Health and Safety are a cornerstone of every successful workplace. Accidents, injuries, and occupational illnesses not only harm individuals but also disrupt operations and reduce morale. One of the widely accepted frameworks to manage health and safety risks systematically is the ThinkSAFE approach. This process is built on five key steps, which help employers and safety professionals identify hazards, evaluate risks, implement precautions, and monitor controls.
In this article, we focus specifically on the second ThinkSAFE step: Evaluating Risks and Deciding on Precautions. This step is critical as it lays the groundwork for effective control measures that prevent injuries, illnesses, and fatalities at work.
What Is ThinkSAFE?
ThinkSAFE is a structured, step-by-step approach to workplace safety developed to encourage proactive thinking before work begins. It integrates hazard awareness and risk control into everyday tasks to prevent incidents.
The acronym ThinkSAFE stands for:
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Spot the hazard
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Assess the risk
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Find a safer way
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Evaluate effectiveness
Some organizations may tailor the steps slightly, but the core principles remain the same. This article focuses on the second step: Assess the Risk, which is often referred to as evaluating risks and deciding on precautions.
Overview of the Five ThinkSAFE Steps
Before diving into the second step, it helps to understand the entire ThinkSAFE process:
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Spot the Hazard – Identify anything that could cause harm.
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Assess the Risk – Evaluate how likely harm is to occur and how severe it could be.
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Find a Safer Way – Determine and implement control measures.
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Ensure Everyone Knows – Communicate risks and controls to everyone involved.
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Evaluate Effectiveness – Monitor and review control measures regularly.
Understanding the Second ThinkSAFE Step
The second ThinkSAFE step – Evaluate Risks and Decide on Precautions – is the analytical core of the ThinkSAFE method. Once you’ve identified hazards, the next logical move is to understand:
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How likely is this hazard to cause harm?
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How severe would the outcome be?
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What control measures are required to prevent harm?
In essence, risk evaluation transforms your raw list of hazards into an action plan.
Why Risk Evaluation Matters
Many workplaces conduct hazard spotting, but failing to properly assess the risks associated with those hazards often leads to ineffective or insufficient controls.
Read Also: Stress Risk Assessment Example: A Practical Guide for Workplaces
Key Reasons Risk Evaluation Is Crucial:
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Prevents Incidents – By identifying high-risk tasks before they cause harm.
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Prioritizes Resources – Focus efforts on the most significant risks.
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Ensures Legal Compliance – Most safety laws require formal risk assessments.
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Enhances Worker Confidence – Staff feel safer when they know risks are managed.
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Improves Business Continuity – Reduced incidents lead to fewer disruptions.
The Components of Risk Evaluation
A thorough risk evaluation involves three critical components:
1. Likelihood – How probable is it that harm will occur?
Examples:
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Highly likely (frequent exposure, no controls)
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Likely (occasional exposure)
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Unlikely (rare situations, strong controls in place)
2. Severity – What is the potential impact if harm occurs?
Examples:
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Minor (scrapes, mild discomfort)
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Moderate (injuries requiring first aid or short-term medical attention)
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Severe (fractures, long-term illness, fatality)
3. Risk Level – A combination of likelihood and severity.
Organizations often use risk matrices to score risk levels (e.g., low, medium, high, very high).
How to Evaluate Risks Effectively
Follow this five-step model when evaluating risks:
Step 1: Identify Who Might Be Harmed
Think about workers, visitors, contractors, and the public.
Step 2: Identify How They Might Be Harmed
Look at the hazards’ effect on health and safety – e.g., cuts, slips, exposure to chemicals.
Step 3: Determine Existing Controls
What measures are already in place to mitigate the risk?
Step 4: Assign Risk Ratings
Use a risk matrix (5×5 or 3×3) to quantify the likelihood and severity.
Step 5: Decide on Additional Controls
If the risk is not acceptably low, identify further actions.
Deciding on Precautions: The Hierarchy of Controls
When deciding how to reduce or eliminate risk, always refer to the Hierarchy of Controls – a globally recognized framework used in occupational health and safety.
The Hierarchy (from most to least effective):
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Elimination – Remove the hazard entirely.
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Substitution – Replace with a less hazardous alternative.
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Engineering Controls – Isolate people from the hazard (e.g., guards, barriers).
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Administrative Controls – Change the way people work (e.g., policies, training).
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PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) – The last line of defense.
