OSHA defines hazard as any situation, source, or act that has a potential to cause harm such as ill health or injury, or even a combination of the two. Hazards are the primary cause for occupational safety and health problems. All employers should identify and remove all potential hazards from the workplace. To keep the workplace safe, employers must conduct hazard analysis. Hazard analysis is the process of identifying hazards that have the potential to arise from a system or environment, documenting their unwanted consequences, and analyzing their underlying causes. The hazard analysis process starts in the early stages of a project with a Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA) and continues throughout the product’s life cycle. The objectives of hazard analysis are threefold:

To identify hazards of the equipment under control and the control system for all circumstances, including fault conditions and misuse
To identify and analyze causes leading to the hazardous events identified
To determine potential risks.

Hazard analysis is performed for one of the following reasons –

Examination of new system development to identify and analyze potential hazards and consequently control or eliminate them
Examination of the existing system to identify and analyze hazards to improve safety, create new safety management policy, train personnel, increase motivation for safety and efficiency of operation among employees
Examination of an existing system to showcase the safety commitment of the organization to its customer, government, and the public through certification