Application of Risk Identification, Risk Analysis, and Risk Assessment in the University Laboratory

Abstract

Currently, the presence of laboratories has become a difficult thing to be separated from the learning system in the university. Moreover, there are many universities that have begun to encourage their students and lecturers to do researches more frequent, for needs both of lecture activities and theses. These conditions trigger the laboratory management to improve their service quality, such as through improvement of the comfortability. From this improvement, it is expected to increase the productivity of people who are doing their activities in a laboratory. However, while the working productivity is being prioritized, there is a problem that is often forgotten, namely health and safety environment. An unhealthy working environment has the possibility to cause stress to people who are working in it. Hazard potentials that exist in a laboratory are caused by the use of reagents and research equipment. To prevent the occurrence of these hazard potentials, deep understanding of risks potential in a laboratory is needed. Based on a research at XYZ Laboratory, a risk analysis and risk assessment are needed to be done by a laboratory, which is often used by students and lecturers in a university, with the purpose of determine the severity and likelihood level of an incident happened. Furthermore, AS/NZS 4360-2004 method, which is used in this research, is also a method to determine the priority of how handle a risk and what is the best step to prevent it.