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What is Risk Detection?

Risk detection is the process by which companies identify and analyse existing risks in the workplace. Risk detection is an important part of overall workplace safety. 

It allows management to carefully account for and evaluate risks to ensure employee safety. Once risks are detected and identified, the management creates proper safety measures.

All employees are required to follow these safety measures to prevent injuries or the occurrence of a safety incident. Risk detection is also an important part of risk management. 

Methods of Identifying Risks 

There are several methods that companies use to detect and evaluate risks in the workplace.

Observation 

The most obvious method is observation. Safety managers and responsible employees are tasked with observing specific machinery and conditions to determine the risks that they might pose. 

The results of observation are generally more effective when employees who have to operate the machines or work in specific conditions are asked for feedback. 

They are in a better position to report on any potential risks, and can recommend effective steps that the organisation can take to ensure worker safety. 

Safety analysts and consultants can also be brought on the scene to observe processes, after which they provide feedback. 

Because modern workplaces are so dynamic and regularly evolving, it’s important for companies to conduct walkarounds and employ other ethnographic approaches at regular intervals. 

Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA)

A common method used by companies to detect risk is to use failure mode and effect analysis. In this approach, companies first begin by listing all the steps required to complete a specific process.

This is known as process mapping. Then, they look at different steps to determine how each might go wrong, and determine the probability that the error will be detected before it causes harm.

They also account for the following:

  • The probability of a specific process failing
  • The odds of detecting this failure
  • The quantifiable value of the impact it might create 

FMEA helps organisations determine just how severe a specific risk can be. Then, they create an ordered list, with the most severe risk at the top, and then plan for contingencies. 

Structured What-If Technique (SWIFT)

Another technique that’s popular for risk detection is the structured what-if technique, or SWIFT. This is more qualitative and can be used either to complement FMEA or discretely. 

Companies often evaluate various situations that might arise, and then prepare solutions in the work environment. 

Safety Culture Surveys

Companies can also send out safety culture surveys to employees to gauge their responses and identify risks in the workplace. This also helps companies detect any new risks that might arise. 

Prospective vs. Retrospective Risk Analysis Methods

Most risk detection methods can be broadly categorised into two categories: prospective and retrospective methods. As mentioned above, a prospective analysis is designed to detect risk, evaluate it, and prepare a safety plan before it results in an incident. 

Retrospective methods are used after a safety incident occurs. For instance, root cause analysis is a common technique that companies use to determine what went wrong. 

By identifying the root cause of a problem, organisations are in a better position to institute safety-related changes. However, most companies generally focus on prospective risk detection. 

This reduces the risk of any major safety incidents and ensures that the company takes all relevant steps for the safety of its workforce. 

Improve Risk Detection with AI Software

Companies can improve risk detection with the help of AI software. It’s impossible for organisations to regularly monitor and record all safety events in the workplace. 

Instead, by connecting AI software to their existing CCTV network, they can get a better understanding of the performance of safety protocols. 

The AI software automatically flags safety events and records them for viewing by management later. It also gathers important analytics that improve decision-making and help companies better understand risks in the workplace.

AI safety software regularly learns user behaviour, and with the help of machine learning, its accuracy continues to improve. You can even define custom safety rules that you want employees to follow. 

With data-driven insights and reports, management is capable of making better decisions related to the safety of its employees.

Use Protex AI to Detect Risks and Improve Employee Safety

Protex AI is a robust AI solution that autonomously captures safety events based on the rules you input. It connects to your existing CCTV camera network and automatically captures any safety events. 

Apart from simply capturing safety events, the software also helps managers prepare detailed safety audit reports. The analytical information that it gathers can be used by companies to detect risks, account for hazards, and review overall safety performance. 

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