Hazard Identification Principles

Identification and recording of hazards is an important step in the risk management process and is a precursor to effective risk assessmentLink opens in a new window.

A hazard is something with the ‘potential to cause harm’, but not all hazards present a risk to individuals, especially if they are adequately controlled: something can be a hazard whilst at the same time presenting a negligible level of risk.

Without identifying all hazards, and subsequently assessing whether they present a risk or not, individuals with responsibility for the health and safety of others cannot discharge their duty of care easily.

Hazard checklists can be a useful tool for such individuals, which is why the University has developed a hazard identification tool, or Hazard Grid, which allows users to identify the hazards which are present within their own areas.

The Hazard Grid (for those working in Science and Medical Faculties)

This hazard identification tool consists of a user-friendly Hazard Grid, containing approximately 40 typical hazards across four different hazard categories (biological, chemical, radiation and lasers, and physical), allowing users to select, at the click of a button, whether they have low, medium or high-level hazards within their workspace. The Hazard Grid can be used as a stand-alone prompt list but is also the basis of the information captured in the QuEMIS Hazard Identification Module.

Risk Assessment Training

A risk assessment training packageLink opens in a new window, which explains the use of the Hazard Grid as part of the QuEMIS Hazards Module is also available.

Hazard Aide MemoireLink opens in a new window - this document can be useful to identify all hazards related to an activity. You simply then transfer only those that are considered 'significant' hazards onto a full risk assessment template.