ABSTRACT
To be effective, the work hazards and risk assessment methods must address all components of the work system as well as their interactions affecting the human performance. A workplace hazard is an event or situation with the potential for harm (Cox and Cox 1993). The concept of risk is used to quantify the degree of harm with respect to the likelihood (probability) and severity (consequences) in response to workplace hazards (Cox and Cox 1993; Manuele 1997). Performance can be described in terms of health and safety measures with the goal of risk quantification of workplace hazards. As discussed by Shoaf et al. (2000), a comprehensive work system model is needed to optimize human performance. Such system should capture and integrate the individual and interactive effects of the great number of variables related to hazards and risks at the workplace.
