Tytykoski, Katri
Institute of Occupational Safety Engineering / Tampere University of Technology / P.O. Box 541 / FIN-33101 Tampere, Finland / 358 3 3115 2672 / katri.tytykoski@tut.fi
ABSTRACT
The objective of the study was to develop a new risk assessment method that incorporates the assessment of several divisions of corporate safety and security into a single risk assessment process. The idea was that by using the new method, co- operation between people responsible for different divisions of safety and security would increase in respect of risk assessment. The result of the study was a new checklist-based risk assessment method that enables identifying several different kinds of safety and security related problems simultaneously. The new method was tested in two corporations, after which it was developed to be even more comprehensive and easier to use.
Keywords
Risk assessment, risk assessment method, corporate safety and security, co-operation
INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
Several different parties in corporations take part in safety and security activities. Different divisions of safety and security are often handled decentralized in different parts of a large organization and there are plenty of people responsible for safety and security activities. For example, there are managers in charge of occupational safety and health issues, environmental considerations, structural safety of real estate, crime prevention, information security, quality and civil defense. These people belong to various internal units or external organizations of a corporation. Such internal units include for example occupational safety departments, property maintenance departments, human resource departments, information security departments, and quality departments. External interest groups dealing with safety and security issues include among others occupational health care, subcontractors, contractors, customers, real estate companies, branch associations, insurance companies and authorities. [1]
Corporate security can be divided up in different ways. One of the most common classifications used in Finland is that presented by the Finnish Board of Corporate Security. According to it, the divisions are premises security, crime prevention, rescue operations, emergency planning, occupational health and safety, environmental safety, security of production and operations, personnel security, information security, and security of operations abroad [2].
When the different divisions of safety and security are distributed throughout a
corporation, activities of some internal units and external organizations may partly overlap when dealing with safety and security activities [1]. Also risk assessment processes are usually carried out separately in different parts of a large corporation. A risk assessment process usually deals with only certain kinds of safety or security risks in a pre-selected area of an organization, and usually only risks of one certain type are considered in one assessment process. For example, there are several checklist-based risk assessment methods that only deal with occupational safety issues while leaving all the other divisions of safety and security out of account. This kind of separation can lead to a situation where improvement actions are made in order to improve only the division in question, while less attention is paid to other divisions. In addition, risk assessments carried out in different parts of a corporation can lead to a situation where nobody is actually aware of the level of overall safety and security in the corporation.
Objectives of the study
The objective of the present study was to develop a new risk assessment method that incorporates the assessment of several divisions of corporate safety and security into a single risk assessment process. The method was primarily developed for corporations and it was intended to be suitable for all lines of business. The intention was that with the help of the method several different kinds of safety and security related problems could be identified simultaneously. The idea was that by using the new method, co- operation between people responsible for different divisions of safety and security would increase in respect of risk assessment. Testing of the method and improving it on the basis of the experiences from the tests was also included in this study.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Process of developing the new risk assessment method
Literature, standards, articles, and other publications were utilized as reference material for this study. Good implementation practices applicable to the new method were also extracted from risk assessment methods already in use. Laws and regulations dealing with corporate safety and security as well as insurance companies’ protection guides were also utilized.
The first step in the process of developing the new risk assessment method was to choose how to identify hazards. It was decided to carry out hazard identification with checklists. Checklists are hazard identification tools that are easy to use and with the help of lists it is possible to systematically review common risk factors occurring in working environments.
The new risk assessment method was developed in co-operation with two Finnish corporations operating in the metal industry. The first visits to the co-operating firms were made at an early stage of the development process. The purpose of those visits was to clarify firms’ needs and expectations regarding risk assessment and to collect some good advice for the ongoing development work.
The checklist was put together with the help of the reference material and tips from the co-operating firms. Finally, in order to make the comprehensive checklist more clear and intelligible, the list was divided up into three more compact checklists. Safety and security issues related to organizational-level activities, work assignments, and buildings were assigned to separate checklists.
