Chapter 4.1.3

NATIONAL MINERALS INDUSTRY SAFETY AND HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT GUIDELINE (NMISHRAG)

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CHAPTER 4

4.1.3

Identifying and understanding the potential hazards

Risk Identification is “ the process of determining what can happen, why and how” (AS/NZS 4360: 1999). To identify risks we must understand the hazards.

The quality of a risk assessment greatly depends on the recognition that:

Firstly- Identify and understand the hazards

Secondly- Identify the unwanted events and assess the specific risks

THIS IS A KEY ISSUE.

If the existence, nature or potential consequences of a hazard are not reasonably certain, the risk assessment should not proceed. THIS IS A KEY ISSUE.

To identify and understand the hazards consider:

Hazard identification

Identifying the existence and location of a potential source of harm or threat to the system objectives

Hazard assessment

Determination of the magnitude / amount / size of the hazard and thereby its potential consequences, as well as identification of any uncertainties about the nature of the hazard (i.e. lack of certainty about its nature, size, consequences, etc.)

The risk assessment exercise will identify specific potential unwanted events or circumstances but, especially in complex or major assessments, it is helpful to define the types of hazards that will be considered during the Scoping process.

For example, before starting a risk assessment exercise involving chemicals, it may be desirable to establish the specific type or name of the chemical, the amounts of chemical to be considered (the magnitude of the hazard) and the general consequences of a problem with the chemical. Of course some of this information is available on the relevant MSDS. Similarly, "natural" hazards such as ground, gas in the workings, propensity to spontaneous combustion, inrush exposure, rainfall and others may need to be clarified before the risk assessment to ensure uncertainties are clarified.

A useful concept for helping to identify hazards in any system is to consider what energies are part of the system being considered. Energies exist in the Minerals industry because they are inherent in the conditions that exist and because they are brought into the workplace. All energy that has the potential to do harm is, by definition, a hazard. However work is done by controlling energies and it is lack of or insufficient control of energy that leads to some level of risk depending on the likelihood of release and the consequences. Energy sources are limited and the following covers virtually all:

Gravity: is a naturally occurring energy which causes things or people to fall or move downhill. Includes roof/rib-back/sides, high/low wall, elevated equipment, and people working at heights.

Electrical: includes all types and voltages of electricity from HV to batteries to induction, static.

Mechanical: includes mobile equipment as well as moving parts on stationary equipment

Chemical: energy in the form of gases, liquids, solids of which some are natural eg water, methane, coal whilst others are introduced eg acetylene, solvents, explosives, cyanide.

Pressure: air, water, pneumatics, springs, gases are all possible stores of pressure energy-including accumulators

Noise: is also a pressure energy but as the most significant compensated health issue is considered separately

Thermal: Energy that comes from hot or cold surfaces

Radiation: in the form of sun light or nuclear/isotope radiation

Body Mechanics: includes the human bodies own energy to move which includes lifting, pushing, pulling, climbing, positioning

Biological: covers the many sources of energy in other forms of life from wildlife to small viruses or bacteria

The listing is a prompt when working through identifying hazards for assessment, it provides an alternative frame of reference and increases the probability that hazards will not be overlooked.. The exact type of energy is not critical but recognition is, along with what it can do and the magnitude.
There is a set of Strategies for prevention and management of unwanted energy exchanges.

These were published by Haddon¹ . They are given with brief examples below:

¹Haddon, W (1970) “On the Escape of Tigers – an Ecologic Note”, Technology Review, vol 72 No 7, MIT, Mass

LESSONS LEARNED 4.4

It may be helpful to create a Hazard Inventory Table for a complex or major risk assessment. In the Scoping stage, identify and note the hazard type, hazard locations and magnitude/amount of the hazard with or through discussion with the risk assessment client. Discussion and resolution of these areas will help establish the degree of uncertainty.

The development of a Hazard Inventory Table before the risk assessment exercise will help to ensure that the hazards are known and understood, not left to team assumptions. The table will also assist the future review of risk assessment reports by providing a clear image of the assumptions made about key hazards.

LESSONS LEARNED 4.5

Example:

Table 4.8 Example Hazards Inventory Table for a Highwall Mining System (partial list)

As the table illustrates, the value of defining the hazard information is clarification before the risk assessment exercise. Clarification whether there is uncertainty such as that indicated in the CHEMICAL examples above. This approach helps the team more accurately and consistently consider the unwanted events (specific risks) and potential consequences.

Include this information in the report to communicate the assumptions that were made about the hazards.

Depending on the system being assessed, other sources of Hazard may need to be considered. The following are some sources of hazard:

Ground control	Remote controls	Commodity Classification
Airgap in block cave	Hydrology	Rock hang up in stopes
Ventilation	Crown pillar degradation	Equipment Operation
Commodity price	Inundation	Exchange rate
Rock falls	Inflation	Environment
Gas outbursts	Growth forecasts	Vehicle interactions
Cost/Capital deficit	Shaft Sinking	Shaft Winding
Cost overrun	Completion date exceeded	Slope stability
Tailing Dam	Operating Cost estimates	Commissioning
Airborne Dust	Mine throughput	Diesel Particulates
Quality of product	Rock bursts	Market value of product
Seismic Activity	Soil/rock mass character	Fires/explosions
Explosives	Infrastructure location	Sodium Cyanide
Equipment Selection	Dangerous openings	Rock fragmentation
Temperature	Rock comminution	M/c people interaction
Mining method	Biological	Radiation
Biomechanical

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For more information about the risk assessment guidelines (NMISHRAG) please contact the author:

Prof Jim Joy
Director, Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre (MISHC)
Phone: 3365 8334
E-mail: j.joy@mishc.uq.edu.au

Chapter 4.1.3 is part of
National Minerals Industry Risk Assessment Guideline (NMISHRAG)

| LESSONS LEARNED| CASE STUDIES| USEFUL LINKS|

This document was last reviewed on 14/1/2005

Minerals Industry Safety & Health Centre (MISHC)
The University of Queensland
Brisbane, Queensland 4072 Australia
E-mail: mishc@mishc.uq.edu.au Phone:(61) 7 3365 9787
Created by: Dr Guldidar V Kizil E-mail: g.kizil@mishc.uq.edu.au
Authorised by: Prof Jim Joy
Last Modified:14/1/2005
@Minerals Industry Safety & Health Centre (MISHC)

Provides examples or illustrations of problems that can arise throughout the risk assessment process. They are mostly examples of past issues in the minerals industry.

Lessons Learned
Case Studies
Useful Links