It's not always the obvious things that cause the most harm. In care work, risks can hide in routine tasks, quiet moments, or split-second decisions.

Risk assessments do not identify hazards. Instead, they help us understand the severity of a known hazard, so we can take action before someone gets hurt.

Because what you don't see, or fully understand, can still hurt you.

What is a risk assessment?

Once a workplace hazard is identified, a risk assessment helps determine:

• How likely it is that harm will occur
• How severe the consequences could be
• How urgently controls are needed

Two types of risk assessments in care work

1. Formal risk assessments are systematic, structured, and documented evaluations of known hazards. They are used when:

• The hazard poses a high or moderate risk
• Controls may be complex or resource-intensive
• Broader work procedures or systems are affected.

Risk assessments follow a clear process. Someone with experience usually does them, and they work closely with frontline workers, the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC) or a worker rep, and supervisors or managers.

Formal risk assessment in our industry includes the evaluation of the risk level for:

• Violence and responsive behaviours
• Exposure to hazardous substances (e.g., medications, disinfectants)
• Ergonomic risks (e.g., resident handling, housekeeping and laundry tasks)
• Environmental risks (e.g., cluttered rooms, poor lighting or ventilation)
• Psychosocial hazards (e.g., high workload, grief, moral distress)

2. Point-of-care risk assessments (PCRA) are informal, real-time evaluations done by workers before or during a task to quickly assess if it's safe to proceed. They are used to:

• Spot changes with the tool, equipment, acts, conditions, or situations
• Help workers to evaluate and make decisions based on their training continually

PCRAs are usually not documented, but they are critical to everyday safety. PCRAs are often used before entering a resident's room or a client's house.

Regulatory requirements in British Columbia

In BC, employers have a legal duty to keep workers safe. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR) and the Workers Compensation Act, they are legally required to:

• Identify workplace hazards
• Assess the associated risks (including both physical and psychological)
• Take effective action to control those risks and protect everyone on the job

Worker involvement is critical

Frontline workers are often the first to notice when something doesn't feel right, physically or emotionally. Their input is crucial for making accurate risk assessments, developing effective control measures, and fostering a culture of safety and shared responsibility.

In formal risk assessments, involving the JOHSC or worker health and safety representative is a regulatory requirement and a best practice.

Why does this matter in your workplace?

Every workplace has risks, even when everything looks fine on the surface.

Risk assessments help us take a closer look at hazards we already know about and figure out what needs attention first. They also give staff the confidence to stay aware and make safe decisions when things change.

Keeping workers safe means more than just following rules. It's about ensuring the workplace respects and supports people, so they can continue doing their important work without feeling drained.

To support your health and safety efforts, a comprehensive set of risk assessment tools is available on our website, including a broad selection of hazard-specific guides, templates and worksheets for known industry hazards.

Would you benefit from training? Check out our OHS: Part 2, Beyond the Basics course.

Questions? Connect with one of our consultants at info@safecarebc.ca