ABSTRACT
The ILO acknowledges in its guidelines on occupa-tional safety and health management systems (ILO-OSH 2001) that the impact on occupational health and safety of internal changes (such as those in staffing or due to new processes, working procedures, organizational structures or acquisitions), and of external changes (for example, as a result of amendments of national laws and regulations, organizational mergers, and developments in occupational health and safety knowledge and technology) should be evaluated and appropriate preventive steps taken prior to the introduction of changes. To achieve this, a workplace hazard identification and risk assessment should be carried out before any modification or introduction of new work methods, materials, processes or machinery. Such assessment should be done in consultation with and involving workers and their representatives, and the health and safety committee, where appropriate.
