Take 5 Safety in Mines – Personal Risk Assessment Steps & DGMS Guidelines

🛑 DETAILED NOTES

1️⃣ Introduction

Mining is one of the world’s most hazardous occupations, where even small mistakes can lead to serious accidents. To minimize human error, DGMS and major mining companies encourage the Take 5 (Personal Risk Assessment) approach — a quick, 5-step safety check every worker performs before starting a task. This system empowers individuals to pause, assess, and eliminate hazards before they cause harm.

2️⃣ Concept of “Take 5”

The Take 5 system is a personal risk assessment tool that helps workers identify potential hazards and take appropriate control measures before performing any activity — routine or non-routine. It emphasizes “Stop – Think – Act Safely.”

3️⃣ The 5 Steps of “Take 5”

Step	Action	Purpose
1. Stop and Think	Pause before starting work.	Mentally prepare for the task and recall safety procedures.
2. Identify Hazards	Observe surroundings for risks (equipment, ground, energy, etc.).	Awareness of potential hazards.
3. Assess the Risks	Determine if the risk is low, medium, or high.	Helps prioritize control measures.
4. Control the Risks	Apply hierarchy of control – eliminate, isolate, PPE, etc.	Implement safety precautions.
5. Do the Job Safely	Proceed only if all risks are controlled.	Reinforces accountability and safe execution.

4️⃣ Importance in Mines

Reduces accidents due to complacency or familiarity.
Promotes individual responsibility for safety.
Integrates into Safety Management Plans (SMPs).
Enhances situational awareness underground and in opencast areas.
Aligns with DGMS Circular on Risk Assessment & Control (Tech/2018).

5️⃣ When to Perform “Take 5”

Before beginning a new task.
When work conditions change (shift, environment, weather).
When using new tools or machinery.
After incidents or near-misses.

6️⃣ Key Elements of a Take 5 Card

Job description.
Hazards checklist.
Risk rating column.
Control measures.
Signature and date.

Many companies now use digital Take 5 apps linked to the mine’s Safety Management System (SMS).

7️⃣ DGMS Recommendations

According to DGMS guidelines and risk-based approach (Circular Tech. 2018 & SMP Framework 2017):

All supervisors and competent persons must ensure Take 5 is done before high-risk jobs.
Records of Take 5 should be reviewed during inspections.
“Stop Work Authority” is granted to every worker identifying unsafe conditions.

⚡ QUICK ONE-LINERS

Take 5 = Personal Risk Assessment.
First step = Stop and Think.
Helps reduce human error.
DGMS Circular (Tech/2018) = Risk control guideline.
Step 3 = Assess the risk.
Take 5 is part of SMP (Safety Management Plan).
Control hierarchy: eliminate → isolate → PPE.
Take 5 promotes personal accountability.
Stop Work Authority empowers workers.
Record must be reviewed by mine management.

🧠 DESCRIPTIVE MODEL QUESTION & ANSWER

Q. Explain the concept and importance of “Take 5 (Personal Risk Assessment)” in mining operations. How does it help in reducing accidents?

Answer:
“Take 5” is a personal risk assessment process used in mines to ensure that every worker evaluates potential hazards before starting a task. It involves five simple steps — Stop, Identify, Assess, Control, and Do the job safely. The concept encourages miners to pause and think before acting, helping them detect hazards that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Importance: Prevents accidents by promoting hazard awareness; Integrates into daily safety routine; Encourages proactive decision-making and ownership; Supports DGMS’s risk-based safety management philosophy.

Conclusion: By applying the “Take 5” approach, workers can stop unsafe acts before they happen — turning safety into a personal commitment, not just a rule.

🎯 25 MCQs – Take 5 (Personal Risk Assessment)

Q1. “Take 5” stands for:

Solution: Take 5 is a common term for a quick, personal risk assessment before starting a task.

Q2. First step of Take 5:

Solution: The process begins with pausing and thinking about the task ahead.

Q4. Step 2 in Take 5:

Solution: After stopping to think, the next step is to look for potential dangers.

Q5. Risk is assessed as:

Solution: A simple qualitative rating (Low, Medium, High) is commonly used in Take 5 assessments.

Q6. Final step of Take 5:

Solution: The process concludes with performing the task only after ensuring risks are controlled.

Q7. Take 5 promotes:

Solution: It empowers individuals to take ownership of their safety and the safety of those around them.

Q8. DGMS circular linked to Take 5:

Solution: The 2018 circular emphasizes risk assessment and control, aligning with the Take 5 philosophy.

Q9. “Stop Work Authority” allows:

Solution: This authority empowers any worker to stop a job if they perceive an immediate danger.

Q10. “Assess the Risk” step means:

Solution: Assessing risk involves considering how likely a hazard is to cause harm and how severe that harm could be.

Q11. Hierarchy of control starts with:

Solution: The most effective control is always to eliminate the hazard completely if possible.

Q12. Take 5 cards must be:

Solution: The assessment must be done before starting the task to identify and control risks beforehand.

Q13. Take 5 helps reduce:

Solution: By encouraging thought before action, it helps prevent mistakes and unsafe acts.

Q14. Risk rating helps in:

Solution: Rating risks helps focus control efforts on the most significant dangers first.

Q15. Take 5 used in:

Solution: It's applicable before any task, whether routine or non-routine, operational or maintenance.

Q16. Supervisor should:

Solution: Supervisors play a key role in ensuring the Take 5 process is followed correctly by their teams.

Q17. The “5” in Take 5 represents:

Solution: The name directly refers to the five steps: Stop, Identify, Assess, Control, Do Safely.

Q18. Common hazard in Take 5:

Solution: Slips, trips, and falls are frequent hazards identified during Take 5 assessments in various work environments.

Q19. Take 5 supports which DGMS policy?

Solution: Take 5 is a practical tool for implementing a risk-based approach to safety management.

Q20. The “Control” step involves:

Solution: This step is about actively putting measures in place to mitigate the identified risks.

Q21. Personal risk assessments are part of:

Solution: Tools like Take 5 are integral components of a mine's overall Safety Management Plan (SMP).

Q22. “Take 5” should be used:

Solution: It should become a routine safety check before starting any work activity.

Q23. In risk rating, “High” means:

Solution: High-risk tasks demand immediate and robust control measures before work can proceed.

Q24. Take 5 card record must be:

Solution: Records are important for audits, reviews, and identifying recurring hazards.

Q25. The key message of Take 5:

Solution: This phrase encapsulates the core philosophy of the Take 5 process.

🔗 INTERNAL LINKING SUGGESTIONS

Related Topic	Read More On...
Risk Management	Risk Matrix, TARP & Behavioural Safety
Safety Management Plan	Integrated Safety Management Plan (SMP)
Accident Prevention	Accidents Due to High Temperature
DGMS Role	DGMS Role in Safety Plans

🧠 Think Safe, Work Safe – Practice “Take 5” Everyday!

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