1.

a The important thing is that these hazards are identified and mitigated, in order to
minimize the probability of an accident or injury occurring. Hazard identification is a process
used to assess the potential of a certain environment or activity to inflict harm on an
individual
Step-by-Step explanation
Hazard identifications should be carried out regularly, especially during the performance of
new processes. 
b. The identification of threats that potentially have a negative influence on a firm's capacity
to perform business is known as risk assessment.According to the Health and Safety
Executive, risk should be assessed whenever new machines, substances or procedures are
introduced that may introduce new dangers. When a new position introduces major new
hazards, an employer should do a risk assessment. The following five steps to risk
assessment can be followed to guarantee that your risk assessment is completed correctly:
Assess the hazards and make a decision on control strategies. Make a note of your
observations and put them into practice. Examine your assessment and make any
necessary changes.
d) Purpose of WHS committees - The purpose of WHS are developing health and safety
as well as improving the safety of the worker and cooperation between workers and
employer. WHS Committee helps in developing and carrying out strategies to improve the
health and safety of workers. It assists in maintaining and improving health and safety
standards, rules, procedures and creates the standard of best working practices. WHS
Committee also facilitates meaningful conversations on workplace safety guidelines in such
a way that each worker's concern is accounted for and every concern is adequately
represented. The WHS Committee  addresses workers' complaints on existing WHS
systems and presents such feedback to higher management for reform and further
assessments.
 
Importance of WHS committees- The importance of WHS is to manage health and safety
risk including finding solution regarding health and safety concerns and work together.
WHS assists in identifying hazards within the workplace. This can include site inspections,
start-ups and reviewing safe working procedure. WHS Committee also assists organizations
to enhance workers' quality of life within the company. Committee members assist their
organizations to take  the required steps to remove the hazards. They also implement
changes to control and prevent the hazards. WHS Committee provides a conducive working
environment to workers and others stakeholders  by monitoring and addressing health and
safety issues.
2.d) Answer:

 conducting pre-start discussions on the work to be carried out;

 encouraging workers to recognize and highlight hazards while performing work;
 carrying out safety inspections and audits of the workplace and work procedures;
 conducting job safety analyses (or similar task evaluation processes);
 monitoring, measuring and testing the working environment such as noise
monitoring, electrical testing and atmospheric testing;
 analyzing proposed new or modified plant, material, process or structure;
 conducting hazard (or risk) surveys;
 reviewing product information, e.g. safety data sheets, operating manuals; and
 researching publicly available data on hazards, e.g. newspaper articles, industry or
safety regulator alerts; and
  looking at past incident and near-miss reports.
 
Step-by-Step explanation
 health and safety hazards before an incident occurs:
 conducting pre-start discussions on the work to be carried out;
 encouraging workers to recognize and highlight hazards while performing work;
 carrying out safety inspections and audits of the workplace and work procedures;
 conducting job safety analyses (or similar task evaluation processes);
 monitoring, measuring and testing the working environment such as noise
monitoring, electrical testing and atmospheric testing;
 analyzing proposed new or modified plant, material, process or structure;
 conducting hazard (or risk) surveys;
 reviewing product information, e.g. safety data sheets, operating manuals; and
 researching publicly available data on hazards, e.g. newspaper articles, industry or
safety regulator alerts; and
 looking at past incident and near-miss reports.
 Types of Hazards
 In a work environment, employees can face numerous health risks, including those
outlined in the following sections.
 Biological Hazards
 Biological hazards come from organisms, including people, animals and plants, and
threaten human health. Examples of biological hazards include mold, sewage, blood
and bodily fluids. These dangers can result in diseases and allergic reactions and
limit employees' ability to carry out their work.
 Chemical Hazards
 Chemicals can be toxic, corrosive, flammable and combustible. As such, they can
pose health risks to workers and become hazards if workers inhale, ingest or absorb
them through their skin. Chemical hazards can cause acute harm, such as burns,
irritation and vomiting, or create chronic health issues, such as asthma, liver damage
and cancer.
 
 
Risk Management, in the context of occupational safety and health (OSH), is the process of
identifying OSH hazards, determining the risk based on likelihood and severity of work
injuries, ill health and property damage, prioritising the implementation of preventive
measures to mitigate these risks and communicating the risk assessment to workers. In
some jurisdictions, the conduct of Risk Management is a statutory requirement, such as in
Singapore1) and United Kingdom (UK)2).
 
