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

• Physical workplace inspections
• Testing
• Exposure assessments
• Injury and illness tracking
• Accident/incident investigations reports
• Employee feedback and input

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

• Elimination is the preferred way to control a hazard and should be used whenever possible

Substitution

Substitute hazardous materials or machines with less hazardous ones

• Use a soap and water washing system to clean metal parts instead of trichloroethylene, a cancer hazard
• Substitute a product that is in dry powder form with the pellet form to reduce airborne dust and the inhalation hazard

Engineering Controls

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

• Automate hazardous processes
• Use mechanical lifting devices or transportation instead of manual methods
• Enclose and isolate the hazard from workers
• Implement a local exhaust ventilation system

Administrative Controls

Controls that alter the way the work is done

• Schedule maintenance and other high exposure operations to when few workers are present
• Implement job rotation and work rest schedules that limit the time a worker is exposed to a substance a process
• Establish safe work practices such as standard operating procedures, emergency response training, and good housekeeping and personal hygiene practices

Personal Protective Equipment

Equipment worn to reduce exposures such as chemical contact or noise

• Should be the last level of protection used when all other methods are not possible

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