Hazard Control

Workplace procedures adopted to minimize injury, reduce adverse health effects and control damage to plant or equipment.

Hierarchy of Controls

Elimination
Substitution
Engineering
Administrative
PPE

Increasing effectiveness and sustainability
Increasing participation and supervision needed

Controls are usually placed (most effective to least effective)

  1. At the source
  2. Along the path
  3. At the worker

Steps in a hazard control program

  1. Identify the hazard
  2. Assess the risk (consider severity and likelihood of outcome)
  3. Choose the best control for the hazard
  4. Implement the chosen control
  5. Evaluate the effectiveness of the control

Monitor and review using

Safe/Unsafe

A legal limit or guideline should never be viewed as a firm line between “safe” and “unsafe”. Always keep exposures or the risk of a hazard as low as possible.

What the law says:

Some hazards and their control measures will be specifically outlined in legislation. In all cases, the employer must take all reasonable precautions to prevent injuries or accidents in the workplace.

Apply the highest level of control that corresponds with the risk level
Lower value controls may be used in the interim until long-term controls are implemented

Elimination

Remove the hazard from the workplace

Substitution

Substitute hazardous materials or machines with less hazardous ones

Engineering Controls

Designs or modifications to plants, equipment, systems and processes that reduce the source of exposure

Administrative Controls

Controls that alter the way the work is done

Personal Protective Equipment

Equipment worn to reduce exposures such as chemical contact or noise

In many cases, a combination of control measures might need to be used to control a risk.