HAZARD CONTROL HIERARCHY FOR THE
WORKPLACE HAZARDS - Part 2
TOOL BOX TALK MEETING TRAINING
Engineering controls is also one of
the effective way to control the workplace hazards.
Engineering controls are the implementation system that should not require direct human intervention to work effectively. These may be used in both prevention and control areas. A prevention example is a spring-loaded valve handle on a flammable liquid dispensing arrangement. This is designed to prevent an individual from opening the valve
and leaving the area with flammable
liquid still flowing.
These controls are systems that monitor
conditions within a process and can shut
down the process automatically if some aspect of the process gets out of an acceptable range. Temperature limit switches in the process industries are an example of this type of control. A furnace used for heat treating metal parts will be equipped with a high temperature limit switch separate from the thermostat control. This limit switch will shut down the system if temperatures exceed a predetermined upper limit. Fire protection systems are also engineered controls. These systems are designed to operate automatically and control or extinguish a fire without any human intervention.
FREE - ISO 45001 AUDIT CHECKLIST : PART 1
Engineering controls are only as
effective as people make and maintain them. An
improperly designed control will not
function correctly when needed. All engineering controls will require some
level of maintenance and occasional repair. Periodic health check of the
installed engineering controls are very important. If a system is not
maintained properly, it may not perform as designed when needed.
Administrative controls include
policies, safe work procedures, rules, and training.
Administrative controls are less effective than the previous elements of the hazard hierarchy because they rely heavily on people for effective implementation and consistent use. They are, however, still a very important part of an effective approach to hazard control. The written documented safe work procedures will help employees to understand better about the activity. There are many occasions where engineering controls must be supported by administrative controls. For example, bonding and grounding of flammable liquid containers during transfer operations is an engineering control. Administrative controls including procedures for use and appropriate training must be in place for this system to function properly.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is the last line of defense for hazards that pose a threat to employees. For example, fire retardant clothing is a common requirement in petroleum refineries. Much effort is expended to ensure that fires do not occur, but the nature of the materials and processes makes it likely that at some point there might be a fire. Fire retardant clothing provides an extra measure of protection to the employees that work in these areas. Its is important to use the right PPE for the right job.
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