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Risk Assessment Matrices for Workplace Hazards: Design for Usability.
Roger C Jensen1, Royce L Bird1, Blake W Nichols1
1Safety, Health, and Industrial Hygiene Department, Montana Technological University, Butte, MT 59701, USA.
Summary
Occupational safety and health risk assessment matrices are improved by refining header terms for severity, likelihood, and probability. This study confirms prior recommendations and suggests enhancements for better hazard identification and risk evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)
- Risk Assessment Methodology
- Human Factors in Safety
Background:
- Risk assessment matrices are crucial tools in OSH for evaluating hazards.
- These matrices use severity and likelihood categories to determine risk levels.
- Usability of matrix header terms impacts the effectiveness of risk assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide background on risk assessment matrices and their usability.
- To present findings from a survey of OSH professionals.
- To confirm or improve recommended header terms for risk assessment matrices.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a survey of individuals with OSH-related experience.
- Analyzed survey data to evaluate existing and proposed header terms.
- Compared findings with a previous study involving undergraduate OSH students.
Main Results:
- Prior recommendations for severity, likelihood, and extent of exposure terms were confirmed with minor modifications.
- Specific improvements were recommended for the probability terms used in risk assessment matrices.
- The study validated the importance of clear and distinct header terms for matrix usability.
Conclusions:
- Refined header terms enhance the clarity and effectiveness of risk assessment matrices.
- The findings support the use of evidence-based terminology for OSH professionals.
- Improved matrix usability contributes to more accurate hazard identification and risk management.
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