Risk Assessment

Safety should be the first priority as every workplace must face the reality of risks and hazards.


Workplace hazards exist everywhere during our day-to-day job activities. Have you ever stopped and had a look around you to see if you can recognize some of these hazards? You should - it's a part of your job - and it is definitely a part of every employer's requirement and commitment to health and safety under the Occupational health and Safety Act in Ontario. 

Hazards may exist in the form of:

Biological - bacteria, viruses, insects, plants, birds, animals, and humans, etc., 
Chemical - depends on the physical, chemical and toxic properties of the chemical, 
Ergonomic - repetitive movements, improper set up of workstation, etc.,
Physical - radiation, magnetic fields, pressure extremes (high pressure or vacuum), noise, etc., 
Psychosocial - stress, violence, etc., 
Safety - slipping/tripping hazards, inappropriate machine guarding, equipment malfunctions or breakdowns.

It is not possible to control or manage 100% of risk, but knowing what to do before, during, and after an event will mitigate the damage and harm.

Hazards must be systematically identified, reviewed and controlled to ensure those things, activities, situations, processes, etc. that cause harm to people or property are greatly reduced or eliminated. This system is known as Risk Assessment and Management.

Risk assessment is the process where you:

Identify hazards and risk factors that have the potential to cause harm (hazard identification).
Analyze and evaluate the risk associated with that hazard (risk analysis, and risk evaluation). And finally, determine appropriate ways to eliminate the hazard, or control the risk when the hazard cannot be eliminated (risk control).

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

describe the responsibilities of employers concerning workplace hazards and risk mitigation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and Regulations in Ontario
identify workplace hazards and risk factors
perform risk analysis based on identified hazards
perform risk evaluation based on identified hazards
determine appropriate ways to manage risks
follow fundamentals of accident investigations
outline incident recovery plans

This course is highly participative with various group activities and discussions as we advance through the subjects. Individuals can bring their own copy of the OHSA, or one can be provided on loan for the day.

Duration: 1 day, 8 hrs

Participants: supervisors, superintendents, managers, employers. Also suitable for safety representatives and safety supervisors and/or co-ordinators.

Location: courses can be scheduled privately at a firm's location or publicly at Northern College campuses (pending public interest). Contact us for more information.