Ideally, physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic and psychosocial hazards are identified
when conducting OSH Risk Management. With the intent to reduce human error and
influence positive safety behaviour, UK's Health and Safety Executive3) broadened the
traditional views of human factors/ergonomics by including organisational systems, calling it
Human Factors and defining it as "environmental, organisational and job factors, and
human and individual characteristics, which influence behaviour at work in a way which can
affect health and safety". This translates into assessing OSH risks contributed by job factors
(such as ensuring a good match between job and worker); individual factors (such as
competence, attitude, and risk perception); and organisational factors (such as work
schedule, quality of communications, safety culture, and leadership) and identifying
measures to manage them. Recognising the increased risk of injuries posed by personal
factors4, 5), Singapore's enhanced Risk Management 2.0 framework6) requires the
additional assessment of Human Factors and individual health risk factors and
susceptibilities.
 
As identification of hazards is the first step in Risk Management, it implies that hazards
which are not identified would not go through the rigour of the Risk Management process,
leading to the non-identification of preventive measures for implementation and
communication to prevent harm in the workplace. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health
Authority, USA) therefore considers the non-identification of hazards as one of the "root
causes" for workplace injuries, illnesses and incidents and that a proactive, ongoing
process to identify and assess such hazards is a critical element of any effective safety and
health program7).
 
Hence, the risk of non-identification of hazards needs to be managed in a similar way to
how other business or quality risks are managed in an organisation. We need to be aware
of the potential challenges faced by the team conducting the Risk Management and of the
Human Factors at play. While information from websites such as that from the Health and
Safety Executive8) provides tips to identify hazards that matter, whether all significant
hazards are identified or not would depend on the knowledge, attitude and experience of
the individuals conducting the Risk Management and organisational factors like who the
team is reporting to and whether adequate resources are provided. For example, to check
the safety data sheets of chemical hazards, it requires effort and competency. Some
hazards may be missed, especially if it is commonplace, such as cement and solar
radiation9) in a construction site or combustible dust10) which can be found in a wide range
of industries and processes. Some hazards require experience to spot e.g. looking for tiny
mercury droplets on laboratory benchtops. For some hazards, to identify them, it would
require regular inspections and conversations with workers and supervisors. Hence, to
minimise the risk of non-identification of hazards, processes, checklists, training and a peer-
checking system could be put in place. It requires team members to appreciate the intent of
Risk Management, have a strong sense of responsibility and ownership, be able to work in
partnership with each other, and management to demonstrate strong leadership and
support.
 
As safety and health professionals, we need to work closely with management and to keep
abreast of newly introduced work processes and changes in work arrangements as these
may introduce new hazards and require a review of existing risk assessments. When
conducting OSH risk assessments, we should proactively and systematically identify all
relevant hazards. By doing hazard identification well, we will be one step nearer to our goal
of achieving zero harm.
 
 
 
 
Slips and trips are the most common office accident, accounting for the greatest number of
injuries, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). Other office hazards include
sprains and strains, poor workstation ergonomics, indoor air-quality problems, insufficient or
excessive lighting, noise, electrical hazards and random acts of violence.
Being aware of these dangers is the first step in eliminating them and reducing the odds of
injuries occurring. HR can implement processes to identify dangers and correct problems,
including instituting safety walkthroughs, setting up a formal reporting system for unsafe
conditions and conducting training sessions on correcting safety hazards.
Here are five of the most common office hazards:
 
