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[Simon]

I found this in some IOSH documents I had knocking around and had to post it.

http://www.iosh.co.uk

Hazard:

A live tiger is always a hazard.

A live tiger, except when it is anaesthetised, always has the potential to cause you harm and is, therefore, always a hazard.

Even the proverbial toothless tiger can harm you because, not only can it give you a nasty suck, it still has claws!

In general, a hazard is anything which can cause harm and, because a tiger can cause harm, it is a hazard.

Risk:

A tiger which is free to roam about is a risk because it is likely that it will cause harm to someone.

In general, a risk is the combination of the severity of harm and the likelihood that the harm will occur.

Risk increases as the severity of the harm increases, or the likelihood of the harm increases, or both.

A loose tiger in the centre of a town is a higher risk than a loose tiger in the jungle because it is more likely to harm someone in a town.

A loose rabbit is a low risk because it cannot inflict severe harm. A tiger in a cage is a low risk because it is unlikely to have the opportunity to inflict harm. A rabbit in a cage is no risk at all - unless you are a lettuce!

Risk Control:

If there is a risk, the best solution is to:

- remove the hazard completely - keep goldfish!

If you cannot remove the hazard, then

- avoid the hazard - do not go to the zoo!

Remember, however, that keepers still have to encounter tigers in a zoo. They do not have the option to avoid the hazard and, therefore, need to keep tigers in cages.

A tiger is less of a risk if it is in a cage.

- Thus, a cage is a risk control measure.
- Another name for a risk control measure is a 'workplace precaution'.

Remember, it is always better to remove or avoid hazards.

Weak Link:

Even the cage door is a weak link. Most workplace precautions have weak links. Because almost all workplace precautions have weak links it is better, if we can, to remove the hazard completely, or avoid the hazard.



Regards,
Simon