Occupational Health Risk Assessment

An Occupational Health Risk Assessment is a systematic evaluation of the health risks arising from workplace hazards — identifying what could cause harm to workers' health, assessing the likelihood and severity of that harm, and determining the controls needed to reduce exposure to acceptable levels.

Health hazards in the workplace may include noise, chemical agents, biological agents, radiation, ergonomic factors, thermal stress, and psychosocial stressors. Each hazard is assessed in the context of actual worker exposure — taking into account the nature, duration, and frequency of exposure, the number of workers affected, and the effectiveness of existing controls.

The output is a documented health risk register with risk ratings and recommended controls — providing the basis for health surveillance programmes, exposure monitoring, engineering controls, and personal protective equipment requirements.