Hazard identification

Overview

How do you identify hazards? Consider what could cause the injuries and illnesses your employees could have when they are at work – then determine how to eliminate or control those hazards. Here are six things you can do to get started:

Conduct a baseline hazard survey.
Perform regular workplace inspections.
Do a job-hazard analysis.
Use safety data sheets to identify chemical hazards.
Look for new hazards whenever you change equipment, materials, or work processes.
Investigate incident and accidents to determine root causes.

All available content

Publications

Brochures/Guides
- Foundation for a safe workplace
  Describes the fundamentals of an effective safety and health program.
  English Order printed copy 12/21/2023
Cards
- Challenge Program
  Reviews how employers can work with our Consultation staff to find and correct workplace hazards and implement safety systems.
  English 12/01/2023
- Programa de desafío
  Challenge Program
  Revisa cómo los empleadores pueden trabajar con nuestro personal para corregir los peligros en el lugar de trabajo e implementar sistemas de seguridad.
  Spanish 12/07/2023
Checklists
- Piping systems: identification
  Checklist for piping systems - identification.
  English
Forms
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Hazard Assessment tool and lists
  This comprehensive document has lists for PPE Hazard Assessment. Use when completing an assessment of your workplace. Lists included are examples for protection for: falls, torso, eye/face, head, feet, legs, hands, hearing, and respiratory.
  English 07/17/2023
- PPE Hazard Assessment Workbook
  Conduct a PPE Hazard Assessment when hazards are present, or are likely to be present, that would require the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). This PPE Hazard Assessment form can be used to determine the required PPE by identifying the hazards and selecting appropriate PPE. The form is grouped according to the body part protected by specific types of PPE, and can serve as a written certification of the PPE Hazard Assessment.
  English 07/17/2023
References
- Rules with requirements
  We get many calls and emails from employers asking the same question. It begins: “Which of your rules have requirements for…” You can finish the sentence with words like “recordkeeping,” “employee training,” and “written documents.” To answer those questions, we’ve organized these rules requirements into a filterable, sortable, searchable table.
  English 05/10/2019

Education and training

Online course
- Curso en línea de identificación de peligros
  Hazard identification online course
  Conozca los tipos de peligros en el lugar de trabajo, corrigiendo los peligros, realizando inspecciones de seguridad y salud y escribiendo un informe de inspección de seguridad efectivo.
  Spanish Online course 12/13/2018
- Curso en línea del análisis de los riesgos del trabajo
  Job hazard analysis online course
  Durante este curso, usted aprenderá cómo determinar qué trabajos necesitan un análisis de los riesgos del trabajo; escribir un procedimiento de trabajo seguro y eficaz
  Spanish Online course
- Hazard Identification online course
  During this class you will learn about: the types of workplace hazards; hazard correction; developing an inspection checklist for the walk-around inspection; and writing an effective safety inspection report.
  English Online course
- Job Hazard Analysis online course
  During this course you will learn how to determine which job duties require a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
  English Online course
- Safety Committee Suite
  Completing the three courses that make up the suite – Safety Meetings and Committees, Accident Investigation, and Hazard Identification – satisfies the basic requirements for training safety committee members.
  English Online course
- Serie de Comités de Seguridad
  Safety committee suite
  El completar los tres cursos que componen la Serie: Comités y Reuniones de Seguridad, Investigación de Accidentes e Identificación de Peligros, satisface los requisitos básicos de entrenamiento para miembros del comité de seguridad
  Spanish Online course

PESO
- Hazard Identification (pptx)
  Localización de Riesgos
  Tailgate English Spanish 11/14/2022
- Hazard Identification (pptx)
  Localización de Riesgos
  Overhead English Spanish 11/14/2022
- Hazard Identification (pptx)
  Localización de Riesgos
  Workbook English Spanish 11/14/2022
- Hazard Identification (PDF)
  Localización de Riesgos
  Tailgate English Spanish 11/14/2022
- Hazard Identification (PDF)
  Localización de Riesgos
  Overhead English Spanish 11/14/2022
- Hazard Identification (PDF)
  Localización de Riesgos
  Workbook English Spanish 11/14/2022
Resources
- Public Education Workshop Schedule July-December
  Schedule for in-person and virtual workshop classes around the state during July through December. Attending an Oregon OSHA class helps you gain important knowledge and skills.
  English 04/23/2025
- Public Education Workshop Schedule January-June
  Schedule for our workshop classes from January through June. Attending an Oregon OSHA class helps you gain important knowledge and skills.
  English 02/05/2025
Workshop
- Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
  Workbook English 05/22/2023
- Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
  PowerPoint slides for Oregon OSHA's Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) workshop.
  Overhead English 01/15/2025
- Hazard Identification and Control
  This is for use by the instructor in Oregon OSHA's Hazard ID class.
  Instructor Guide English 10/29/2024
- Hazard Identification and Control
  Workbook for student use in tandem with Oregon OSHA's Hazard ID class.
  Workbook English 10/29/2024
- Hazard Identification and Control
  PowerPoint slides for Oregon OSHA's Hazard ID class.
  Overhead English 01/07/2025

Rules and rule-related

Final Rules
- Division 1, 437-001-0760, Rules for All Workplaces
  Administrative Order 3-2023
- Division 1, 437-001-0765, Safety Committees and Safety Meetings
  Administrative Order 3-2023
- Division 4, Subdivision C, Safety Awareness
  4-2010 Word version
- Division 7, Subdivision B, Safety and Health Program
  2-2005
- Division 7, Subdivision C, Planning, First Aid and Work Conditions
  2-2005

Video Resources

Borrow from the Resource Center

Hazard Recognition
See available titles
Borrow DVDs about Hazard Recognition from the Resource Center

Watch Online

English
- Safety’s Top Ten Causes of Workplace Injury (TrainingVideoNow)
  Injury statistics show that the same types of incidents continue to occur over and over again. Viewers will see the top 10 causes of these incidents listed from 10 to one, but more importantly, they will learn how workplace injuries can be prevented.
  Language: English Length: 19 minutes
- Watch That Dog!
  Dog bites injure 1 to 3.5 million people in America each year. 'Watch That Dog' explains basic protection and provides insight into the mannerisms of various types of dogs. Tells how to protect yourself from possible attack and injury.
  Language: English Length: 15:26 minutes
- What would you do next?
  This interactive bi-lingual training program contains nine training sessions. Includes materials on hazard identification, unsafe versus safe conditions/acts, and proposed corrective actions to implement.
  Language: English Length: 18 minutes
Spanish
- Las 10 Causas Más Comunes de Lesiones en el Lugar de Trabajo (TrainingVideoNow)
  Safety's Top 10 Causes of Workplace Injury (TrainingVideoNow)
  Injury statistics show that the same types of incidents continue to occur over and over again. Viewers will see the top 10 causes of these incidents listed from 10 to one, but more importantly, they will learn how workplace injuries can be prevented.
  Language: Spanish Length: 19 minutes

Additional Resources

Highlights

The Foundation of a Safe Workplace