New and Emerging Risk Assessment Tool (NERA) is developed with aims to identify new and emerging risks at the workplace. The tool can facilitate all sectors, especially SMEs. The final grading formula is adapted from OSHWA (Occupational Safety & Health Workplace Assessment).

New and emerging risk is defined as any occupational risks that is both new and increasing.

By ‘new’ it is meant that:-

• The risk was previously unknown and is caused by new processes, new technologies, new types of workplace, or social or organisational change; or,
• A long-standing issue is newly considered as a new risk due to a change in social or public perceptions; or,
• New scientific knowledge allows a long-standing issue to be identified as a risk.

The risk is ‘increasing’ if the:

• The number of hazards leading to the risk is growing; or
• The likelihood of exposure to the hazard leading to the risk is increasing (exposure level and/or the number of people exposed); or
• The effect of the hazard on workers’ health is getting worse (seriousness of health effects and/or the number of people affected).