Hazard assessments aren’t exactly the kind of paperwork most people get excited about. They’re not flashy, they’re not fun, and they often get shoved to the bottom of the to-do pile. But here’s the hard truth: if your hazard assessments are incomplete or incorrect, you’re playing a dangerous game with your workers’ safety, your legal compliance, and your company’s reputation.
In Canada, hazard assessments are a core requirement under Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) laws. They’re not just a box to check—they’re your roadmap for preventing injuries, illnesses, and even fatalities. When you skip steps, miss hazards, or get sloppy with your documentation, you’re setting your team up for avoidable risks and your business up for costly consequences.
A hazard assessment is your formal process for identifying anything that could cause harm in the workplace—whether it’s obvious (like unguarded machinery) or less visible (like ergonomic strain, chemical exposure, or mental health risks). It’s about:
In Alberta, for example, the OH&S Code, Part 2, spells it out: employers must identify hazards, assess the risks, and implement controls. That’s not a suggestion—it’s the law. You can read it for yourself here: https://www.alberta.ca/ohs-act-regulation-code
You might think, “We’ve done hazard assessments before—so we’re fine.” Not necessarily. Many companies fail because their assessments are:
When an assessment is missing key hazards or control measures, you’re left with a false sense of security—and that’s when incidents happen.
An incomplete or incorrect hazard assessment isn’t just bad safety practice—it’s a legal liability and a financial risk.
1. Regulatory Penalties
In Alberta, an Occupational Health & Safety Officer can issue orders, administrative penalties, or even stop-work orders if hazard assessments aren’t done properly. That can mean fines and public posting of violations, which is never good for business.
2. Worker Injuries & Illnesses
Missed hazards mean uncontrolled risks. That could lead to serious injuries, illnesses, or worse. Even one missed hazard can cause an incident that changes lives forever.
3. WCB Costs & Premium Increases
Every injury claim affects your Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) account—and higher claim costs mean higher premiums. Over time, this can add up to thousands of dollars.
4. Loss of Client Confidence
Many contracts—especially in construction, energy, and manufacturing—require proof of thorough hazard assessments. If your safety documentation is weak, you might lose bids or be removed from projects.
Even well-meaning employers can overlook certain hazard categories. Here are some that regularly slip through the cracks:
1. Ergonomic Risks
Not just for office workers—lifting, repetitive movements, awkward postures, and vibration exposure can lead to musculoskeletal disorders.
2. Psychosocial Hazards
Stress, bullying, harassment, and workload issues can cause mental and physical harm. CSA Z1003 outlines these hazards in detail: https://www.csagroup.org/store/product/CSA%20Z1003%20-13/
3. Seasonal & Environmental Hazards
Think extreme cold, heat stress, icy walkways, wildfire smoke, or poor air quality.
4. Confined Spaces & Isolation
Working alone or in hazardous atmospheres requires very specific controls—and yet these often get glossed over.
5. Chemical Storage & Secondary Containment
It’s not enough to know you have hazardous products—you need to assess how they’re stored, labelled, and handled.
If you’re not sure whether your hazard assessments pass the test, here are a few red flags:
If any of these sound familiar, it’s time for a review.
1. Involve the Right People
Bring in workers, supervisors, safety reps, and subject matter experts. People doing the work often see hazards management doesn’t.
2. Break It Down by Task
Instead of one giant generic assessment, create separate hazard assessments for each job, process, or location.
3. Use a Risk Matrix
A risk matrix helps you evaluate how severe a hazard is and how likely it is to cause harm. This ensures your controls are prioritized correctly.
4. Update Regularly
Anytime there’s a change in equipment, process, staffing, or location—your hazard assessments need a review.
5. Don’t Forget the “Non-Obvious” Hazards
Noise, vibration, shift work, mental health, and even workplace culture can be sources of harm.
