Risk Assessment And Controls In Shipping Company Essay.

1. Write an introduction describing your workplace (you can use the college/training kitchen for this purpose). The information needs to include:

1. a) The nature of the business
2. b) The activities typically carried out in the department where the risk assessment is carried out
3. c) An overview of staff who perform the activities (employees qualified, unqualified etc.)
4. Use the document “WHS Risk Assessment Template” provided by your trainer/assessor and document all typical activities performed in the workplace. (Step 1 Activity)
5. Identify any potential hazards relevant for each activity and document these (Step 2 Hazards)
6. Consult with each worker about hazards they have encountered or witnessed in the past. Attach a list outlining with whom you consulted about what, their job role, and attach this list to this project marked “Hazard Consultation”
7. Consult with your supervisor or manager (your assessor in this case) and identify whether there have been any workplace incidents recorded during the past 12 months, as a result form hazards relevant to the area where you conduct this risk assessment. Attach a list with details of occurrences and dates and where you sourced this information (do not provide personal details of persons involved in incidents)
8. Describe any existing controls to reduce each hazard you have identified (Step 4 Existing Controls)
9. Enter any existing Risk Score if available (Existing Risk Score)
10. Use the risk analysis matrix on page 4 “WHS Risk Assessment Template” to determine the Risk Score and Risk Level for each identified potential risk (Step 3 Potential Risk + Risk Score)
11. Determine the required Actions for each hazard based on the Hierarchy of Controls (page 4) and enter the action(s) (Step 5 Action Required)
12. Determine the implementation requirements for each action based on the Risk score determined (refer to Hierarchy of Control and legend on page 4)

Importance of Hazard Assessment

In essence, most managers in business organizations are required to come up with strategies that are likely to safeguard its workers against any likely risks in a particular business. Apparently, this is important considering the industrialization that has taken shape in the contemporary world. In this light, a hazard assessment, as well as controls, helps in creating safe workplaces in a firm (Akyuz, Celik, & Cebi, 2016, pp. 63). Notably, such processes tend to create a consistent approach for every employers and employee in identifying and controlling hazards in the working environments.  As a shipping company, Qube Port’s authority has come up with various ways of identifying and mitigating daily likable risks that are bound to face such industry in its operations. The company is basically responsible for handling shipment as well cargo and the overall interest of its customers at the port. Given the intense activities that are involved in the company, there is an absolute interest in designing a strategy for making sure that all its workers are in a safe working environment.

Through the risk assessment department in the company, there are various activities that are overseen to ensure this process is successful. Some of the activity carried out by members of this department is to make sure they identify the hazard. In this light, the employers in this department have a duty to assess the risks that face its workers in the process of service delivery. Some of the classifications of hazards that are likely to be identified in this matter include physical, mental, chemical hazards, and biological (Alyami, Yang, Riahi, Bonsall, &Wang, 2016). Another activity that related to this department is the issue of deciding who may be at risk of such incidents. This involves employers assessing the risks that are likely to face the contract staff, visitors, agency, as well as the clients. After the assessment of the risks, the department under control is obliged to take the necessary actions to help mitigate such risks and hazards. After these activities are always necessary to make a record of the findings and then make a review of the risk assessment plan to make sure there is a continued safe working environment kept in place (Cook, & Gilles, Lytx Inc, 2016).

It is virtually important for every organization to make sure that it has a setup of staff that performs a specific task that is liable to every process assigned to them. In this light, Qube Port has a rather integrated set of staff in as far as risk assessment is concerned (Be?ikçi, Kececi, Arslan, & Turan, 2016, pp. 392). In such type of arrangement, the risk assessment procedure is carried out by a single organizational unit and thereafter develops the necessary regulations. In essence, such an arrangement is common particularly for the regulatory purposes or rather programs. For instance, the staff has an assessment team that deals with the chronic hazards that are involved in chemicals from the consumer products in the port. Such a team is under the product safety commission (CPSC). Additionally, the team has another group that is designed to deal with risks that may result from physical dealings especially that of cargo handling. In this way, the risk assessment team in the company is in a position of identifying the necessary ways to mitigate such risks in the firm through an intergraded set of staff.

