Preventive Measures
After reviewing your list of hazards with the employee, next consider using preventive measures that will eliminate or reduce them.
To reduce the risk of an ergonomic injury, eliminate the hazard and/or eliminate exposure to the hazard.
Information obtained from a job hazard analysis is most useful when hazard control measures are developed and incorporated into the job. Each of the hazard and exposure control strategies below employs a number of prioritized methods within what's called the "Hierarchy of Controls". We'll cover the hierarchy in more detail in the next module.
- Elimination
- Substitution
- Engineering Controls
- Warnings
- Work Practice Controls
- Personal Protective Equipment
The idea behind the hierarchy is that the control methods at the top of the list are potentially more effective and protective than those at the bottom. Below is an example of the preventive measures included in our sample JHA.
JOB: Placing heavy containers on the conveyor platform
| BASIC JOB STEP | HAZARDS - POSSIBLE INJURIES | PREVENTIVE MEASURES |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Position your body over the heavy container in a "squat" posture with knees bent and back vertical. | Improper posture. Back muscle strain or sprains. | Only trained workers should lift heavy loads. |
| 2. Grasp hold on each side of the container. | Improper grip, lack of hand-holds. Hand, arm, shoulder strains. | Use high-grip gloves. Lift using hand-holds. Two persons should lift odd-shaped objects. |
| 3. Lift the container to the conveyor platform. | Overexertion. Back muscle and spine injuries. | Use squat lift. Lift with legs, not back. |
| SAFE JOB PROCEDURE | ||
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
4-5. After you identify the hazards in each step of the JHA, what should you next consider?
You forgot to answer the question!