Essay Sample on Hazard Prevention and Control Program

Effective hazard control works a great deal in avoiding accidents, illnesses, and injuries in the workplace. Minimizing health risks can also help the organization in providing workers with healthy working conditions. For the organization to effectively prevent and control hazards, it should involve employees who have extensive experience of the condition that creates hazards and identify options for controlling them. The following is an environmental safety management program that can be used in my organization to prevent and control hazards.

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Step One: Identification of Control Options

Before selecting any control options, it is important to solicit the input of every employee with their effectiveness and feasibility. This step entails collecting, organizing, and reviewing information with employees to establish which hazards are prevalent and the people exposed to the danger. You can also get suggestions from workers regarding the solutions based on their knowledge and experience. The organization can review sources such as engineering reports, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) publications, or the OSHA standards and guidance to identify the potential control measures. It is also crucial for the organization to follow up on the progress after implementation to ensure that these strategies remain effective. The organization can also consult safety and health experts in case of complex hazards so that they can come up with the best solutions for the problem.

Step Two: Choose Controls

The organization should select control that is effective, feasible, and permanent. This entails eliminating all severe hazards that are likely to cause physical harm or death. It should choose controls according to a system that incorporates engineering solutions, protective equipment, administrative controls, and work practices. Since these controls cannot be implemented immediately, it should choose short term controls awaiting long term solutions. The organization would also avoid selecting controls that may introduce new hazards such as exhausting contaminated air into workspaces. Lastly, it is important to discuss these control options with employees to make sure that they are effective and feasible.

Step Three: Establish and Update a Control Plan

A hazard control plan evaluates how the chosen controls would be put in place. An effective control plan will first analyze the serious controls. Additionally, short term controls may be essential to support long-term hazard control. It is also vital to track the progress of these plans to ensure that they go according to plan. This can be accomplished by listing the controls in accordance with their priority, allocate each control for installation, establish targets for completion, and plan how to track the progress. Lastly, the organization should plan on how they would verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the controls after they are implemented.

Step Four: Select Controls to Protect Workers during Emergencies and Non-Routine Operations

The plan should involve measures to protect employees during foreseeable emergencies and non-routine operations such as material spills, chemical releases, infrequent maintenance, or workplace violence. This step would involve creating procedures to control dangers that may arise from emergencies and non-routine operations such as maintenance, repair, or accidents. It would also entail procuring equipment that may be needed during emergencies and assigning the right personnel to handle the equipment. The organization is therefore supposed to conduct emergency drills to make sure that the personnel in charge of emergency are familiar with the procedure depending on the type of hazard control.

Step Five: Implementation of the Controls

Once the control measures have been identified, the organization would implement the strategies in accordance with the hazard control plan. The first step in implementation is to put into place the hazard control measures following the hazard control plan. If the resources are limited, the measures should also still be implemented even on the worst basis following the hazard ranking priorities created during identification and assessment. The organization has the responsibility to protect their employees from these hazards regardless of limited resources. For more efficiency, first, implement measures that are inexpensive and easy regardless of the control measures.

Step Six: Follow Up

In pursuit of making sure that these strategies remain effective, the organization would need to follow up on the progress after implementation. This would involve evaluating and inspecting the implemented measures to ensure that they operate in accordance with the preventive maintenance practices. The organization can follow up on the progress by basing on the following questions; have all the measures of hazard control been implemented according to the set-out plan? Have employees received appropriate training so that they understand how to use the equipment and enact the controls. Are the engineering controls properly established and used correctly and consistently. The organization would also conduct regular inspections to ensure that all the operations are running efficiently, or they need to be modified. Confirm the personal protective equipment use, administrative controls, and work practices policies that have been implemented. It is also important to conduct systematic preventive maintenance of controls, facilities, and equipment to help reduce incidents of equipment failure.

Works Cited

Honkasalo, Antero. "Occupational health and safety and environmental management systems." Environmental Science & Policy 3.1 (2000): 39-45.

Robson, Lynda S., et al. "The effectiveness of occupational health and safety management system interventions: a systematic review." Safety science 45.3 (2007): 329-353.