Engineering and Work Practice Controls

Engineering and work practice controls should be used to eliminate exposure. Where occupational exposure remains after institution of these controls, PPE shall be used. 

Developing a Safety and Health Program, Second Edition 

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OSHA requires employers of workers who are occupationally exposed to cyanide to institute engineering controls and work practices to reduce and maintain employee exposure at or below permissible exposure limits (PEL). The employer must use engineering and work practice controls, if feasible, to reduce exposure to or below an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 5 mg/m3 as cyanide. Respirators must be provided and used during the time period necessary to install or implement feasible engineering and work practice controls (OSHA 1974). 

The OSHA standard for coke oven emissions is a PEL of 0.15 mgm as an 8 h time-weighted average (TWA). Under this standard, specific engineering and work practice control requirements became effective. OSHA has also promulgated a PEL of <0.2mgm as an 8 h TWA for coal tar pitch volatiles. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NI-OSH) and OSHA have recommended work practices to minimize the harmful effects of exposure to coke oven emissions. 

An effective tuberculosis control plan will include determination of exposure at regular intervals for all employees who are at occupational risk. Engineering and work practice controls are particularly important in laboratory areas, such as surgical pathology and microbiology. But there is clearly a risk of exposure from specimens of patients with suspected or confirmed tuberculosis in every section of the laboratory, including chemistry. 

Engineering and work-practice controls must be implemented whenever employees are exposed above the PEL for more than 30 days per year. The controls include the requirement for a written compliance program to reduce personal exposures to below the PEL. If engineering and work-practice controls do not reduce exposures to below the PEL, respirators must be worn. If mechanical ventilation is used to control exposures, the ventilation system must be evaluated quarterly for its effectiveness in controlhng exposures (29 CFR 1910.1025(e)). 

Use engineering and work practice controls to limit exposnre. Educate and train all exposed employees to safely enter and exit isolation rooms and to safely handle food trays coming from isolation rooms. Encourage staff to nse a special bag for contaminated trays coming from isolation rooms and label the bag with necessary precantions to take. Use only disposable trays and plastic ware when delivery to patient isolation rooms. 

Use gloves, masks, and gowns if blood or fluid exposure exists. Use appropriate engineering and work practice controls to limit exposure. Wear gloves to protect hands coming into contact with blood, mucous membranes, or nonintact skin. EoUow proper work practices when performing vascular access procedures or when handling contaminated itans or surfaces. 

Institute engineering and work practice controls to eliminate health hazards [29 CFR 1926.55, 29 CFR 1926.103,... 

Differentiate between engineering and work practice controls. 

If the workplace hazard assessment reveals that employees risk injury to their hands and arms, and engineering and work practice controls do not eliminate such hazards, then hand and arm protection must be provided to employees. The injuries that may need to be guarded against in the workplace include burns, bruises, abrasions, cuts, punctures, fractures, amputations, or chemical exposures. 

As with other types of hazards, the employer must implement feasible engineering controls and work practices before resorting to PPE such as earplugs or earmuffs. If engineering and work practice controls do not lower employee exposure to workplace noise to acceptable levels, then employees must be provided with appropriate PPE. 

Compliance program. ) The employer shall establish and implement a written program to reduce employee exposure to or below the PELS by means of engineering and work practice controls, as required by paragraph... 

Your employer is required to assure that no employee is exposed to lead in excess of the PEL as an 8-hour TWA. The interim final standard for lead in construction requires employers to institute engineering and work practice controls including administrative controls to the extent feasible to reduce employee exposure to lead. Where such controls are feasible but not adequate to reduce exposures below the PEL they must be used nonetheless to reduce exposures to the lowest level that can be accomplished by these means and then supplemented with appropriate respiratory protedion. 

Work Practices and Engineering Controls for Class III asbestos work. Class III asbestos work shall be conducted using engineering and work practice controls which minimize the exposure to employees performing the asbestos work and to bystander employees. 

Feasible engineering and work practice controls shall immediately be used to reduce exposures to at or below the permissible exposure limit. 

Wherever feasible engineering and work practice controls which can be instituted immediately are not sufficient to reduce exposures to at or below the permissible exposure limit, they shall nonetheless be used to reduce exposures to the lowest practicable level, and shall be supplemented by respiratory protection in accordance with paragraph (g) of this section. A program shall be established and implemented to reduce exposures to at or below the permissible exposure limit, or to the greatest extent feasible, solely by means of engineering and work practice controls, as soon as feasible. 

A. Respirators. Respirators will be provided by your employer at no cost to you for routine use if your employer is in the process of implementing engineering and work practice controls or where engineering and work practice controls are not feasible or insufficient. You must wear respirators for non-routine activities or in emergency situations where you are likely to be exposed to levels of inorganic arsenic in excess of the permissible exposure limit. Since how well your respirator fits your face is very important, your employer is required to conduct fit tests to make sure the respirator seals properly when you wear it. These tests are simple and rapid and will be explained to you during training sessions. 

IX. TRAINING AND NOTIFICATION Additional information on all of these items plus training as to hazards of exposure to inorganic arsenic and the engineering and work practice controls associated with your job will also be provided by your employer. If you are exposed over the permissible exposure limit, your employer must inform you of that fact and the actions he is taking to reduce your exposures. 

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