees whose work
assignments require heavy lifting be trained and physically qualified by medical
examination if necessary.
The following are rules for manual lifting: Inspect for sharp edges, slivers, and wet or
greasy spots. Wear gloves when lifting or handling objects with sharp or splintered edges.
These gloves must be free of oil, grease, or other agents that may cause a poor grip.
Inspect the route over which the load is to be carried. It should be free of obstructions or
spillage that could cause tripping or slipping. Consider the distance the load is to be
carried. Recognize the fact that your gripping power may weaken over long distances.
Size up the load and make a preliminary “lift” to be sure the load is easily within your
lifting capacity. If not, get help. If team lifting is required, personnel should be similar in
size and physique. One person should act as leader and give the commands to lift, lower,
etc. Two persons carrying a long piece of pipe or lumber should carry it on the same
shoulder and walk in step.
Shoulder pads may be used to prevent cutting shoulders and help reduce fatigue. To lift
an object off the ground, the following are manual lifting steps: Make sure of good
footing and set your feet about 10 to 15 inches apart. It may help to set one foot forward.
Assume a knee-bend or squatting position, keeping your back straight and upright. Get a
firm grip and lift the object by straightening your knees—not your back. Carry the load
close to your body (not on extended arms). To turn or change your position, shift your
feet—don’t twist your back. The steps for setting an object on the ground are the same
as above but reversed.
Power-Actuated Tools
Employees using power-actuated tools must be properly trained. All power actuated
tools must be left disconnected until they are “ready to be used”. Each day before using,
each power-actuated tool must be inspected for obstructions or defects.
The power-actuated tool operators must have and use appropriate personal protective
equipment such as hard hats, safety goggles, safety shoes, and ear protectors whenever
they are using the equipment.
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Machine Guarding
Before operating any machine, the employee should have completed a training program
on safe methods of operation. All machinery and equipment must be kept clean and
properly maintained.
There must be sufficient clearance provided around and between machines to allow for
safe operations, setup, servicing, material handling, and waste removal. All equipment
and machinery should be securely placed, and anchored, when necessary, to prevent
tipping or other movement that could result in damage or personal injury.
Most machinery should be bolted to the floor to prevent falling during an earthquake.
Also, the electrical cord should be fixed to a breaker or other shutoff device to stop
power in case of machine movement. There should be a power shutoff switch within
reach of the operator’s position.
Electrical power to each machine must be capable of being locked out for maintenance,
repair, or security. The noncurrent-carrying metal parts of electrically operated machines
must be bonded and grounded. Foot-operated switches should be guarded and/or
arranged to prevent accidental actuation by personnel or falling objects.
All manually operated valves and switches controlling the operation of equipment and
machines must be clearly identified and readily accessible. All EMERGENCY stop buttons
should be colored RED. All the sheaves and belts that are within 7 feet of the floor or
working level should be properly guarded.
All moving chains and gears must be properly guarded. All splash guards mounted on
machines that use coolant must be positioned to prevent coolant from splashing the
employees. The machinery guards must be secure and arranged so they do not present a
hazard. All special hand tools used for placing and removing material must protect the
operator’s hands.
All revolving drums, barrels, and containers should be guarded by an enclosure that is
interlocked with the drive mechanisms, so that revolution cannot occur unless the guard
enclosure is in place. All arbors and mandrels must have firm and secure bearings and be
free of play. A protective mechanism should be installed to prevent machines from
automatically starting when power is restored after a power failure or shutdown.
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Machines should be constructed to be free from excessive vibration when under full load
or mounted and running at full speed. If the machinery is cleaned with compressed air,
the air must be pressure controlled, and personal protective equipment or other
safeguards must be used to protect operators and other workers from eye and bodily
injury.
All fan blades should be protected by a guard having openings no larger than 1/2 inch
when operating within 7 feet of the floor. Saws used for ripping equipment must be
installed with antikickback devices and spreaders. All radial arm saws must be arranged
so that the cutting head will gently return to the back of the table when released.
Remember this…
