Glossary · Risk assessment and risk reduction
Hazardous situation
In machine safety, a hazardous situation is a circumstance in which a person is exposed to at least one hazard. The exposure can lead to harm immediately or over time.
- Machine safety
- Risk assessment
In one sentence
A hazardous situation exists whenever a person is exposed to a hazard, such as an operator reaching into a hazard zone to remove a part.
Example
An AGV passes within reach of a worker walking along a shared aisle; the worker is in a hazardous situation even if no collision occurs.
How it applies
- Risk assessment: Hazardous situations are best found task by task: who does what, where and when. A job hazard analysis or a task list per lifecycle phase helps.
- Machine safety: Many hazardous situations arise in a hazardous zone during non-routine tasks such as setting, cleaning or troubleshooting, where guards may be open.
- Estimation: The frequency and duration of the situation are captured as exposure in risk estimation.
- Technical documentation: Instructions should tell the reader which tasks put them in a hazardous situation and which protective measures apply before they start.
Hazardous situation vs. hazard
A hazard is a property of the machine. A hazardous situation requires a person to be exposed to it. Eliminating exposure, for example by guarding, removes the situation even if the hazard remains.