Risk Assessments - ‘What If?’ Scenario

What If? - Hazard Risk Number - Fault Tree Analysis - Failure Mode Analysis - Preliminary Hazard Analysis - Safety Statements

This method of risk assessment is relatively simple to apply and takes into consideration all aspects of the work equipment, throughout its life cycle.

This is an inductive approach in that we are assuming various defects or abnormal situations, then plotting the result and event or hazard.

The approach is a ‘hands on’ in that the assessors must follow the planned use of the machinery at the place or location and can lead to more quantative results with the use of the Hazard Risk Number (HRN) being used.

The operator must first insert the task or process being carried out, then inserting the generic hazard and the control used to eliminate or reduce the hazard to an acceptable level, on completion of which the assessor then applies the ‘What If?’ scenario, i.e. the defect or abnormal situation.

The flow diagram for this type of approach would be: -

Step 1: Task Description
Step 2: Generic Hazard
Step 3: Control Applied
Step 4: What If?
Step 5: Hazard Created
Step 6: Control Applied

On completion of steps 1 through to 6, where various hazard exist, the use of the Hazard Risk Number approach will identify the hierarchical position of each hazard and allow the hazard to be designed out in accordance to its severity.

An example of this type of risk assessment can be found in chapter 12.2, 12.3 and 12.4, i.e. the Technical Construction files for a 60 tonne press, a packaging machine and a bending/forming machine.

Note that the use of photographs greatly assists future assessors.

What If? - Hazard Risk Number - Fault Tree Analysis - Failure Mode Analysis - Preliminary Hazard Analysis - Safety Statements

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