This is where we come in. At Calgary Safety Consultants (https://calgarysafetyconsultants.ca), we’ve seen it all—companies with great intentions but hazard assessments that wouldn’t hold up under regulatory review. Our role is to make sure you’re not one of them.
Here’s how we help:
Whether you operate in construction, manufacturing, warehousing, or professional services, our approach is the same: make hazard assessments practical, relevant, and easy to use—so they actually work in real life, not just on paper.
We worked with a mid-sized manufacturing company in Calgary that believed their hazard assessments were “fine.” On review, we found they had completely missed psychosocial hazards in their office team, chemical storage risks in their production area, and outdated machine guarding procedures.
Within three weeks, we:
The result? They passed a surprise OH&S inspection with zero orders issued—and their WCB premiums have since dropped due to fewer incidents.
Canadian workplaces are facing increased scrutiny from regulators, clients, and even employees when it comes to safety. The public expects more transparency, and workers are more aware of their rights. With the Alberta OH&S Act empowering workers to refuse dangerous work, you can’t afford to be caught with an incomplete hazard assessment when a worker raises a concern.
And let’s not forget—hazards evolve. Technology changes, job demands shift, and even the mental health climate in workplaces can introduce new risks. If you’re still relying on an assessment from “back when we opened,” you’re already behind.
Hazard assessments aren’t just another OH&S requirement—they’re your first line of defence against accidents, injuries, and costly shutdowns. An incomplete or incorrect assessment doesn’t just break the rules—it breaks trust, puts workers at risk, and exposes your business to serious consequences.
At Calgary Safety Consultants, we take the guesswork out of the process. We help you identify every hazard, assess risks accurately, and put practical controls in place so your workplace stays safe, compliant, and productive.
If you’re not 100% sure your hazard assessments are complete and correct—let’s talk. You can reach us at https://calgarysafetyconsultants.ca to book a consultation. Your team’s safety, your legal compliance, and your business reputation are worth it.
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Hazard assessment, with controls, should reduce your incidents. However, there could be a problem where you are not properly identifying hazards in your workplace. This could be the case when your incidents are similar in nature. The solution is to uncover more data and trend the problem—resulting a permanent action plan to remedy situation.
After you have established a program, the number of hazard assessment your organization do on a monthly basis should be tracked as a leading indicator for your KPIs. The information will help you assess the implementation of your hazard program and it’s acceptance in the workplace. Book your complimentary consult for more information on how this can be effective for your organization.
Hazardous energy refers to stored or active energy in a system that could cause harm if unexpectedly released. This includes electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, and chemical energy.
A hazard assessment is the process of identifying potential sources of harm in the workplace, evaluating their risk, and implementing controls to prevent injury or illness. It is a legal requirement under Canadian OH&S laws and is crucial for maintaining worker safety and compliance.
Hazard assessments should be reviewed and updated at least annually, and whenever there are changes in equipment, processes, work locations, or staffing that could introduce new risks.
Common mistakes include using generic templates without customization, overlooking hazards like psychosocial risks, failing to involve workers, not updating regularly, having identified the wrong hazard, having incorrect hazards, and listing vague or ineffective controls.
Calgary Safety Consultants is here to help you ensure compliance, enhance safety, and streamline your OH&S program. Don’t wait—fill out the form, and we’ll connect with you to discuss how we can support your business. Let’s get started!
Calgary Safety Consultants delivers game-changing COR Audits and OH&S consulting designed to keep your business safe, compliant, and accident-free. With 30+ years of expertise in high-risk industries like oil & gas, construction, and manufacturing, we understand the unique challenges you face. We offer tailored safety solutions that not only meet regulatory standards but also reduce operational risks and protect your workforce. From conducting thorough safety audits to implementing comprehensive safety management systems, we ensure your team is fully supported. Our hands-on, collaborative approach means we're with you every step of the way, helping you achieve a safer, more efficient workplace. Let us handle the heavy lifting so your team stays protected, and your business thrives!
