4747-20141027-specification.doc Risk Control Field of Invention This invention relates to risk control and improvements in the presentation of information relating to risk control. 5 Background Many processes, both commercial and non-commercial, can involve risk to the health and safety of "workers". Legislation in many jurisdictions requires employers to take appropriate actions to reduce those risks. In this document, we are using the term "risk" to cover both the hazard (including processes, 10 substances and/or equipment) that can potentially cause harm, and the severity and likelihood of the harm that can result. In New South Wales and other Australian states and territories, legislation typically requires organisations to ensure as far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers. The term "reasonably practicable" takes into 15 account: (a) the likelihood of the risk concerned occurring, and (b) the degree of harm that might result from the risk, and (c) what the person concerned knows, or ought reasonably to know, about the risk, and ways of eliminating or minimising the risk, and 20 (d) the availability and suitability of ways to eliminate or minimise the risk, and (e) after assessing the extent of the risk and the available ways of eliminating or minimising the risk, the cost associated with available 4747-20141027-specification.doc -2 ways of eliminating or minimising the risk, including whether the cost is grossly disproportionate to the risk. Typically in addressing a primary risk, the equipment, processes, actions, instructions or other measures provided to reduce the primary risk, leave 5 some residual primary risk, as well as introducing additional "points of failure", or secondary risks. Accordingly, when looking at the overall risk of the modified arrangements one must look at both the residual primary risk that remains after applying the risk control measures, and these secondary risks. 10 Typically, potential risks are listed, analysed for likelihood and degree of harm, potential risk controls are listed for each risk, and the final risk controls decided for each risk. Often different departments of the organisation are responsible for different risks and controls. Gaining an overview of the risk control strategy for a certain physical and/or workflow system can require 15 digging through large amounts of paperwork, and very few people, if any, in the organisation will have such an overview. This can make it hard for the organisation to make sure all bases are covered, make it difficult to apply learning between similar but non-identical systems, and make it difficult to train users in their role in the whole risk control strategy. 20 This invention allows for a readily understood visualisation of a risk control strategy. It can be used to represent the total set of options available for controlling risk in a type of system, or it can represent the risk controls chosen in an individual system. If an organisation has a number of similar but non-identical systems (such as a 25 research organisation with several fume cupboards which may be used for chemicals of varying toxicity), an Overall Risk Control Chart can be prepared to represent the total set of options available for controlling risk in the type 4747-20141027-specification.doc -3 of system, and the individual systems can have a copy of the Overall Risk Control chart with the risk controls chosen in the individual system ticked or highlighted. This can make it very easy to compare the system risk control strategies across the organisation. 5 Summary of the Invention In one broad form the invention provides a method of providing information relating to one or more mitigators of one or more primary risks associated with a process, substance or equipment and one or more potential residual primary and/or secondary risks left remaining after, or introduced by 10 arrangements provided to reduce the primary risk(s). The method involves the displaying on a human readable display media first information or context relating to each of one or more mitigators of a primary risk, second information relating to each of one or more potential residual primary and/or secondary risks, optionally grouped into classes, associated 15 with these mitigators and third information relating to each of one or more factors associated with the further mitigation and/or management of each potential residual primary and/or secondary risk or class of risk, wherein, for each mitigator of the primary risk(s), said second information relating to each potential residual primary risk and/or secondary risk or 20 class of risk is arranged in a group comprised of one or more pieces of information, and the groups are arranged sequentially along a first line and said third information is arranged along a second axis extending transversely to the first line from the respective group. The method may include identification of any primary risks. 25 The method may include analysis of each primary risk for likelihood and degree of harm.
4747-20141027-specification.doc -4 For each primary risk the method may include identification of one or more mitigators of the respective primary risk. For each mitigator, the method may include identification of any potential remaining residual primary risk. 5 For each mitigator, the method may include identification of any potential secondary risks. For each residual primary and/or secondary risk the method may include identification of factors associated with the mitigation of the residual primary and/or secondary risk. 10 The method may include providing indicia, such as colour, in relation to the factors of the residual primary and/or secondary risks or both to aid comprehension. The human readable display media may be an electronic display or a physical carrier, such as paper. 15 The invention also includes a human readable display media having first information relating to each of one or more mitigators of a primary risk, second information relating to each of one or more potential residual primary and/or secondary risks associated with each mitigator and third information relating to each of one or more factors associated with each potential residual 20 primary and/or secondary risk, wherein, for each mitigator, said second information relating to each potential residual primary and/or secondary risk is arranged in a group and each group is arranged sequentially along a first line and said third information is arranged along a second axis extending transversely to 25 the first line from the respective group.
