5.3 Mistakes to Avoid

[Scene: Liza and John standing near a workstation, looking at a printed risk assessment sheet on a clipboard. Background noise is minimal – quiet shop environment.]

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John (looking puzzled):
Hey Liza, While I was just filing the risk assessment form I went ahead and added all the safety controls in the existing control measures column and the got the risk score low. So if I get the risk score low Why we need to have control measures column in the HIRA Form. Please help me.

Liza (shaking her head gently):
That’s a common mistake, John—but it kind of defeats the whole purpose of risk assessment.

John:
Why’s that? Isn’t the goal to eliminate the risk?

Liza:
Yes—but not in the first part of the process. Risk assessment is about understanding the true level of risk, with only the existing controls in place conventionally.

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[Visual: On-screen title - “Why Not Mitigate Risk Too Early?”]

Liza:
When filling out a risk assessment, it might feel tempting to add all your safety controls right away—but hold on.
If we add extra controls too early, we miss the chance to show the highest impact and severity of the hazard.
And that’s a problem—because workers need to see the full risk to understand what’s at stake.
 

 
[Visual: On-screen text – “Low Risk Perception = Unsafe Behavior”]
Liza:
When risk perception is too low, behavior tends to be unsafe.
But when we show the worst-case scenario, we help the crew mentally prepare and act safer on the job.
[Visual: Risk assessment table – Additional Controls column highlighted]
Liza:
That’s why we list additional control measures in a separate column.
It keeps things clear. And it makes it easy for supervisors to track those controls before and during the activity.
So remember—show the risk first, then plan the fix.
It’s not just a form—it’s how we drive real safety behavior on-site

The whole idea is to recreate the activity, step by step, and see what risks exist with just the current safeguards—so we understand what kind of hazard we are exposed.

John (nodding):
So we want to see the raw risk first?

Liza:
Exactly. That helps us see if the existing controls are enough—or if we need to add more.

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[Visual: Title – “Purpose of Risk Assessment”]

Liza:
Risk assessment is about:
• Breaking the job down
• Identifying hazards
• Applying only basic, existing controls
• And then seeing the maximum possible risk the team could face.

John:
That way the crew actually sees the need for extra protection?

Liza:
Right. By recreating real hazard scenarios, we help the team understand why additional controls are necessary—not just that they exist on paper.

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John - Just to be mindful and cautious followings are not additional control measures -
PPE and administrative controls.
John - So You mean to say PPE, SOP, Training, TBT, PTW are not to be considered as additional control measures?
Liza - Yes John, they are not the additional control measures. Hence as per the HOC, top four in the pyramid (eliminate, substitute, isolate, and engg control) should only be used to mitigate the high residual risk.
[Visual: Full pyramid lights up. Text overlay: “Choose smart. Control better. Stay safe.”]

[Visual: “ALARP – As Low As Reasonably Practicable” appears on screen with a balance icon]

John:
So where does ALARP come in?

Liza:
Good question. Once we’ve identified the risk, we ask:
Have we reduced it as low as reasonably practicable?
Not just what’s technically possible—but what’s realistic, effective, and justifiable.

John:
So it’s about balancing risk vs. effort or cost?

Liza:
Exactly. If we can reasonably reduce risk more—we must. That’s the ALARP principle.

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[Final shot: John and Liza walking back toward the job site.]

John:
Got it. Don’t sugarcoat the risk up front. Build the full picture—then decide what needs to change.

Liza (smiling):
Now you’re thinking like a safety leader.