Occupational Risk Assessment: A Framework for Understanding and Practical Guiding the Process in Romania

Abstract: Integrating risk assessment in an organization is a process that generally follows a sequence of phases. To be effective, the company culture must be willing to embrace the risk assessment process, and cultural acceptance stems from management leadership. Emphasizing some of the major benchmarks in occupational risk assessment approaches, the paper summarizes and outlines several basic principles directed towards practical risk assessment process improvement. The article discusses the principles that underlie a coherent and efficient assessment for occupational health, safety and well-being: the need of a global approach of these problems not only at the workplace but for the whole of the living conditions at work; a clear understanding of the complementary character between the different partners of this prevention; the role of actor of the workers and therefore the absolute necessity of a participative approach; the real usefulness of measurements and of risk quantification in general; the differences between risk assessment and risk management. The paper demonstrates how a sound risk assessment approach can lead not only to better risk management, but to the pro-active prediction of occupational risk accidents and incidents and ultimately its prevention. Key-Words: risk, assessment, management, occupational health and safety, guidance principle