In the new risk assessment method, the classification of risks into five categories was designed on the basis of the standard BS8800:fi [3]. The tripartite scale of the potential severity of harm and the likelihood that harm will occur were expanded to four categories.
Classification and the contents of the divisions of corporate safety and security used in the new risk assessment method were evolved on the strength of different alternatives presented in the reference material of the study. Divisions were adapted and combined on the basis of the distribution of safety and security related responsibilities in firms in order to suit better practice and the developed method.
The next question to be considered was how to include the assessment of various divisions of safety and security in a checklist-based identification of hazards. There was no reference material available to assist in deciding how to combine the assessment of several divisions of corporate safety and security in a single risk assessment process. The way to take the different divisions into consideration was developed mainly on the basis of the researcher’s own thoughts, influenced by the available reference material.
Testing of the new method in co-operating firms
The developed method was tested in both co-operating firms. While identifying hazards and assessing risks, experiences about using the new method itself were collected. The testing concentrated especially on the contents of the checklist: were the lists extensive enough, were there too many overlapping issues, and how suitable were they for assessing corporate safety and security.
All three checklists were tested during the first test assessment process in a co- operative corporation operating in the metal industry. The assessment took two whole working days. The testing in another corporation also operating in the metal industry took one working day, and this time only the checklist dealing with organizational-level issues was tested. The teams conducting the assessments were composed of 4–6 persons in charge of different divisions of corporate safety and security.
After testing the new risk assessment method, persons participating in the test assessments were requested to give written feedback on the new method. Finally, with the help of the experiences and the feedback, the new method was developed to be even more comprehensive and easier to use.
RESULTS
A result of the study is a new checklist-based risk assessment method that enables taking into consideration various corporate safety and security problems in a single risk assessment process. The divisions of corporate safety and security included in the new method are based on those presented by the Finnish Board of Corporate Security [2]. Information security and security of operations abroad form an exception: they are not included in the method as separate divisions. The divisions included in the new method are premises security, crime prevention, rescue operations and emergency planning, occupational health and safety, environmental safety, security of production and operations and personnel security.
The risk assessment is carried out by a team consisting of 4–7 persons in charge of different divisions of corporate safety and security. When all the divisions are represented in the assessment team, it is possible to obtain extensive and reliable results. Workers are also welcome to participate in the process when assessing security and safety issues related to their work assignments.
Checklists
There are three different checklists for hazard identification in the new method. One is for assessing issues related to organizational-level activities, one is for assessing different work assignments, and one is for assessing buildings. After reading and filling in the checklists, identified hazards are analyzed with the help of an action form.
When reviewing the checklist that includes issues related to organizational-level issues, all an organization’s activities are examined. There are 64 questions on the checklist. This checklist is reviewed once at the beginning of the assessment process.
The checklist that deals with working and work assignments includes 49 questions. Various work assignments are assessed separately with this checklist. Identification of hazards is carried out by reviewing the checklist while interviewing a worker and while observing the work to be assessed.
The third checklist is used for identifying hazards in buildings and it is reviewed while walking around the buildings. Various buildings are assessed separately with this checklist which includes 22 questions.
There are seven small boxes after each question in the checklists. Each box represents one division of corporate safety or security (Figure 1). After reading a question in a checklist, the assessment team needs to consider whether the case at hand is being properly taken care of or whether it causes danger. If the issue at hand is not fully fixed and problems related to it have occurred, the team should next consider which divisions of corporate safety and security are affected. Each box needs to be marked with a tick, a line, or a question mark. A tick signifies that problems related to the division at hand do occur, a line signifies that there are no problems occurring in that division, and a question mark signifies that more information is needed to assess the situation.
Pr Cr RO Oc En PO Pe
1. Personnel know how to act and are able
-D---- DX
XD DX D?
D---- DX
to act in different kinds of circumstances, Specifications:
for example– in case of accidents and injuries– in case of criminal activity
- – under a threat of violence
- – in dangerous situations (e.g. gas, toxin, or chemical leakage)
– in emergencies (e.g. fire fighting andemergency exits)
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