Qube Port's Risk Assessment Department

Step 1: Activity

Cargo Handling

Primarily, cargo security in the ports is essential in making sure that those who handle the containers are safe as well as ensuring that the containers are not damaged or stolen during the delivery process in the harbors. Cargo handling activity is a process that has seen its transformation faces in the last couple of decades now. The process has basically been transformed from a manual driven to a process that is undertaken through the usage of the latest technology and equipment such as the electrical forklifts. In this light, the cargo handling can be associated with various risks and injuries of the kind particularly to those who are involved.

It is therefore important for the shipping personnel to be aware of the various considerations that are supposed to be adhered to ensure there is total safety in the process of handling different cargo. Some of the cargoes at the port may include those containing hazardous materials such as oil or chemicals (Gul, Celik, & Akyuz, 2017, pp. 1389). The shipping personnel is therefore required to handle these materials with care to the storage facilities for delivery.

Step 2: Hazard

Hazards Related To Cargo Handling

Identifying a particular working environment hazard is one of the most initial steps in designing a risk management procedure. Workplace hazard is, therefore, any particular situation that may result in injury of any extent to a particular individual (Lam & Lassa, 2017, pp. 1). There are obvious hazards that are related to any shipping company across the world. Apparently, some of the hazards that have been encountered in the Qube Port include cargo shift, cargo falling from a height, dust from working cargo, and fire. All these hazards fall into the category of physical hazards.

Cargo shift:  Cargo shift it is no doubt that cargo shift has remained to be one of the most challenges that are associated with bulk carriers in the shipping world. Apparently, such problems are mostly associated with those cargos that carry grains. Since the grains leave some allowances of airspace above them, space allows the grain to shift. In most cases, such cargos can roll over and result in other damages.

Cargo falling from heights: during operations in handling cargoes, there is a possibility of falling especially by those materials that have a high density such as the iron, steel scraps, and quartz. In this light, a cargo may fall from either the conveyor belt or the discharging grab that is often on the deck of a ship.

Cargo Handling

Dust from the working cargo: primarily, dust is considered as one of the most common hazards in the carriers especially those that are in bulk. In this sense, many of the cargoes are brought while they are very dusty especially during the handling process. Personnel that work in such conditions are therefore vulnerable to this dust.

Fire: cargoes especially those that are bulky have an absolute chance of presenting a great deal of fire hazard. Notably, bulk cargoes are said to heat due to the process of oxidation that takes place during the voyage. Some of the cargoes that are spontaneous to heating involve cotton, fishmeal, and coal.

Step 3: Potential Risks

Handling cargoes in a particular port can sometimes be risky activities particularly if one is not trained properly. Cargo security has to be monitored in the shipping company for damages to be avoided. Some of the risks that are associated to cargo handling or containers include unreliable carriers, poor packaging, and sometimes may lead to death (Banda, Goerlandt, Kuzmin,  Kujala, & Montewka, 2016, pp. 242). For instance, Cargo shift and falling can be a dangerous experience especially for those who are charged with handling the containers considering that these containers might fall on them and result in injuries or instant death. Additionally, some of the cargo that is handled at the port might be hazardous and therefore result to fire that threatens loss of property and death to those in the port and customers. Some of these risks may be as a result of unreliable carriers, therefore, hindering a safe transportation of cargoes.

Step 4: Existing controls

Assessing the chances of a particular hazard to occur and lead to a certain risk is never used unless one sets a way of controlling such hazards in case they occur in the line of operation. In this light, is paramount for the Qube Port’s risk assessment team to design a protocol for controlling such hazard and therefore preventing related risks to occur in the cargo handling department (Alonso & Norby, 2016, pp.1061). These hazards are controlled based on the level of their level of risks. Some of this levels that the company uses to mitigate the risks are low risks, moderate risks, high risks, and extreme risks. To come up with ways of mitigation, it is important if supervisors and managers to have a direct conversation with the workers who are involved in the process under assessment. The most common risk control measure is the hierarchy of control measures. Some of the available control measures available include observation and consultation of the IMSBC code, Personnel who deal with cargo operation should as well wear protective clothing, hard hats vests that are visible, and safety shoes, and usage of machine guarding.

Hazards Related To Cargo Handling

Risk Score

The identified hazards are the cargo falling from heights, cargo shifting, fire, and dust from the working cargo.

