The document discusses two main methods for identifying safety risks before accidents occur: change analysis and job safety analysis. Change analysis involves analyzing any changes to machinery, processes, or other aspects of the work environment to identify new risks. Job safety analysis involves dissecting each job task to identify potential risks. It is important for safety managers to use both of these methods and to educate all employees on safety procedures, risks to watch for, and how to report issues. The goal is to stop accidents from happening by identifying and addressing risks in advance.

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The second strategy is often called job safety analysis,
and it functions by taking each job or task performed
in a facility, and dissecting apart the steps that are taken
within the job. Looking at each step that is taken, and
attempting to identify what risks exist will help allow for
solutions to be put in place to prevent those risks from
becoming actual accidents. A good safety manager will
use both of these methods in his or her ongoing battle of
minimizing the risk for accidents in the work facility.
How can Analyzing Changes Help?
When done properly, change analysis can help the safety
manager identify new problems which occur as a result
of a change in the area. This change could be intentional,
such as adding new machinery or adjusting the products
that are being made, or it could be unintentional, such as
a part of a machine wearing out or breaking.
There are several steps involved with analyzing any type
of change. Identifying what caused the change is typically
a good place to start. This can then be compared to the
way things were done prior to the change. This will help
to set a baseline to identify whether there are additional
risks, or if the change has helped to eliminate risks. Once
these things are observed, it is possible to pinpoint any
areas of the change that have introduced a new risk, and
either adjust the change to work properly without the
risk, or consider restoring things back to the way they
were before. This can be a lengthy process, but it is well
worth the effort because doing so will keep these changes
from causing any further accidents.
How can Analyzing a job Help?
Unlike analyzing change, the job analysis will work with
all existing systems as they are. The steps involved are
often quite similar, but they aren’t limited to looking just
at what types of things changed. By evaluating current
processes that are in place, and identifying all potential
risks associated with them it can often help bring
Stop the Accident
Before You’re
Part of the Accident
One of the most important things any safety manager, or
other leader in a facility can do to help improve overall
safety is to teach everyone that preventing accidents
before they happen is
an important part of
their job. While
responding
to accidents
after they
happen is
necessary, it
is really only
the result of
the facility
failing to prevent
it from happening in
the first place. Rather
than waiting for problems to come occur, so solutions
can be found and implemented, it is much better to
always be on the lookout for ways to stop an accident
before it becomes a reality.
How to Identify & Correct Risks
As a safety manager, there are two main ways to identify
safety problems before they occur. The first one is often
known as change analysis, and it will look at anything
that is out of the ordinary in the facility. Identifying
anything that has changed can help to clarify whether
the change has also brought with it any additional risk.
Obviously, it is impossible to operate a facility without
any change, and that is one of the biggest reasons why
effective change analysis is so important.

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unknown risks to light. Once identified as a risk, the
safety team can work with other teams to attempt to find
solutions to the problems.
It is important to note, however, that whenever
implementing a solution to a risk, it is critical to then
re-analyze the job processes with the solution in place. In
some cases, a proposed (or even implemented) solution
can actually cause unintended problems or risks. Taking
steps to ensure that any adjustments made to a standard
process have a net improvement in safety is one of the
cardinal rules of job safety analysis.
Knowing Your Role
Whether performing one of these two analysis steps,
or just working in a day to day role in a facility, it is
important that everyone knows their role when it comes
to facility safety. Most people are given training on
how to perform their normal job duties, but are largely
ignorant of when to report potential problems or even to
whom they should be reported. If, for example, someone
notices that a belt in a machine is frayed, they might not
report it unless it is on a machine that they regularly
work with. There are many reasons why people don’t
report things, but typically it is just because they don’t
know the process.
Safety managers, or other leaders in a facility, should
always take the time to ensure everyone knows
what to do when they identify a risk or a potential
risk. In addition, there should never be any negative
repercussions for reporting these things.
Even implementing a policy so when someone doesn’t
know whether something is a concern, or who to report
it to, they should come directly to a safety or facility
manager. Even if this is not the ideal place to have
something reported to, it will give everyone a single point
of content for all these types of issues. In many cases
they will know who to report problems to, but when they
don’t, employees should always be able to come to the
safety or facility manager with their concerns.
Focus on Education
Another important way to help people stop accidents
before they become a part of them is to ensure they are
properly educated on how things in the facility work. This
can start with standard education programs to ensure
everyone is aware of the safety standards in a facility. For
example, most facilities have a variety of different col-
or floor markings (See example Figure 1) that indicate
different safety risks. Everyone should know what they all
mean, even if they don’t often work in a particular area
Figure 1

3. where they are used. Beyond this level of education in a
facility, it is also important to make sure everyone has a
good understanding of what types of things to look for
in a facility. Most accidents are preceded by some sort of
problem which is either not noticed, or ignored. A simple
example of this could be when someone sees a puddle of
water near the entrance to a facility. If they report it to the
maintenance staff, it could be cleaned up before someone
slips. There are, of course, many other types of problems
that occur in facilities, and making sure everyone knows
how to spot when something is not right, and how to get it
fixed, can help prevent a lot of problems.
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About the author
Antonio Ferraro On behalf of Creative Safety Supply based in Portland, OR, I strive
to provide helpful information to create safer and more efficient industrial work en-
vironments. My knowledge base focuses primarily on practices such as 5S, Six Sigma,
Kaizen, and the Lean mindset. I believe in being proactive and that for positive change
to happen, we must be willing to be transparent and actively seek out areas in need
of improvement. An organized, safe, and well-planned work space leads to increased
productivity, quality products and happier workplace
After the Accident
While it is essential to take all possible steps to prevent
accidents from occurring, some will still inevitably
happen. When an accident does occur, it is important
that everyone knows that they should immediately
report the accident so that it can be fully investigated.
An accident investigation shouldn’t be seen as a witch
hunt, trying to find someone to blame. Instead, accidents
should be viewed as opportunities for preventing further
problems. When everyone is open, honest and up front
about their roles in an accident, it will be much easier to
fix the root cause so it doesn’t happen again.