1. Phillip Crisp EcoSolve Australia Pty Ltd
Student RiskAssess: an easy way to meet the safety requirements of the new Australian Curriculum
Phillip Crisp
EcoSolve Australia Pty Ltd

2. Advantages of risk assessments
• reduced frequency of injuries to students to school staff
• reduced costs for paperwork, litigation and payouts
• compliance with the law (c.f. industry)
• helps maintain variety of chemicals and equipment
• compliance with the Australian Curriculum

3. Safety requirements in the Australian Curriculum for Science
Years 4-12 Students to take increasingly active role in consideration of risk and safety
Years 9 &10 “Assess risk” (Content description) “identify potential hazards of chemicals and biological materials . . .” (Elaboration)
Years 11 & 12 “Conducting risk assessments (Inquiry skill)

4. Australian Curriculum for Science Implementation dates:
South Australia DECD
2013: Year : Year : Year 10
Completion: R-7 in 2015 & 8-12 in 2017
Other States and Territories depending on school system

5. way to meet the safety requirements of the Australian Curriculum
Student RiskAssess
is a
fun
interesting
instructive
way to meet the safety requirements of the Australian Curriculum

6. NEW in 2013 to meet Aust Curriculum
RiskAssess
“RiskAssess”
“Student RiskAssess”
for Staff
for Students
Started 2008
NEW in 2013 to meet Aust Curriculum

7. Student RiskAssess • web-based risk assessment tool
• tailored to the school situation
• customised for students
• provides electronic templates (AU/ISO) database information on risks (chemical, equipment, biological) equipment ordering lab scheduling
• easy for teachers, especially RA users

8. Logic
• separate sections for student, teacher and laboratory technician
• initial assessment of inherent risk if low, go to end if medium or more, record control measures if high or extreme, third reviewer required
• cross-checking by teacher/labtech/reviewer
• scheduling and ordering system to save time
• inexpensive ($160 + GST per school per year)

9. Details • access from school/home
• nothing to install on computer (instant update)
• unlimited number of simultaneous users and risk assessments (virtually)
• minimal data entry
• complements MSDS/SDS
• continuing input from science staff
• multiple backups of data & backup server
• support and advice

10. Electronic devices • computers • laptops • iPads (and other tablets)
• smart phones (iPhones, Android, etc)
Digital technologies* are emphasised in
Science Inquiry Skills, Years 7-10
*technology systems that handle digital data including hardware and software for specific purposes

11. Summary of benefits • student engagement • uses newest technologies
• training in life skills
• inexpensive
• happy students and teachers!

12. Work Health & Safety Act 2012
. . . a duty to eliminate/minimise risks to health and safety as far as is reasonably practicable.
. . . taking into account and weighing up all relevant matters including: (a) the likelihood of the hazard or the risk concerned occurring; and (b) the degree of harm that might result from the hazard or the risk
Part 2, Sections 17 and 18

13. DECD Risk Management Framework
Based on ISO Risk Management
Context, Identify/Analyse/Evaluate/Treat risks
Review risks at least annually
Risk Assessment template + Risk Matrix
DECD, Procedure No: 07/4385 Risk Management Framework, 1 Feb 2011.

14. You should: risks Before: Establish the context
identify
analyse
evaluate
treat
Risk assessment
Risk control
risks
Before: Establish the context
After: Monitor and review
Always: Consult and communicate

15. Risk identification
• history of “accidents” and “near-accidents” at school at similar schools
• brainstorming, preferably with colleagues
• checklists of possible risks

16. Risk analysis To assess the severity of a risk, you need to consider:
• the consequences of the event, and
• the chance that it will occur (likelihood)
AU ISO 31000:2009 “Risk management”
HB 89:2012 “Risk management guidelines”

17. Risk evaluation To evaluate the severity of a risk,
you need to use a decision matrix,
known as a “risk matrix”.
Severity of a risk is the output of a table,
based on:
• the consequences of the event, and
• the chance that it will occur (likelihood)

18. personal protective equipment
Risk treatment
Hierarchy of options:
elimination
substitution
isolation
engineering
administration
personal protective equipment

19. Advantages of risk assessments
• reduced frequency of injuries to students to school staff
• reduced costs for paperwork, litigation and payouts
• compliance with the law (c.f. industry)
• helps maintain variety of chemicals and equipment

