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Identifying hazards and incident response

Identify and control hazards

Ideally hazards are identified and controlled before an incident occurs. Hazards can be identified by:

  • listening to your employees’ concerns
  • performing a job hazard analysis
  • doing regular formal and informal inspections using an inspection checklist

Once a hazard is recognized, do what you can to remove it. If it is not practical or possible to remove the hazard completely, you must reduce the risk as much as possible:

Substitute with something safer use smaller boxes to reduce the weight of items that have to be handled, use a less toxic chemical, use scaffolding instead of ladders to reduce the risk of falls.

Isolate the hazard use soundproofing to reduce noise levels, store chemicals in a fume cabinet, use remote control systems to operate machinery.

Modify tools and equipment use trolleys to move heavy loads, place guards around moving machinery parts, install safety switches.

Use administrative measures provide training and supervision, adjust work schedules to limit exposure time through job rotation.

Provide personal protective equipment gloves and hard hats. Learn more about personal protective equipment.

Investigate incidents

When an incident or injury occurs in the workplace, investigating can provide information on the hazards that caused it. This will allow workers to take preventative steps in the future.

  1. In addition to the health and safety representative, select an investigation team that represents the workplace.
  2. Assemble investigation tools like emergency phone numbers, reflective gear, pens and paper.
  3. Use an incident report form to collect essential information. You can use our sample incident report form.

If an incident didn’t lead to an injury but could have, it is called a near miss. Near misses should be documented the same way incidents to identify hazards.

Prepare your team to investigate incidents by registering them for the Workplace Incident Investigations workshop on the SAFE Work Manitoba Training Portal.  

Emergencies

In an emergency, stay calm and ensure the well-being of anyone involved. Your first priority is your workers, both those injured and those who may be in potential danger. In the event of an injury, provide first aid if necessary and report the injury to the WCB.

Once the injured have been tended to and there is no further threat, your next priority is to secure the scene. Safety and health representatives should prepare their report by including the following:

  • time, date and location of incident
  • names and addresses of witnesses and those injured
  • description of the incident including people, equipment or material involved
  • first aid attendant or physician, if any
  • recommendations for corrective action to be evaluated by the employer

For additional information that might pertain to you, visit our rights and responsibilities and safety and health committees pages.   

Related links

Small business safety
Health and safety topic list