BEH/Specific/TBT-BEH-026

Hazards at Work

Behavioural Safety & Leadership › Specific › Hazards at Work

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A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm — construction sites contain more hazards than most workplaces.
The HSE identifies the fatal four in construction as falls from height, struck by objects, collapse, and vehicles.
Health hazards are equally dangerous but develop slowly — noise, vibration, dust, and chemicals cause lasting damage.
Every task on a construction site should have a risk assessment identifying the hazards and control measures.
HASWA 1974 requires employers to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers.
Hazards change constantly as work progresses — what was safe yesterday may be dangerous today.
Dynamic risk assessment is the process of continuously identifying new hazards as conditions change around you.
Near misses are hazards that almost caused harm — reporting them prevents the next one becoming an accident.
Workers are often the first to spot hazards because they are closest to the work — your observations matter.
Understanding hazards is the first step to controlling risk — you cannot protect yourself from what you cannot identify.

Prevent injuries	Identifying hazards before they cause harm is the foundation of every safety management system on every site.
Changing conditions	Construction sites are dynamic — new hazards appear with every delivery, excavation, weather change, and trade arrival.
Personal awareness	No risk assessment can cover every situation — your ability to spot and respond to hazards protects you and your team.
Health hazards kill too	Occupational diseases kill far more construction workers than accidents — but the harm is hidden and delayed by years.

Don't

Read the risk assessment and method statement for your task before you start work.
Carry out a dynamic risk assessment every time conditions change around you.
Report any hazard you identify to your supervisor or through the observation system.
Attend pre-start briefings and listen for information about new or changed hazards today.
Think about health hazards as well as safety hazards — dust, noise, and vibration count.
Use the stop work authority if you believe a situation is immediately dangerous.
Keep your work area tidy to prevent trip hazards and maintain clear escape routes.
Look around you regularly — scan for moving plant, open edges, and overhead work.
Report near misses honestly — they provide early warnings before someone is hurt.
Ask questions if you do not understand a hazard or the controls in place.

DON'T start a task without knowing what hazards are present and how they are controlled.
DON'T assume a hazard has been dealt with because it was there yesterday unchallenged.
DON'T walk past a hazard without reporting it — the next person may not see it.
DON'T ignore health hazards because the damage is not immediately visible or painful.
DON'T take shortcuts that bypass the controls identified in the risk assessment.
DON'T let familiarity make you complacent — routine tasks cause the most accidents.
DON'T create hazards for other trades by leaving materials, waste, or tools unsecured.
DON'T enter areas you have not been briefed on — unknown hazards may be present.
DON'T dismiss near-miss reports as overreaction — they prevent serious injuries.
DON'T rely on someone else to keep you safe — hazard awareness is everyone's job.

See also: Dynamic Risk Assessment in Practice | Stop Work Authority

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