Read Also: DOSH Launch Psychosocial Risk Assessment and Management Guideline
Tip: Never rely on PPE alone.
Common Mistakes During Risk Evaluation
Many organizations make errors that weaken their safety systems:
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Not involving frontline workers – Those closest to the task often know the real risks.
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Using outdated templates – Risk evaluations must reflect current work conditions.
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Overlooking non-routine tasks – Maintenance, cleaning, and emergencies often carry hidden risks.
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Ignoring human factors – Fatigue, stress, and competence influence outcomes.
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Rushing the process – Quality risk assessment takes time and reflection.
Legal Requirements and Regulatory Context
In the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to:
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Identify workplace hazards.
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Evaluate risks.
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Implement appropriate controls.
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Train employees on hazards and safe procedures.
While OSHA doesn’t mandate a specific risk matrix, it does require a “hazard assessment” process and emphasizes control implementation under the General Duty Clause.
In the UK, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 mandate formal risk assessments, with documented evidence for organizations with five or more employees.
Other countries like Canada, Australia, and EU members have similar requirements.
Tools and Techniques for Effective Risk Assessment
Enhance your risk evaluations with the following tools:
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Risk Matrix – Helps prioritize risks visually.
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Job Safety Analysis (JSA) – Breaks down tasks to assess risks step-by-step.
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Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP) – Used in complex operations like chemical plants.
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SWIFT (Structured What-If Technique) – Helps identify “what could go wrong”.
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Checklists – Standardized prompts to ensure thoroughness.
Use digital safety platforms (e.g., iAuditor, EcoOnline, or SafetyCulture) to streamline risk assessment documentation and communication.
Real-World Example: Construction Site Evaluation
Scenario:
Workers are erecting scaffolding for a building renovation.
Identified Hazards:
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Falls from height
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Collapse of the scaffold
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Falling objects
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Manual handling injuries
Risk Evaluation:
| Hazard | Likelihood | Severity | Risk Level | Existing Controls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall from height | Likely | Severe | High | Harnesses, guardrails, and training |
| Scaffold collapse | Unlikely | Severe | Medium | Engineer design, regular inspection |
| Falling objects | Likely | Moderate | Medium | Toe boards, PPE, and exclusion zones |
| Manual handling | Likely | Moderate | Medium | Training, mechanical aids |
Precautions Decided:
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Reinforce fall protection training.
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Increase scaffold inspections to daily.
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Use netting to catch dropped tools.
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Redesign the manual handling process.
The Role of Training and Competence
Even the best risk evaluation will fail if workers aren’t trained properly.
Ensure that:
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Staff understand how to recognize hazards.
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They can interpret risk levels.
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They know and apply control measures.
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Supervisors can monitor and reinforce safety behavior.
Use interactive training, toolbox talks, and practical demonstrations.
Benefits of a Robust Risk Evaluation Process
Implementing the second ThinkSAFE step correctly delivers numerous benefits:
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Lower incident rates
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Stronger regulatory compliance
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Higher employee morale and trust
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Reduced insurance costs and liability
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Improved operational efficiency
Read Also: What is Risk Assessment Process
Risk evaluation is not just a legal necessity—it’s a strategic investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Is a risk assessment the same as hazard identification?
No. Hazard identification is about spotting potential dangers. Risk assessment involves analyzing the impact and likelihood of those hazards to determine control measures.
Q2: How often should I review my risk evaluation?
Regularly and after any of the following:
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Incident or near miss
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Change in process or equipment
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Introduction of new workers
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Regulatory update
Q3: Can I use generic risk assessments?
You can start with a template, but always tailor it to the specific work environment and task.
Q4: Who should conduct the risk evaluation?
Ideally, a competent person with health and safety knowledge, task-specific experience, and good communication skills.
Conclusion
The second ThinkSAFE step – Evaluating Risks and Deciding on Precautions – is more than a paperwork exercise. It’s a critical thinking process that helps prevent workplace harm and supports a strong safety culture. By understanding the likelihood and severity of hazards and applying effective control measures through the hierarchy of controls, organizations can significantly reduce their risk exposure.
As a Health and Safety Consultant, I always advise my clients: Don’t just tick boxes – think critically, consult widely, and act decisively. Your workers’ lives may depend on it.
Are you looking to enhance your company’s risk evaluation process? Let’s talk about custom training, audits, or risk assessment templates tailored to your industry.