Leaders Develop and Use Hazard Controls
Effective safety leaders develop and use effective hazard controls. They also seek input from employees because they realize employees, who are the most likely to be exposed to hazards, can provide valuable input.
Effective leaders use a systematic approach, known as the "Hierarchy of Controls (HOC)," to eliminate or mitigate the risks from hazards.
We encourage the use of the HOC as described in ANSI/ASSP Z10, "Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems" to manage hazards. The six control strategies in the HOC are: elimination, substitution, engineering, warnings, work practices, and PPE.
Click on the link below to see a more detailed discussion of the six control strategies.
The first three strategies in the hierarchy attempt to control exposure by changing hazards so that they eliminate or reduce their severity.
- Elimination: The goal of this strategy is to totally remove the hazard from the workplace. Elimination is the highest priority for controlling hazards because it is the only strategy that does not rely on employee compliance to be effective.
- Substitution: This strategy should be used if it is not feasible to eliminate the hazard. The idea is to reduce the severity of a hazard by replacing it with a less dangerous hazard. An example is replacing a toxic chemical with a less-toxic chemical.
- Engineering Controls: This strategy involves the design or redesign of tools, equipment, machinery and facilities so that hazardous chemicals are not needed or that exposure to those hazardous chemicals are not possible. Examples include enclosing work processes or installing local ventilation systems.
The remaining three strategies may protect employees by reducing exposure to health hazards when elimination, substitution, and engineering strategies are inadequate. It's important to note that each of these strategies must used to some extent in conjunction with the other strategies.
- Warnings: These measures raise hazard awareness through the use of signs, alarms, signals, labels, placards, cones, and other methods. For example, a warning sign might be used to keep workers from entering a confined space.
- Work practice controls: Exposure to hazards can be eliminated or reduced using work practice controls, but only if workers comply with mandatory safe procedures and rules that mandate safe work practices.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): When one or more of the other strategies fail to provide the needed protection, appropriate personal protective equipment and clothing may be required. PPE provides barriers to prevent employee contact with the hazards.
Here are some actions leaders can take to demonstrate their commitment to managing hazardous conditions and curbing unsafe behaviors in the workplace:
- Prioritize HOC strategies when considering control measures.
- Examine each of the HOC strategies and assess their suitability for your workplace.
- Include workers, encouraging them to propose and evaluate solutions.
- Require HOC control measures based on the priorities set in a hazard control plan.
- If resources are sparse, use measures for the most severe hazards first.
- Promptly enact measures regardless of the hazard level they address.
Interim Measures
If controlling the hazard isn't feasible using a higher-priority control method, interim control measures can be used. OSHA maintains that viable interim solutions are always possible, even if higher-priority control methods aren't viable.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-7. To most effectively control hazards and exposures, safety leaders should use the _____.
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