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Hazards Closed Out

Last updated: May 13, 2019

What Does Hazards Closed Out Mean?

The term "hazards closed out" (HazClosed) refers to a closed-out workplace hazard that has been addressed by an employer or responsible person after the hazard was initially reported by an employee or workplace safety auditor.

The term is typically used in reference to hazard reports. A closed-out hazard report contains three components: an initial description of the identified hazard, a formal recommendation for how to mitigate the hazard, and a response indicating what actions (if any) were actually taken to mitigate the hazard.

The closing out of a hazard report means the hazard has been addressed to the fullest extent deemed reasonably practicable by the employer or representative; it does not mean that the hazard has been eliminated from the working environment.

Safeopedia Explains Hazards Closed Out

The hazard close-out process is an important part of industries (such as the aviation industry) in which hazards and safety incidents occur with relative regularity within normal workplace contexts. The amount of reported hazards within these industries is high enough that a formal “case closed” system is necessary to deal with hazard reports in an efficient and transparent manner. This is commonly achieved through the use of a safety management system—a type of software used to organize and facilitate the reporting and management of safety-relevant activity within a workplace.

A variety of safety management systems exist. However, they all allow safety supervisors to receive reports of a safety hazard as a discrete case or file within their system. The hazard case is considered “open” while it is still being investigated, and it is closed once the safety supervisor has undertaken a corrective action. Upon closure of a hazard report, many safety management systems will notify the individual who initially reported the hazard of the corrective action taken.

The hazard close-out process is an important part of ensuring that reported hazards are addressed. Open and closed cases are typically organized so that open cases remain visible, thus limiting the potential that they will be forgotten about and the hazards left unaddressed. Similarly, the ability to review closed-out hazards provides visibility that helps ensure that a hazard case has not been closed without adequate action having been taken to mitigate the hazard.

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