skills/wsh-risk-assessment/references/Appendix D Consequence Library.txt

# Appendix D: Consequence Library

## Purpose

This appendix provides examples of credible consequences associated with common workplace hazards. The examples are intended to support hazard analysis, consequence identification, and severity assessment.

Consequences should be:

* Reasonably foreseeable.
* Proportionate to the hazard.
* Consistent with the exposure pathway.
* Based on credible outcomes rather than worst-case scenarios alone.

A single hazard may have multiple possible consequences of differing severity.

**Note:** Consequences should describe the harm, injury, illness, damage, or loss resulting from a hazard. Hazardous events (e.g., fire, explosion, toxic gas release, vessel rupture) may be included where they directly represent the harmful outcome of the initiating hazard.

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# Chemical Hazards

## Chemical Splash to Eyes

Potential Consequences:

* Eye irritation
* Chemical conjunctivitis
* Corneal injury
* Chemical burns to the eye
* Permanent vision impairment
* Blindness

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## Chemical Splash to Skin

Potential Consequences:

* Skin irritation
* Dermatitis
* Chemical burns
* Allergic skin reactions
* Tissue damage

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## Inhalation of Toxic Vapours

Potential Consequences:

* Respiratory irritation
* Headache
* Dizziness
* Nausea
* Acute poisoning
* Loss of consciousness
* Chronic respiratory disease
* Fatal poisoning

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## Inhalation of Dust

Potential Consequences:

* Eye irritation
* Respiratory irritation
* Occupational asthma
* Chronic lung disease
* Silicosis
* Pulmonary fibrosis

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## Exposure to Carcinogens

Potential Consequences:

* Cellular damage
* Increased cancer risk
* Occupational cancer

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## Exposure to Reproductive Toxins

Potential Consequences:

* Fertility impairment
* Adverse reproductive health effects
* Developmental effects in offspring

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## Incompatible Chemical Mixing

Potential Consequences:

* Exposure to toxic gases
* Chemical burns
* Fire-related injuries
* Explosion-related injuries
* Property damage

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## Runaway Reaction

Potential Consequences:

* Exposure to released chemicals
* Burns
* Explosion-related injuries
* Structural damage
* Multiple casualties

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## Flammable Vapour Ignition

Potential Consequences:

* Burns from flash fire
* Smoke inhalation
* Explosion-related injuries
* Fatal injury

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# Biological Hazards

## Exposure to Infectious Aerosols

Potential Consequences:

* Respiratory infection
* Laboratory-acquired infection
* Severe illness
* Hospitalisation
* Fatal infection

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## Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure

Potential Consequences:

* Bloodborne infection
* Chronic disease
* Long-term health effects

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## Needle-Stick Injury

Potential Consequences:

* Puncture wound
* Local tissue injury
* Infection
* Transmission of bloodborne pathogens
* Psychological distress

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## Exposure to Zoonotic Agents

Potential Consequences:

* Zoonotic infection
* Allergic reaction
* Severe illness

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## Exposure to Biological Allergens

Potential Consequences:

* Allergic sensitisation
* Rhinitis
* Asthma
* Respiratory distress

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# Ionising Radiation Hazards

## External Radiation Exposure

Potential Consequences:

* Radiation-induced tissue damage
* Radiation burns
* Radiation sickness
* Increased cancer risk
* Fatal radiation injury

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## Internal Contamination

Potential Consequences:

* Internal radiation exposure
* Organ-specific tissue damage
* Increased cancer risk

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## Radioactive Skin Contamination

Potential Consequences:

* Localised radiation injury
* Radiation burns
* Skin ulceration

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## Radioactive Material Release

Potential Consequences:

* Personnel contamination
* Environmental contamination
* Increased radiation exposure
* Regulatory breach
* Operational disruption

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# Laser Hazards

## Direct Laser Beam Exposure to Eye

Potential Consequences:

* Temporary visual disturbance
* Retinal burns
* Permanent retinal injury
* Partial vision loss
* Blindness

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## Reflected Laser Beam Exposure

Potential Consequences:

* Eye injury
* Retinal damage
* Permanent vision impairment

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## Laser Exposure to Skin

Potential Consequences:

* Skin irritation
* Thermal burns
* Tissue damage

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## Laser-Induced Fire

Potential Consequences:

* Burns
* Smoke inhalation
* Property damage
* Fatal injury

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# Non-Ionising Radiation Hazards

## Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure

Potential Consequences:

* Eye irritation
* Photokeratitis
* Skin burns
* Long-term skin damage

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## Infrared Radiation Exposure

Potential Consequences:

* Thermal burns
* Eye injury
* Heat stress

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## Radiofrequency or Microwave Exposure

Potential Consequences:

* Thermal injury
* Tissue damage due to heating
* Burns

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# Electrical Hazards

## Electric Shock

Potential Consequences:

