What is the machinery risk management process?

The operation of machinery comes with inherent risks, so it is paramount to mitigate these risks in order to keep your people safe. This is where the machinery risk management process plays a vital role. In this article, we look at the four steps involved in the machinery risk management process and how they reduce the risks related to machinery.

What is the machinery risk management process?

The machinery risk management process is a structured approach used to identify, evaluate, control and continually manage risks associated with the operation of machinery. It encompasses a series of steps to systematically address risks and hazards and implement appropriate controls to minimise the potential for machinery incidents.

What are the four steps of the machinery risk management process?

The four steps of the machinery risk management process are:

• Identify hazards.

• Analyse the risk.

• Control the risk.

• Monitor the risk.

Identify hazards

The first step in the machinery risk management process is to identify the existence of hazards associated with machinery. This requires detailed knowledge of a machine and its components, as well as what it is used for. It can be helpful to involve key stakeholders such as machine operators, maintenance and workshop staff and safety officers to identify all possible hazards. It’s also important to consider historical machine data during the identification process such as incident history, risk assessments, incident reports and servicing information that will provide valuable insights into hazards that may exist on the machine or arise in the near future.

Assess the risk

Once hazards have been identified, the next step is to assess the level of risk they pose. This step of the machinery risk management process involves determining the likelihood of an incident occurring and its potential consequences. Risks are assigned a risk level based on likelihood and severity in order to provide operators and businesses a full understanding of the level of risk they may be facing. This process is completed using a risk matrix; to find out more, simply head to our article, How to read a risk matrix used in a risk analysis.

Control the risk

After identifying and assessing machinery risks, the next step is to implement control measures to mitigate or eliminate them. Control measures may include elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls or personal protective equipment (PPE) as per the hierarchy of control. To learn more, check out our article, Hierarchy of control explained. These controls help to remove the machinery risk entirely or reduce the likelihood of an incident that would threaten people’s safety from occurring.

Monitor the risk

The final step in the machinery risk management process is to monitor and review the effectiveness of the control measures implemented. This involves ongoing observation of machinery operation, as well as regular inspections and risk assessments to evaluate the continued efficacy of current controls. Continual monitoring of machinery risks and hazards allows for any further issues to be identified and rectified quickly.

Want more information about managing machinery risks?

Ideagen Plant Assessor’s team specialises in managing the risks associated with operating machinery. We are available to help you with optimising the machinery risk management process and keeping your people safe. Simply contact us on 1300 728 852 or info@assessor.com.au.