Risk assessment

Risk assessment

Table of Contents

Purpose

The purpose of the "Guideline for risk management and risk assessment for HSE" is to help prevent unwanted incidents or deficiencies in the working environment at NTNU, which may have consequences for students, employees and/or guests.

Scope and anchoring

HSE risk management and risk assessment must be an integrated part of the business, at all levels. NTNU must have an approach to HSE and the working environment based on risk assessment.

The guideline is subordinate to the HSE policy, and applies to all units at NTNU. The guideline is anchored in the Regulations on systematic health, environmental and safety work in enterprises (Internal Control Regulations) § 5. second paragraph point 6.

Responsibility

Line manager

has within his unit responsibility for:

  • that the guideline is followed.
  • the overall risk management.
  • to be familiar with important risk conditions and to prepare acceptance criteria for any residual risk. On the basis of risk assessments, the line manager must ensure that action plans are drawn up at unit level and that measures are implemented to minimize risk.
  • that risk assessment is carried out in other parts of the unit and that action plans are drawn up on the basis of risk assessment.
  • to ensure that measures are followed up and, if necessary, evaluated.

 Supervisors

are responsible for:

  • reviewing the risk assessment of project work, tasks, etc. together with staff and students for whom they are responsible.

Employees, students, guests and others

are responsible for:

  • to carry out an assessment/risk assessment of own tasks/processes/activities. If the result shows that the unit's acceptance criteria for residual risk are exceeded, and measures to reduce the risk level cannot be implemented, the line manager must be involved.

Risk assessment can be done in different ways, depending on what is appropriate when it comes to what is to be assessed. NTNU has established a digital form for risk assessment in EQS. See also Procedure for carrying out HMS risk assessment .

Definitions

Acceptable risk: a risk that is accepted in a given context based on current values in the business and in society. Criteria for acceptable risk can be based on official requirements, standards, experiences, theoretical knowledge and norms.

EQS: NTNU's digital tool for e.g. HSE risk assessment. See ntnu.extend.no.

Action plan: Overview of measures to be implemented to reduce risk, who will carry out the measures and when they will be implemented.

Mapping: A process where you get an overview of activities in the business/in a premises/in a process that must be assessed in more detail with regard to the risk of unwanted events.

Consequence: Possible consequence of an unwanted event.

Residual risk: The risk that remains when we cannot implement or are willing to prioritize further risk-reducing measures. A residual risk will always exist. Work procedures describe how residual risks are to be handled.

Risk: An expression of the combination (product) of the probability of and the consequence of an unwanted event.

Risk analysis: A systematic procedure for describing and/or calculating risk, e.g. using probability and consequence. Risk analysis can be carried out with varying degrees of detail and complexity depending on the purpose of the analysis, the availability and reliability of the information and available resources. Analysis methods can be qualitative, quantitative or a combination of these, depending on the circumstances and intended use.

Risk evaluation: Process for comparing described or calculated risk with given criteria for acceptable risk.

Risk management: The strategic process that involves uncovering and managing risk. This includes taking measures that bring risk into line with risk tolerance. When working with risk management, one must balance the desire to create value with the desire to avoid damage and loss. Risk management is part of internal control.

Risk assessment: Risk assessment is the overall process of risk identification (identifying unwanted events), risk analysis (assessing probability and consequence) and risk evaluation (assessing the need for measures ).

Risk assessment should be carried out systematically, repeatedly and through collaboration, where the knowledge and views of the stakeholders are taken advantage of. During the risk assessment, the best available information should be used, supplemented by further investigations if necessary.

Probability: Indicates the extent to which it is likely that an event will occur.

Safe job analysis: A short, systematic review and assessment of hazards ahead of an activity where unwanted incidents may occur. The purpose is to assess whether safety is adequately safeguarded through risk assessments that have already been carried out and current work procedures, or whether there is a need to implement further measures that can remove or control the dangers.

Unwanted event: Event that may result in a loss of value; human (life and health), material, external environment and reputation.

Cause: Action or condition that can lead to an unwanted event.

Risk matrix and acceptance criteria - EQS

HSE risk matrix:

Acceptance criteria:

RED Unacceptable risk. Measures must be implemented to reduce the risk.

YELLOW Risk must be assessed. Measures must be assessed.

GREEN Acceptable risk. Measures can be considered.

Probability categories

Improbable: ≤ 1 time per 10th year

Remote: ≤ 1 time per year

Possible: ≤ 1 time per month.

Occasional: Weekly

Fairly normal: Daily

Consequence categories

Human

  • No/minor danger: No injury or insignificant physical or psychological injury/disease. Does not require psychosocial follow-up and/or medical treatment.
  • Some danger: Minor to moderate physical or psychological injury/disease. May require psychosocial follow-up and/or medical treatment.
  • Dangerous: Serious physical or psychological injury/disease. Requires psychosocial follow-up and/or medical treatment.
  • Critical: 1-5 persons with serious physical or psychological injury/disease, disability, or death. Requires psychosocial follow-up and/or medical treatment.
  • Catastrophic: More than 5 persons critically injured, ill or dead. Requires psychosocial follow-up and/or medical treatment.

Economic/material

  • No/minor danger: Minor financial loss that can be recovered.
  • Some danger: Financial loss that can be recovered.
  • Dangerous: Significant financial loss that can be recovered.
  • Critical: Significant financial loss that are difficult to recover.
  • Catastrophic: Significant financial loss that cannot be recovered.

