Hazard Analysis Tool

10 CFR 851.21 and 851.22 require DOE contractors to identify workplace hazards, assess the risk of associated worker injury and illness, and implement a hazard prevention and abatement process to address the hazards.

For existing hazards identified in the workplace, contractors must prioritize and implement abatement actions according to the risk to workers [851.22(a)(2)(i)]. The relative level of risk must be assessed for each identified hazard to ensure that hazard abatement efforts and resources are focused first on addressing the most serious workplace hazards.

Several DOE sites have developed tools (some of which are automated) for identifying hazards, analyzing the hazards, and assigning a value to the level of risk of the hazards. These tools are useful for comprehensively reviewing all possible hazards of an activity, setting priorities for abatement of hazards, and for determining an appropriate level of work control to apply to activities that present the hazard. These tools can be very efficient but users should be careful to truly analyze the identified hazards and not simply "check the boxes."

A Hazard Analysis Tool in use at a DOE site has been modified and made available as an example for possible use by other DOE sites. Other approaches to identifying hazards and assessing risks also may satisfy 10 CFR 851 requirements.