The HIRA Process
Introduction
Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) is not a Quantitative Risk Assessment technique in that it utilises qualitative risk assessment methodologies.
Qualitative methods of assessing risks do not try to establish numbers and “right or wrong” tolerability of risk like Quantitative Risk Assessments. Qualitative risk assessment attempts to establish levels of risk only in relative relations to other risks on the same site.
When we look at the scale of acceptance, we find HIRA is a risk aversion technique.
The fact of the matter is qualitative tools/methods is utilised for the ranking of risks and can only be used to establish a relative level of risks. In other words, the ranking of the risks from a high rank to a low rank.
Tolerability of risks is usually established by logic rather than an external definition. For example, a high-risk event is not tolerable while a low-risk event is favourably tolerable in the estimation of the team conducting the risk assessment.
HIRA PROCESS
HIRA is a specific qualitative risk assessment method designed to be applied when an organization wants to understand its risks and clearly identify the priority of risks that needs to be focus on for mitigation first. It is a method particularly suited to operator-critical and people-intensive workplaces because it reviews operator actions, while the other methods are more process and equipment orientated.
As such, HIRA is a modern problem-solving management tool for improving the quality of the work process and its products.
In the figure above the characteristics of the HIRA process is defined as less detailed, certain, and cheaper during the hazard identification process and getting progressively more detailed, certain, and costly as one moves towards identifying suitable and sufficient controls. The graphic further indicated that the outputs of every stage should the analysed and be interpreted before moving on to the next stage of the process. The final result of the HIRA is suitable and sufficient to help any organization identify the required risk controls for a specific task or job.
HIRA involves the following steps to reducing losses at a work site:
STEP 1: Identification of the risks at the work site.
STEP 2: Assessment of workplace risks in terms of the likelihood of an unwanted event (an incident or accident), the consequences and the exposure if that event occurs.
STEP 3: Identification of controls for reducing all risks assessed as significant risks, working from highest to lower priority risks (i.e. institute critical controls before introducing less critical controls).
STEP 4: Implementation of the priority risk controls identified; and
STEP 5: Monitoring of compliance to risk assessment outcomes, by ensuring that identified controls are in place and effective.
STEP 6: Periodic review of the risk assessment outcomes to confirm that suitable controls have been selected and then being sensitive to any change changes that may have occurred since the previous assessment.
HIRA FEATURES
HIRA has several unique features that assist with the effective implementation of the above six step method in the workplace. These features include the following: -
The flexibility to examine any work location, operation, specific problem, etc.
The ability to consider risks, i.e. potential loss areas for a business, including health and safety, assets, production, the environment, public liability, and product liability.
The involvement of a vertical slice of the workforce, which offers valuable input, thereby ensuring that new and unique skills improve the outcomes.
A systematic process which is thorough and complete by recording everything and thus providing documentations for the repeatability of the assessment.
By utilizing a standardised method, the learning curve is steep, thus quickly improving inter and intra team efficiency.
Defining the context of the hazards and risks it is ensured that fit for the purpose of controls which are being identified.
Conclusion
To be successful, it is critical to recognize that the use of a proactive team-based risk assessment exercises allows for other views of a how a task / activity is done and results in more buy in from the supervisors of the work and their work teams.
It will be necessary to follow the specific steps discussed above to ensure that the outcomes of the HIRA exercise are effective in the identification of risks that results in the successful mitigation of risks in the workplace.
Presented by Dr. Carl Marx and Roger Belair.
