HIRA Explained: The Complete Guide to Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment in South Africa

What is HIRA?

HIRA — Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment — is the systematic process of identifying workplace hazards, assessing the risks they present, and implementing controls to eliminate or reduce those risks to acceptable levels.

HIRA is not just a best practice — it's a legal requirement in South Africa under both the OHSA (Act 85 of 1993) and the Construction Regulations 2014.

Why HIRA is Legally Required

OHSA Requirements

• Section 8(2)(d): Employers must establish what hazards are attached to any work and determine precautionary measures
• General Administrative Regulation 9: Requires employers to conduct risk assessments
• Section 12: Safety of articles and substances used at work — requires hazard assessment

Construction Regulations 2014

• Regulation 9(1): The principal contractor must ensure that a risk assessment is performed before any construction work commences
• Regulation 10: Fall protection plans must be based on risk assessment findings

ISO 45001:2018

• Clause 6.1.2: Requires organisations to establish processes for hazard identification that are ongoing and proactive

Types of Risk Assessment

1. Baseline Risk Assessment (BRA)

A comprehensive, facility-wide assessment conducted:

• When an organisation first implements a health and safety system
• When moving to new premises
• When introducing a new process or operation
• Periodically (typically annually) to review the overall risk profile

Purpose: Establishes the overall risk profile of the organisation and identifies all significant hazards.

2. Issue-Based Risk Assessment (IBRA)

A focused assessment of specific activities, tasks, or situations:

• Before undertaking a specific task or activity
• When changes occur to processes, equipment, or materials
• After an incident or near-miss
• When new legislation or standards apply

Purpose: Provides detailed risk analysis for specific work activities.

3. Continuous Risk Assessment (CRA)

An ongoing, real-time assessment performed by workers before and during tasks:

• Before starting each shift or task
• When conditions change during work
• When something unexpected occurs

Methods include:

• SLAM — Stop, Look, Assess, Manage
• Take 5 — Five safety questions before starting
• JSA/JHA — Job Safety Analysis / Job Hazard Analysis

Purpose: Empowers workers to identify and respond to hazards in real time.

The HIRA Process: Step by Step

Step 1: Identify the Hazard

A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm. Use these methods to identify hazards:

Workplace inspection:

• Walk through the entire workplace systematically
• Observe actual work practices (not just what's documented)
• Check equipment condition, housekeeping, and environmental conditions

Review documentation:

• Previous risk assessments
• Incident and near-miss reports
• Safety audit findings
• Material safety data sheets (MSDS/SDS)
• Manufacturer instructions and guidelines

Consult workers:

• Workers often have the best knowledge of day-to-day hazards
• Conduct interviews, surveys, or safety meetings
• Include contractor input

Categories of hazards:

• Physical — noise, vibration, temperature, radiation, pressure
• Chemical — substances, dust, fumes, gases, vapours
• Biological — bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites
• Ergonomic — manual handling, repetitive motion, workstation design
• Psychosocial — stress, violence, bullying, fatigue
• Mechanical — moving parts, sharp edges, pinch points
• Electrical — live conductors, static electricity, lightning
• Environmental — fire, explosion, flood, structural collapse

Step 2: Assess the Risk

Risk is the combination of the likelihood of a hazardous event occurring and the severity of the harm that could result.

Risk = Likelihood × Severity

Likelihood Scale

Severity Scale

Risk Matrix

Risk Rating Actions

• Extreme (20-25): Stop work immediately. Senior management action required. Cannot proceed until risk is reduced.
• High (10-16): Senior management attention required. Implement additional controls before proceeding.
• Medium (5-9): Management responsibility. Implement controls within a defined timeframe.
• Low (1-4): Manage by routine procedures. Monitor and review regularly.

Step 3: Implement Controls

Apply the Hierarchy of Controls (most effective to least effective):

1. Elimination — completely remove the hazard
2. Substitution — replace with something less hazardous
3. Engineering controls — isolate people from the hazard (guards, barriers, ventilation)
4. Administrative controls — change the way people work (procedures, training, scheduling)
5. PPE — personal protective equipment (last resort)

Best practice: Always start at the top of the hierarchy. Use multiple controls in combination for high-risk activities.

Step 4: Record and Communicate

• Document the risk assessment in a standardised format
• Share findings with all affected workers
• Display summaries in the workplace where appropriate
• Include in safety inductions for new workers and visitors

Step 5: Review and Update

Risk assessments are living documents — they must be reviewed:

• At regular intervals (typically annually for baseline assessments)
• After any incident or near-miss
• When processes, equipment, or substances change
• When new information becomes available
• When legislation changes

Common HIRA Mistakes

1. Desktop exercise — conducting the assessment in an office without visiting the workplace
2. Generic assessments — using templates from other sites without site-specific adaptation
3. Ignoring worker input — workers know the real hazards from daily experience
4. Assessing only physical hazards — neglecting ergonomic, psychosocial, and chemical hazards
5. Not reviewing regularly — treating the assessment as a once-off exercise
6. Controls at the bottom of the hierarchy — defaulting to PPE without considering elimination or engineering controls
7. No residual risk assessment — not re-assessing the risk after implementing controls
8. Poor communication — workers unaware of the risk assessment findings

HIRA Training: Building Competence

To conduct effective risk assessments, you need trained competent persons. Key qualifications include:

• HIRA Training — dedicated course in hazard identification and risk assessment methodology
• NEBOSH IGC — covers risk assessment as a core competency within broader safety management
• NEBOSH ICC — construction-specific risk assessment methodology
• ISO 45001 Lead Auditor — auditing risk management processes

How OHS Compliance Group Can Help

Our HIRA Training course provides practical, hands-on skills in hazard identification and risk assessment:

• Full HIRA methodology from identification through control implementation
• Practical exercises using real workplace scenarios
• Risk matrix application and residual risk assessment
• Integration with OHSA and ISO 45001 requirements
• Certificate of completion for appointment records

Combine with NEBOSH IGC for a comprehensive safety management foundation that covers risk assessment within the context of international best practice.