External environment

  • No/slight hazard: No or negligible damage
  • Some danger: Moderate damage. Short recovery time
  • Dangerous: Extensive damage. Moderate recovery time
  • Critical: Very extensive damage. Long recovery time
  • Catastrophic: Irreversible damage or very long recovery time

Reputation

  • No/minor danger: Some negative feedback. No loss of reputation.
  • Some danger: Loss of credibility/reputation. Loss of local reputation.
  • Dangerous: Serious loss of credibility/reputation. Loss of local reputation.
  • Critical: Irreparable loss of credibility/reputation. Loss of national reputation.
  • Catastrophic: Irreparable loss of credibility/reputation. Loss of international reputation.

Implementation of risk assessment

What should be risk assessed within health, environment and safety (HSE )?

Anything that can cause damage to people, material/equipment or the external environment must be risk assessed . Remember that risk is not just about physical, immediate dangers. The most frequent reasons for absence from working life are ergonomic and psychosocial conditions such as musculoskeletal disorders, stress and conflicts. Risk assessment must therefore also include such conditions.

What should risk assessment give answers to?

  • What can go wrong (unwanted event )?
  • How likely is it to go wrong?
  • What are the consequences if it goes wrong?
  • Which measures have been implemented? Do new measures need to be implemented?
  • Who will implement the measures, when and how?

When will risk assessment be carried out?

Work tasks and work processes must be risk assessed :

  • before a new work task or work process is started
  • if the work task or the work process changes so that the risk is significantly changed
  • if the unit is to purchase new equipment that could cause damage to people, material/equipment or the external environment
  • regularly, for example every two years

Areas which can be included in a risk assessment

NOTE: The list of areas that can be included in a risk assessment is not exhaustive. The unit itself must examine which regulations apply when new activities are to be initiated.

Work at heights

  • Is there a risk of falling from the roof, stairs, scaffolding, masts or other things?
  • Can objects fall and hit someone?

Tools for risk assessment of work at height:

Fire and electrical safety

  • Is the electrical system in order? Bad wiring?
  • Are there sufficient escape routes? Are the escape routes open?
  • Will substances be worked with or stored that represent a particular risk of fire or explosion?
  • Are there pressure systems, for example steam boilers, compressed air cylinders and the like?
  • Is there a risk of dust explosions?

Tools for risk assessment of fire and electrical safety:

Ergonomics

  • Is there a risk of acute back injuries?
  • Is there a risk of wear and tear injuries, stress headaches, tendinitis or the like?
  • Is there a risk of vibration damage from tools?
  • Is the noise level high?
  • Is there sufficient light for various work operations? (Remember that the need for light increases with age)
  • Does it work under particularly low or high temperatures?

Work position, workload and duration of work are particularly important to consider. Decide whether acute health effects or long-term effects are to be risk assessed . Consider ergonomic conditions related to new work equipment before the equipment is purchased .

Tools for risk assessment ergonomics:

Chemicals

Work processes where chemicals are used must be risk assessed:

  • Is there a risk of chemical splashes?
  • Is there a risk of damage to the skin; eczema, etching or the like?
  • Are any of the substances allergenic? Carcinogenic? Harmful to reproduction?
  • Do you work with solvents?

Tools for risk assessing work with chemicals:

Biological factors

The employer must assess the risk of the employee being exposed to biological factors. Both the risk of infection and other health hazards must be assessed.

Danger of reproductive damage

The employer must assess whether influences in the working environment can cause a risk of reproductive harm in the employees. Both chemical, physical, biological, psychosocial and organizational conditions in the working environment are covered by the external conditions that can cause, or contribute to, reproduction damage. See regulations on the execution of work § 7-1 with comment [In Norwegian], here is an overview of risk conditions that should be considered especially for employees who are pregnant, have recently given birth or are breastfeeding.

Noise and vibrations

The employer must assess any risk to the employees' health and safety associated with exposure to noise and mechanical vibrations.

Regulations on implementation of work § 14-1 - Risk assessment of health hazards from noise and mechanical vibrations [In Norwegian]

Radiation sources

Risk assessment of radiation sources must be carried out by professionally responsible persons, see Radiation protection - responsibilities and duties

Tools for risk assessing work with radiation sources:

Machines

  • Is there a risk of cuts or crushing injuries?
  • Is there a risk of overturning or going downhill?
  • Is there a risk of collisions from machines, trucks or other things?

Tools for risk assessment when working with machines:

Psychosocial work environment

  • Is workload, deadlines, working hours more reasonable?
  • Do conflicts, bullying or the like occur, and are there routines for dealing with this?
  • Can the employee influence his own work situation in terms of responsibility, work pace, participation?
  • Is there a risk of being attacked or threatened?
  • Does anyone work alone, perhaps with responsibility for money or other valuables?
  • Does work take place outside normal working hours?

Information sources

The following can be good sources of information for the risk assessment:

  • HSE deviation
  • HMS rounds
  • Occupational health surveys - Have common features been identified in the results?
  • Sickness notification statistics - What are the most frequent reasons for sickness absence?
  • Working environment survey - What findings have been made at the unit?
  • Safety data sheet/chemical and gas inventory - What health effects does the substance have? How large quantities are used? Are fume hoods/personal protective equipment used?
  • Occupational hygiene reports - How big is the exposure? What health effects can the exposure have?
  • User guide for equipment - Can the use of equipment lead to health and/or environmentally harmful effects?

Related documents

Related Tools

Legislation [In Norwegian]

About the guidelines

Type of document: Guideline

Managed by: HSE Section

Approved by: HSE manager 4 March 2024

Last Revised 04.03.2024

Contact

 

Language Selector

Norwegian Bokmål

Knapp - Risikovurdering (HMS)

Risk assessment:

Registrer risiko (form in Norwegian)

Kontakt kort versjon

Contact

The occupational health service (OHS)
Section for HSE and emergency preparedness

Related documents

Management regulations
Delegation regulations