Today, risk management is more important than ever. With the increasing complexity of our working environments and the rapid development of new risks, businesses and organizations need to strengthen their risk management practices. OiRA can help your business achieve that. An online, interactive risk assessment tool, OiRA helps users quantify, visualize and communicate their organization’s risk profile. It allows users to integrate their own data, such as technical specifications of their machinery and reduces the time it takes to complete a risk assessment.

This guide will take you through everything you need to know about OiRA, including how it can benefit your company, and explain how to get started.

Reference : https://osha.europa.eu/en/tools-and-resources/oira

What is OiRA?

OiRA is an online risk assessment tool developed by the European Agency for the Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) to support the Member States in the implementation of the Directive on the Protection of Workers against Risks related to Vibration ( 89/391/EEC ).

EU-OSHA is the European Union agency responsible for the safety and health at work. It brings together the national authorities responsible for implementing legislation on safety and health at work, and provides them with EU-level coordination.

In order to assist its Member States in the implementation of the Directive on the Protection of Workers against Risks related to Vibration ( 89/391/EEC ), which was adopted in 1989, the European Union created the EU-OSHA. To support the Member States in the implementation of the Directive, EU-OSHA developed the OiRA tool.

What does OiRA do?

As its name suggests, OiRA is an online risk assessment tool. It helps users quantify, visualize and communicate their organization’s risk profile. Using clear and straightforward questions, it allows users to integrate their own data, such as technical specifications of their machinery, and reduces the time it takes to complete a risk assessment.

Once completed, the assessment provides a detailed, visual risk profile that can be used as a starting point for risk management.

How does OiRA work?

At the start, users are given the opportunity to create a user account. This account is where users can input data, such as details about the equipment they operate, and related documents, such as technical specifications. This information is then used to generate a risk assessment.

OiRA is divided into three main sections:

  1. The first is the equipment inventory, where you’ll be able to add any machines you want to be part of the assessment. The interface is very simple and easy to use. 
  2. The second is the questionnaire, where you’ll be asked to answer a series of questions about your equipment, its operation and your company. This section also allows you to enter comments if you’d like to provide more information about a certain question. 
  3. The third is the results, where you can view your risk assessment and the analysis that was performed. The report sections break down the assessment and provide a visual representation of the threats your machine poses, as well as the controls in place to minimize the risks.

How to use OiRA

The following are some tips to get the most out of OiRA:

  1. Make sure to create an account for the full experience. This way, you can save your assessment and access it later on, if necessary.
  2. Although OiRA is primarily designed for use with EU-OSHA’s software, the tool can be used with other software. However, some functionality may be limited.
  3. Make sure to check if your organization is eligible for OiRA. The tool is primarily designed for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), but most large businesses are eligible as well.
  4. When creating the account, you’ll need to provide some basic information, such as your company’s name and legal form. You’ll also need to enter the main contact information, such as the owner’s name, as well as the email address used for account management.
  5. When adding a machine to the inventory, make sure to provide at least some information about the machine, such as its technical specifications and how it’s used in your company.
  6. Review the OiRA content before starting the assessment. This way, you’ll get a better idea of what questions will be asked and what information you’ll need to provide.
  7. If you have questions or encounter any issues, you can always contact support at support@oira.eu.

Can OiRA help me?

Risk assessments are a crucial part of managing health and safety risks. They help businesses understand and quantify the threats their machines and work processes pose, as well as the controls in place to minimize the risks.

Depending on the needs of your business, an assessment can range from a simple overview to a full technical risk assessment. An overview assessment is aimed at providing a high-level view of the company’s risks. A technical assessment, on the other hand, is more detailed and looks into the details of a machine or work process to provide a more accurate picture of risk.