20. Advantages of a formalised system
• ensures proper consideration of risks and control measures
• standardisation
• storage of records for legal purposes
• communication between teachers and laboratory technicians

21. Is it practical?
Paper-based system
NO (almost)
Electronic system
YES

22. Paper-based system • time consuming
• unwieldy forms many prompts - mostly empty space few prompts - requires knowledge & skill
• non-searchable
• difficult to update
• storage problems

23. Electronic system • relatively rapid • prompts sensitive to context
• reduces paper consumption
• easy to review and update
• easy monitoring
• easy storage
• demonstrated to work in schools (e.g. >800 schools in AU,NZ&CA)

24. RiskAssess • web-based risk assessment tool
• customised to the school situation
• provides electronic templates (AU/ISO) database information on risks (chemical, equipment, biological) equipment ordering lab scheduling
• easy sharing of experiment templates for customisation

25. Logic • separate sections for teacher and laboratory technician
• initial assessment of inherent risk if low, go to end if medium or more, record control measures if high or extreme, third reviewer required
• cross-checking by teacher/labtech/reviewer
• scheduling and ordering system to save time
• inexpensive ($160 per school per year)

26. Details • access from school/home
• nothing to install on computer (instant update)
• unlimited number of simultaneous users and risk assessments (virtually)
• minimal data entry
• complements MSDS/SDS
• student subscriptions for Aust Curriculum
• continuing input from science staff
• multiple backups of data & backup server
• support and advice

27. Summary of benefits • safer laboratories • better communication
• meets legal requirements
• reduced costs
• happy lab techs and teachers!

28. x ? ?? x = unacceptable risk Risk matrix ? = doubtful Code
Consequences
Minor Severe
OK = acceptable risk x
Likely
Unlikely ?
Likelihood
? = doubtful
CONSIDER THE OPTIONS ?? OK
x = unacceptable risk
DON’T DO IT!

29. Written procedure Equipment Materials Chemicals Living organisms
People
Potential hazards
Standard operating procedure
Manufacturer User
instructions instructions
Potential hazards
Standard handling procedure
EXPERIMENT or
ACTIVITY
RISK
ASSESSMENT
Potential hazards
Standard handling procedure
MSDS
Potential hazards
Standard handling procedure
KEY
Component
risk assessment
Potential hazards
Standard handling procedure
Overall
risk assessment

30. Multi-level scale of consequences
Level 1 : first aid treatment at the school (Minor)
Level 2: treatment by a doctor (Moderate)
Level 3: immediate hospitalization (Severe)

31. Multi-level scale of likelihood
Level 1: known to commonly occur; not unexpected in the class (Likely)
Level 2: uncommon, rare, but sufficiently frequent to have been witnessed by self or a known person (Unlikely)
Level 3: very rare; have heard of it happening; may possibly have been witnessed by self or a known person (Very unlikely)

32. x x ? x ?? x = unacceptable risk Risk matrix ? = doubtful
Consequences
Code
Minor Moderate Severe
OK = acceptable risk
(low risk) x x
Likely
Unlikely
Very
unlikely OK
? = doubtful
CONSIDER OTHER OPTIONS
Likelihood ? x
?? = very doubtful
Either DON’T DO IT or
PROCEED WITH GREAT CARE OK ??
x = unacceptable risk
DON’T DO IT! OK OK

33. DECD Multi-level scale of consequences
Level 1 : incident with or without minor injury (Insignificant)
Level 2: first aid or minor lost time injury (Minor)
Level 3: serious injury and/or illness (Moderate)
Level 4: multiple serious injuries (Major)
Level 5: death of adult or child (Critical)

34. DECD Multi-level scale of likelihood
Level 1: less than once in 15 years (possibility < 5%) (Rare)
Level 2: at least once in 5-15 years (possibility 5-25%) (Unlikely)
Level 3: at least once in 2-5 years (possibility 25-50%) (Possible)
Level 4: at least once in a year (possibility 50-75%) (Likely)
Level 5: multiple times in a year (possibility >75%) (Almost certain)

35. DECD Risk matrix Consequences Likelihood
Insignificant Minor Moderate Major Critical
Almost
certain
Likely
Possible
Unlikely
Rare
Moderate
High
High
Extreme
Extreme
Moderate
Moderate
High
High
Extreme
Likelihood
Low
Moderate
Moderate
High
High
Low
Low
Moderate
Moderate
High
Low
Low
Low
Moderate
High