Slips, Trips and Falls
 
Universal slip, trip and fall culprits include unattended spills, wet floors, exposed cords,
unstable work surfaces, uneven floors, loose rugs and cluttered areas.
Inclement weather conditions, such as rain, snow and ice, create outdoor slip hazards on
exterior steps, ramps, walkways, entry and exit areas, and parking lots, and indoor hazards
when wet floors are not cleaned up promptly. Ice-melting products and nonslip runners can
greatly reduce slip, trip and fall hazards during winter months.
Clean up all spills immediately, and post signs identifying hazards in areas that are being
cleaned or that have recently been cleaned, and in areas prone to water accumulation and
wet surfaces.
Office walkways should be kept clear, as boxes and other clutter can create a trip hazard.
Electrical and telephone cords should also be properly secured and not stretched across
aisles or walkways, and carpets should not be frayed or buckled.
Ergonomic Injuries
Office workers spend many hours a day seated at a desk, working on a computer, resulting
in ergonomic strains and other injuries related to posture and repetitive movement. These
types of hazards can be difficult to detect.
A variety of adjustable chairs, desks, keyboards, etc., should be offered to accommodate
the widest range of work styles. Employees should be told how to set up and operate
adjustable equipment for the best workstation fit.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offers an eTool illustrating
general ergonomics guidelines for setting up a computer workstation and performing
computer-related tasks:
 Position the chair, keyboard and monitor in a straight line with your body.
 Maintain a relaxed, neutral posture.
 Sit up straight, adjusting the chair to provide firm back support.
 Let your arms hang loosely at the shoulders.
 Keep your elbows at a 90-degree angle while typing.
 Use an adjustable keyboard tray to position your keyboard and mouse at a
comfortable height (usually lower than the desk surface). Place your mouse next to
the keyboard, and keep it as close as possible to your body, to avoid reaching.
 Adjust the chair's height so that your feet are firmly on the ground.
HR can monitor employees for musculoskeletal disorder symptoms. OSHA advises paying
attention to any pain, fatigue, numbness or weakness, as these may be signs of an
ergonomics problem and the start of a more serious issue.
Eye Strain
Spending a large portion of your workday at the computer can cause eyestrain, according to
the Mayo Clinic. Eyes may become dry and irritated, and workers may begin having trouble
focusing. Light levels should be suitable for the work task—for instance, manual detail work
may require higher levels of lighting, but staring at a computer monitor does not, the NSC
said.
You can cut down on excessive glare by closing blinds on windows and dimming the
overhead lights. Correctly positioning monitors slightly below eye level, minimizing screen
glare and increasing computer font size all can help alleviate eyestrain.
To reduce eyestrain and fatigue, OSHA recommends taking a 10-minute break for every
hour you spend looking at a computer screen, giving your eyes a rest and focusing on
things at varying distances.
Fire Safety
According to the latest available data, fire departments responded to approximately 17,500
office fires in 2012, which resulted in $643 million in property damage, according to the
National Fire Protection Association. Routine office inspections could reduce this danger.
According to the NSC:
 Power cords should be inspected regularly for wear and be replaced if they are
frayed or have exposed wire.
 Cords should never be used if the third prong has been damaged or removed.
 Cords should never overload outlets. The most common causes of fires started by
extension cords are improper use and overloading. Extension cords should be
approved by a certifying laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories, and be used
only temporarily to connect one device at a time.
If employees use space heaters, verify that the appliances are approved for commercial use
and have a switch that automatically shuts them off if they tip over. Space heaters should
not be placed near combustible materials like paper.
Objects should never be placed closer than 18 inches below fire-sprinkler heads, to allow a
full range of coverage. Emergency-exit routes should never be blocked or locked.
It's also critical that employees be trained on what to do if a fire erupts. Are your workers
trained in the basic use of fire extinguishers?
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, when an employer has provided
portable fire extinguishers for employee use, the employer must also train workers on the
general principles of fire extinguisher use. Employers have the option of requiring all
employees to immediately evacuate the premises.
Indoor Air Quality
The prevalence of poor indoor air quality has contributed to a rise in occupational asthma
and other respiratory disorders, chemical sensitivity and allergies, according to the NSC.
Some of the reasons for poor air quality are inadequate ventilation systems; office
overcrowding; the presence of cleaning chemicals and pesticides; water damage and mold
growth; cubicle design that blocks off air flow to work areas; too much or too little humidity;
and poor housekeeping, which leads to dirty work environments.
The office's air quality can be greatly improved by proper maintenance, cleaning and
filtration of the ventilation, heating and air conditioning system. This will help reduce
respiratory irritants, infections and illnesses, the NSC said.
Preventing the accumulation of dust, pollen, dirt and other buildup on all surfaces,
especially in carpeting, will also cut down on respiratory irritants, infections and illnesses.
Cleanliness and orderliness, too, may prevent the spread of illnesses and diseases in the
workplace. Restrooms, break rooms, lunch areas and
3.c The suggestions for ways of elimination or controlling risks are useful because :  It aids
in the detection of danger .  This aids in risk management .  It preserves the employees '
welfare .  • It would create a safe working environment .  Jobs are going to have a better
degree of holistic wellbeing .