Site Safe Hazard Identification and Risk Management

Question 1

In NZ Site Safe training, what is the difference between a hazard and a risk?

Accepted Answer

A hazard is something that has the potential to cause harm; a risk is the likelihood and consequence of that harm actually occurring

Answer

In NZ safety terminology, a hazard is anything that has the potential to cause harm (e.g., an unguarded excavation). A risk is the combination of how likely it is that harm will occur and how severe that harm could be.

Question 2

What is a risk assessment matrix used for in NZ construction safety?

Accepted Answer

To evaluate the level of risk by combining the likelihood of an event occurring with the severity of its consequences, to prioritise control measures

Answer

A risk assessment matrix in NZ construction plots likelihood (rare to almost certain) against consequence (insignificant to catastrophic) to determine the risk level (low, medium, high, extreme). This helps prioritise which risks need the most urgent control measures.

Question 3

On a NZ construction site, what are the main categories of hazards workers should look for?

Accepted Answer

Physical (falls, struck by), chemical (hazardous substances), biological (infections), ergonomic (manual handling), and psychosocial (stress, fatigue)

Answer

NZ construction hazards fall into five main categories: physical (falls, crush, struck by, electrocution), chemical (dusts, fumes, solvents), biological (leptospirosis, mould), ergonomic (manual handling, repetitive strain), and psychosocial (fatigue, stress, bullying).

Question 4

What is a Task Analysis or Job Safety Analysis (JSA) in NZ construction?

Accepted Answer

A systematic process of breaking a task into steps, identifying hazards at each step, and determining control measures before work begins

Answer

A JSA (also called a Task Analysis or Safe Work Method Statement) breaks a construction task into individual steps, identifies the hazards associated with each step, assesses the risks, and determines appropriate control measures before work begins.

Question 5

Under NZ Site Safe standards, what should happen when a new hazard is identified on a construction site?

Accepted Answer

Stop the affected work, assess the risk, implement controls, communicate the hazard to all affected workers, and update the site hazard register

Answer

When a new hazard is identified on a NZ construction site, the immediate response should be: stop the affected work, assess the level of risk, implement appropriate controls (using the hierarchy of controls), communicate the hazard to all affected workers, and update the site hazard register.

Site Safe Practice Test

Site Safe Practice Test

Site Safe Hazard Identification and Risk Management