Conducting an Accident Investigation
Course 102
Safety Certified Supervisor Series

MODULE 6: DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS

The Hierarchy of Controls

Hazard control strategies may be quite effective in eliminating hazards or reducing exposure. Effective corrective actions will include one or more of the following hazard control strategies:

Engineering controls.

Sometimes the cause of an accident is corrected most effectively by removing or reducing the hazard, itself. This may be done in a number of ways, including:

• Redesign the hazard out. Example - Fabricate a mesh guard to protect against exposure to moving parts.
• Replace the unsafe item with a safe item. Example - Replace a poor quality grinder stone with a high quality grinder stone.
• Enclose the hazard. Example - Place a hood over a source of noisy printer.
• Substitute an unsafe item with different item. Example - Substitute a toxic chemical with a non-toxic chemical.

Engineering out the hazard is our top priority

Why is this control strategy our top priority? Engineering controls remove the hazard itself. We're somehow changing a thing/condition in the workplace. It has the potential to completely remove a hazard, and as we all know...we can't be exposed to a hazard if it does not exist. No hazard...no exposure...no accident.

It's important to note that the intent of OR-OSHA law is that the employer attempts to engineer the hazard out if feasible. For instance, if a machine is producing a noise level of 120 decibels, OSHA expects the employer to first attempt to reduce the noise level to acceptable levels using an engineering control such as enclosure.