Warnings
Warnings are usually audible or visible. Signs, labels, posters, and lights are examples of warnings that alert workers about hazards.
The effectiveness of warnings is questionable because they are highly dependent on compliance. They are also dependent on the quality of training, legibility and visibility, and worker compliance.
- Human Error: People may fail to notice or properly interpret warning signs, especially if they are accustomed to the environment or are distracted.
- Overreliance on Awareness: Warning signs depend on individuals noticing and heeding the warning. This is less reliable than physically removing or reducing the hazard.
- Sign Fatigue: When signs are overused or always present, people can become desensitized to them, leading to reduced effectiveness.
- Lack of Active Control: Signs are passive and do not actively prevent accidents or hazardous situations. Unlike engineering controls that physically change the environment or work process to reduce hazards, signs simply advise caution.
- Non-Universality of Understanding: In workplaces with a diverse workforce, language barriers or differences in interpretation can reduce the effectiveness of warning signs.
Work Practice Controls
Work practice controls include administrative policies, procedures, and rules focusing on changing the way people work to reduce risk of injury and illness by mitigating exposure.
Work practice controls are only as effective as the procedures and rules that mandate safe behaviors. It's always better to eliminate the hazard so you don't have to rely on controls that work only as long as employees comply. Here's an important principle that reflects this idea: Any system that relies on human behavior is inherently unreliable.
To be effective, work practice controls must be designed based on solid hazard analysis and sustained by a supportive safety culture. They should be used in conjunction with, not as a substitute for, more reliable controls.
- Policies and Rules: Policies generally allow supervisors and employees to make decisions about the work they are performing without having to confer with managers. Mandatory safety rules and practices are specific to tasks.
- Regular Safety Training and Drills: Implementing on-the-job training (OJT) programs and conducting regular safety drills to ensure that workers are familiar with safety procedures and how to respond in emergency situations. This can include training on the proper use of equipment, emergency evacuation procedures, or first-aid.
- Scheduled Breaks to Reduce Fatigue: Instituting mandatory breaks for workers, especially in physically demanding or high-concentration tasks. Regular breaks help to reduce fatigue, which can be a significant factor in workplace accidents and errors.
- Rotation of Tasks to Minimize Exposure to Hazards: Rotating employees through different job tasks to minimize their exposure to any one particular hazard. For example, in jobs that involve repetitive motions or exposure to harmful substances, rotating tasks can help prevent musculoskeletal injuries and reduce the risk of long-term health problems.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
5-6. Why is the success of warnings as a control strategy questionable?
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