Risk Analysis Matrix

Step 5 Action Required

Hierarchy of Controls

Elimination of the Hazard

In essence, this process is not necessarily achievable despite the fact it ought to remove certain hazards completely. In the case of fire that results from the cargo handling, it is necessary for a total elimination of this hazard in the shipment process. In this light, it is always necessary for the observation and consultation of the IMSBC code for a rather safer storage as well as shipment procedure of bulk cargoes (Wanke, Barros, & Nwaogbe, 2016, pp. 9). To minimize this there should be an appropriate seamanship.

Substitute

In most instances, most employers prefer substituting a certain hazard with another. Essentially, while this process does not guarantee total removal of a hazard, it lessens the overall effect of a particular hazard. In this sense, it is necessary for cargo operation to be monitored by well-trained officers and avoid the existence of unwanted officers in the area of cargo handling especially the deck. Personnel who deal with cargo operation should as well wear protective clothing, hard hats vests that are visible, and safety shoes (Schools, 2016).  

Isolate the Hazard

The process of isolating a particular hazard involves making sure that the persons who are present in the working sites are made aware of possible hazards and therefore take measures to avoid such uncertainties. In case of exposure to dust during operations, the workers can wear protective masks as well as respirators (Thekdi & Santos, 2016, pp. 1025)

Use Engineering Controls

This process involves the usage of an engineering control measures by designing a procedure to create an apparent barrier between the hazard and those who are involved in the cargo control or rather cargo handling. Such a method involves the use of forklifts that have machine guarding.

Use Administrative Controls

This process involves the overall provision of an appropriate training procedure to the person who works in the cargo handling department to be aware of the risks and hazards they might encounter to avoid them in the future. Some of the examples of administrative controls include isolations as well as a permit to work procedures (Yury, Lera, Elena, Irina, & Sergey, 2016).

Use Personal Protective Equipment

This method is often considered to be the last resort and includes the use of protective masks, gloves, earmuffs, and aprons in the attempt of reducing a particular hazard.

References List

Akyuz, E., Celik, M. and Cebi, S., 2016. A phase of comprehensive research to determine marine-specific EPC values in human error assessment and reduction technique. Safety science, 87, pp.63-75.

Alonso, A. and Norby, F.L., 2016. Predicting atrial fibrillation and its complications. Circulation Journal, 80(5), pp.1061-1066.

Alyami, H., Yang, Z., Riahi, R., Bonsall, S. and Wang, J., 2016. Advanced uncertainty modelling for container port risk analysis. Accident Analysis & Prevention.

Banda, O.A.V., Goerlandt, F., Kuzmin, V., Kujala, P. and Montewka, J., 2016. Risk management model of winter navigation operations. Marine pollution bulletin, 108(1-2), pp.242-262.

Be?ikçi, E.B., Kececi, T., Arslan, O. and Turan, O., 2016. An application of fuzzy-AHP to ship operational energy efficiency measures. Ocean Engineering, 121, pp.392-402.

Cook, B. and Gilles, L., Lytx Inc, 2016. Driver risk assessment system and method having calibrating automatic event scoring. U.S. Patent 9,317,980.

Gul, M., Celik, E. and Akyuz, E., 2017. A hybrid risk-based approach for maritime applications: The case of ballast tank maintenance. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 23(6), pp.1389-1403.

Lam, J.S.L. and Lassa, J.A., 2017. Risk assessment framework for exposure of cargo and ports to natural hazards and climate extremes. Maritime Policy & Management, 44(1), pp.1-15.

Schools, B.C.E., 2016. Colleges. Tribes https://www. kstrom. net/isk/schools/schools. html# top Includes information on a variety of native education initiatives and resources, including those related to the Navajo Nation.

Thekdi, S.A. and Santos, J.R., 2016. Supply Chain Vulnerability Analysis Using Scenario?Based Input?Output Modeling: Application to Port Operations. Risk Analysis, 36(5), pp.1025-1039.

Wanke, P., Barros, C.P. and Nwaogbe, O.R., 2016. Assessing productive efficiency in Nigerian airports using Fuzzy-DEA. Transport Policy, 49, pp.9-19.

Yury, K., Lera, G., Elena, K., Irina, V. and Sergey, D., 2016. Consideration of uncertainties and risks in the building process of multifunctional harbor transshipment complex. International Journal of Reliability, Quality and Safety Engineering, 23(06), p.1640011.