Hazards control: administrative equipment

Hazard Control the management actions or physical measures taken to eliminate, limit, or mitigate hazards to workers, the public, or the enviromnent, including (1) physical, design, stmctural, and engineering features (2) safety programs and procedures (3) personal protective equipment and (5) administrative limits or operational restrictions. 

DOE O 440.1A, sec. 4(j)(4). 29CFR1910.120(g)(l) 29CFR1910.134(a) 29CFR1910.1450(i) 4.1.1.3 Hazard controls shall be selected using the following hierarchy (1) Elimination of the hazard through practices such as chemical substitution or process modification (2) Engineering controls (3) Work practices and administrative controls and (4) Personal protective equipment... 

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is last in the hierarchy of hazard control. PPE is less desirable than engineering and administrative controls for the control of hazards but is still critical. The appropriate PPE fitted correctly is a reliable barrier against known hazards. The biggest drawback against PPE is that some workers are careless about their selection of PPE for a job and choose ineffective PPE or they do not ensure that it is properly fitted and used. The function of PPE is to protect the user s entire body, including the respiratory system, eyes, hearing, head, hands, etc. 

Controls (4) Hazard controls concentrate on engineering fixes with reinforced/enforced safe work procedures. (3) Controls based on priaity of engineering controls, work practices, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (in that order). (2) Hazard controls fuHy in place, but the order of priorities varies with situation. (1) Hazard controls generally in place, but priaities and completeness vary. (0) Hazard controls not incomplete, ineffective, or inappropriate in this workplace. 

A hazard control mentioned in several previous chapters is personal protective equipment. There are many activities requiring personal protective equipment (PPE) as a primary control. In the hierarchy of controls concept (Chapter 9), PPE is the last resort if one cannot eliminate or manage hazards. PPE applies when other engineering and administrative controls do not work and hazards remain. 

Hazard assessment and equipment selection. Once engineering and administrative controls have been exhausted, it is the employer s responsibility to determine if hazards are present necessitating the use of PPE. The employer must select and have each affected employee use the types of PPE necessary for protection. 

Hazard control Workforce exposure to all current and potential hazards should be prevented or controlled using engineering controls wherever feasible and appropriate, work practices and administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE). 

The prevention and control of hazards can be accomplished in many ways. The primary way is through the reporting of hazards by employees and the correction of hazards by supervisors or other company qualified personnel. Second, employers can use preventive maintenance programs, special emphasis programs, training, workplace audits, engineering controls, administrative controls, and, as a last resort, personal protective equipment. 

A2. When the site selects hazard controls, does it follow the preferred hierarchy (engineering controls, administrative controls, work practice controls [e.g. lockout/tag out, bloodborne pathogens, and confined space programs], and personal protective equipment) to eliminate or control hazards ... 

Refer to Chapter 11 for a detailed review of this program. You should minimize hazards by substituting less hazardous materials or equipment whenever possible and engineering controls that distance the worker from the hazard. For the remaining hazards, design safe work practices, train your employees adequately in these practices, and enforce the practice consistently. In some cases, you may also need to establish other administrative controls, such as employee rotation or more frequent work breaks where needed. 

Hazard controls are fully in place with priority to engineering controls, safe work procedures, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (in that order)... 

When employees must be present and engineering or administrative controls are not feasible, it will be essential to use PPE an interim control and not a final solution. For example, safety glasses may be required in the work area. Too often PPE usage is considered the last thing to do, in the scheme of hazard control. Personal protective equipment can provide added protection to the employee even when the hazard is being controlled by other means. There are drawbacks to the use of PPE, they are ... 

Controlling exposure is the best method of protecting range worters and shooters. Generally this means elimination of the hazard, substitution of a less hazardous material, engineering controls, administrative controls (to reduce time of exposure) and personal protective equipment. 

Chemical hazard control measures that the employer will implement to reduce exposures that is, control measures such as engineering controls, protective equipment (administrative controls), and hygiene practices... 

Many of the chemicals and much of the equipment used in laboratories are potentially hazardous. It is essential that these hazards are clearly identified and appropriate working procedures defined together with adequate training of staff and readily available facilities to deal with the effects of any possible accident. These aspects of laboratory work are covered in the UK by COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations and by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) in the USA. 

Hazards due to exposure can be minimized by sound basic engineering, and by administrative and hygiene controls. The curing equipment should be properly shielded to prevent escape of UV light into the workplace. Personnel working in the UV curing area should wear special protective eyewear. 

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