4747-20141027-specification.doc -5 The human readable display media may include indicia, such as colour, in relation to the factors or the residual primary and/or secondary risks or both to aid comprehension. Brief Description of the Drawings 5 Figure 1 shows a risk control chart prepared according to an embodiment of the invention. Detailed Description of Preferred and other Embodiments Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a risk control chart 10 prepared according to an embodiment of the invention. 10 The risk control chart 10 relates to a process that may produce harmful airborne substances. The primary risk to workers is of breathing or otherwise dangerously contacting the harmful airborne substances. The primary risk may be reduced by providing a fume cupboard. The fume cupboard mitigates the risk of workers breathing or otherwise dangerously contacting the harmful 15 airborne substances and so is a mitigator of the primary risk. Other mitigators may be used to reduce that risk, such as a hazmat suit - an overall garment worn to protect people from hazardous materials or substances, including chemicals, biological agents, or radioactive materials. The exact primary risk (breathing or otherwise dangerously contacting the harmful airborne 20 substances) and the mitigators (fume cupboard, hazmat suit, etc.) are not critical to the invention. The invention may include multiple mitigators in relation to the same primary risk, such as use of both a fume cupboard and a hazmat suit. However, for ease of understanding the following description relates to a single mitigator, in this case provision of a fume cupboard. 25 Provision of a fume cupboard to control or mitigate the primary risk of 4747-20141027-specification.doc -6 breathing harmful airborne substances, generates a multitude of residual primary and/or secondary risks. These residual primary and/or secondary risks are incurred in both the design stage and the operational stage. Each residual primary and secondary risk in 5 turn has a number of factors that relate to the mitigation of these risks. The risk control chart 10 shows seven residual primary risk classes and five secondary risk classes, totalling twelve. The invention arranges information relating to each of these twelve residual primary and secondary risk classes into groups 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120 and 130 arranged 10 along a line. In this embodiment the line is a straight line 12 extending horizontally. These residual primary and secondary risks include: Nature of the basic fume cupboard selected 20. A fume cupboard may be selected that is not suitable for the situation. Factors that affect correct 15 selection and thereby mitigate this class of secondary risk include identification and compliance with standards governing the laboratory 22, basic checklist assessment 24 and full functional assessment 26. Each of these factors is arranged in a line 28 extending from the respective group 20. In this case the line 28 is straight and extends transversely and more particularly 20 orthogonally relative to line 12. The factors 22, 24, 26 lie on one side of line 12. Other arrangements may be used. A selected fume cupboard may not provide the required performance to capture and exhaust fumes, a residual primary risk 30. Factors relating to mitigation of the risk of inadequate capture and exhaust include the provision 25 of sufficient outside air volume 32, correct room air flow 34, and equipment certification 36. These factors 32, 34, 36 are arranged in a line 38 extending from the respective group 30.
4747-20141027-specification.doc -7 Discharge of substances to atmosphere is a residual risk (40). Factors relating to mitigation of this risk include incorrect scrubber selection or certification of scrubber efficiency 42, automatic dosing 46 and automatic neutralisation and disposal systems 48. These are design issues. Operational Factors relating 5 to the risk of inadequate scrubber performance include dossing schedules 44. Again these are arranged extending transversely to line 12. Factors relating to the mitigation of maintenance and certification risk (50), a residual risk class if not performed correctly, include accreditation 51, competency 52, policy 53, fume cupboard compliance assessment 54, 10 resourcing 55, performance reviews 56, and a compliance records database 57. Factors relating to the mitigation of incorrect use (training risk) 60 include provision of suitable operating instructions 61, user training 62, provision of 15 tracking and feedback 63, alarms and automation 64, 65, tracking and user access control 66. Factors relating to the mitigation of risk relating to working in the fume cupboard environment 70 include minimisation of spill hazards 72, provision of adequate working space 74, and ergonomic aspects 76. 20 Factors relating to residual substances in fume cupboards 80 include design of the fume cupboard for easy cleaning 82, suitable handles and controls 84, provision of cleaning schedules 86 and substance registers 88. Factors relating to physical injury 90 include sash operation 92, including in the event of cable failure 94, and the electrical safety of controls and displays 25 96.
4747-20141027-specification.doc Factors relating to mitigation of system failure during use 100 include provision of alarm 102, uninterruptible power supply 104 and emergency fan provision 106. Factors relating to mitigation of downtime 110 include defined response times 5 for actual repair 112, response times for quotes for maintenance or repair and response times for test reports 114 and the authority of testers to make immediate repairs 116. Introduction of contractors to service the fume cupboard introduces a secondary risk class 120. Factors relating to mitigation of risk include third 10 party safety accreditation 122, site induction of people 124, tracking and reporting 126 and first aid capacity and capability 128. Factors relating to fire risk 130 include selection of appropriate chamber for the hazard 132, residue control systems within the fume cupboard 134 and fire suppression systems 136 within the fume cupboard. 15 As can be seen, the residual primary and/or secondary risks are presented on a display media along one line, in this case a horizontal axis. Each factor of a residual primary and/or secondary risk is displayed along another line. In this case an orthogonal axis. In this embodiment all factors are arranged linearly on one side of the line of residual primary and/or secondary risks. If desired, 20 factors may extend either side of the lien of residual primary and/or secondary risks, i.e. in this case above and below. Factors may be provided with different indicia. The indicium of each factor may be background shading, colour, font style or other attribute. Thus factors 26, 46, 48, 57, 64, 65, 66, 104,106, 116, 128, 134 and 136 may be shaded or 25 coloured a different colour to the other factors. In the example of Figure 1, shading indicates higher-level risk controls.
4747-20141027-specification.doc -9 The display media may be an electronic display or a paper sheet or similar. Whilst the invention has been described with reference to risk control associated with physical fume cupboards it will be understood that the invention is applicable to any "process", whether physical or imaginary, that 5 creates a primary risk. The invention is also applicable to both physical and process or method changes used to mitigate a primary risk. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and any claims the words "comprise", "comprising", and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; 10 that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to". The features of the invention described or mentioned in this document may be combined in any combination of features where features are not mutually exclusive. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many obvious modifications 15 and variations may be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.