* Pain
* Muscle contraction
* Secondary injuries from falls
* Cardiac arrhythmia
* Cardiac arrest
* Fatal electrocution

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## Arc Flash

Potential Consequences:

* Severe burns
* Eye injury
* Hearing damage
* Fatal injury

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## Electrical Fire

Potential Consequences:

* Burns
* Smoke inhalation
* Property damage
* Fatal injury

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# Mechanical Hazards

## Entanglement in Rotating Equipment

Potential Consequences:

* Lacerations
* Fractures
* Crush injuries
* Amputation
* Fatal injury

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## Contact with Sharp Objects

Potential Consequences:

* Cuts
* Lacerations
* Tendon injury
* Infection

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## Flying Particles

Potential Consequences:

* Eye injury
* Facial injury
* Penetrating injury

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## Crush Hazards

Potential Consequences:

* Bruising
* Fractures
* Crush syndrome
* Fatal injury

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# Pressure Systems

## Compressed Gas Release

Potential Consequences:

* Impact injury
* Injury from flying debris
* Asphyxiation
* Fatal injury

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## Pressure Vessel Failure

Potential Consequences:

* Blast-related injuries
* Structural damage
* Serious injury
* Fatality

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# Cryogenic Hazards

## Contact with Liquid Nitrogen

Potential Consequences:

* Cold burns
* Frostbite
* Tissue destruction

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## Oxygen Deficiency

Potential Consequences:

* Dizziness
* Impaired judgement
* Loss of consciousness
* Asphyxiation
* Fatality

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# Work at Height Hazards

## Fall from Ladder

Potential Consequences:

* Bruising
* Fractures
* Head injury
* Spinal injury
* Fatality

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## Fall from Elevated Platform

Potential Consequences:

* Major trauma
* Permanent disability
* Fatality

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## Falling Objects

Potential Consequences:

* Head injury
* Lacerations
* Fractures
* Fatal injury

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# Confined Space Hazards

## Oxygen Deficiency

Potential Consequences:

* Impaired judgement
* Loss of consciousness
* Asphyxiation
* Fatality

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## Toxic Atmosphere

Potential Consequences:

* Respiratory distress
* Poisoning
* Loss of consciousness
* Fatality

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## Entrapment

Potential Consequences:

* Crush injury
* Suffocation
* Fatality

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# Ergonomic Hazards

## Repetitive Hand Movements

Potential Consequences:

* Tendinitis
* Trigger finger
* Carpal tunnel syndrome
* Chronic pain

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## Manual Handling

Potential Consequences:

* Muscle strain
* Ligament injury
* Back injury
* Hernia

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## Prolonged Awkward Posture

Potential Consequences:

* Neck pain
* Shoulder pain
* Back pain
* Musculoskeletal disorders

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# Heat Stress Hazards

## Prolonged Heat Exposure

Potential Consequences:

* Dehydration
* Heat cramps
* Heat exhaustion
* Heat stroke
* Fatality

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# Noise Hazards

## Excessive Noise Exposure

Potential Consequences:

* Temporary hearing loss
* Permanent hearing loss
* Tinnitus
* Communication difficulties

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# Psychosocial Hazards

## Fatigue

Potential Consequences:

* Reduced concentration
* Impaired judgement
* Increased error rates
* Increased likelihood of incidents and injuries

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## Excessive Workload

Potential Consequences:

* Stress
* Burnout
* Reduced performance
* Adverse mental health effects

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## Lone Work

Potential Consequences:

* Delayed emergency response
* Increased severity of injuries due to delayed assistance
* Increased consequences from otherwise manageable incidents

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# Environmental Hazards

## Lightning Exposure

Potential Consequences:

* Electrical injury
* Cardiac arrest
* Fatality

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## Wildlife Encounters

Potential Consequences:

* Bite injuries
* Sting injuries
* Allergic reactions
* Infection

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# Crowd and Event Hazards

## Crowd Surge

Potential Consequences:

* Crush injuries
* Asphyxiation
* Multiple casualties

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## Structural Collapse

Potential Consequences:

* Multiple injuries
* Entrapment
* Fatalities

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# Severity Calibration Reference

Examples of typical severity levels:

### Severity 1 – Negligible

* Temporary discomfort
* No treatment required

### Severity 2 – Minor

* First-aid injury
* Minor cuts
* Mild irritation

### Severity 3 – Moderate

* Injury requiring medical treatment
* Minor fracture
* Heat exhaustion
* Chemical burn requiring treatment

### Severity 4 – Major

* Permanent eye injury
* Amputation
* Serious occupational disease
* Severe radiation injury

### Severity 5 – Catastrophic

* Fatality
* Multiple fatalities
* Permanent total disability
* Major explosion causing multiple casualties
* Uncontrolled release causing multiple casualties

The examples above are guidance only. Severity ratings should always be based on the specific activity, exposure scenario, and reasonably foreseeable outcome.