What Does
Administrative Controls Mean?
Administrative controls are a category of methods used to control workplace hazards. They involve changing policies, rules, and the way work is performed to improve the safety of workers and reduce the level of risk they face.
Administrative controls include:
- Safety policies and rules
- Scheduling work to avoid exposure to hazards (e.g. scheduling outdoor work early in the day to protect workers from the high mid-day temperatures)
- Outlining safe work procedures
- Training and mentorship programs
- Assigning housekeeping tasks
- Maintenance and inspection schedules
Safeopedia Explains Administrative Controls
Administrative controls are a category within the Hierarchy of Hazard Controls, a classification system that organizes control methods based on their effectiveness. These are, in order of most to least effective:
- Elimination (removing the hazard entirely)
- Substitution (replacing the hazardous situation with a lower risk alternative)
- Engineering controls (mechanically separating workers from the hazard, through machine guards, guardrails, ventilation systems, and other means)
- Administrative controls (protecting workers through policies and procedures)
- Personal protective equipment (equipping workers with safety gear)
Because administrative controls can be readily undermined by human error (such as a failure to comply with rules), they are considered the second least-effective method of limiting worker risk, with only PPE being less effective.
Administrative Controls and Safety Management
Employers in all jurisdictions have a general duty to take all practicable precautions necessary to prevent injuries and accidents in the workplace and to reduce worker risk as low as reasonably possible. The use of administrative controls is part of this due diligence, and an important method for meeting regulatory obligations when elimination, substitution, and engineering controls are impossible, impractical, or insufficient.
Because administrative controls emphasize improving safety through the implementation of policies, practices, and procedures that govern worker behavior, they can be understood as a form of continuous, human-mediated safety management.
Examples of Administrative Controls
Administrative controls may include:
- Prohibiting workers from accessing unsafe areas (unless qualified to do so or approved by a manager)
- Limiting the time spent on specific job tasks to reduce exposure to hazardous substances
- Posting safety signs to remind workers of the hazards around them
- Instituting a policy that limits back-to-back shifts to reduce worker fatigue
- Implementing drug and alcohol testing policies
Administrative controls are frequently used as ergonomic interventions, which are concerned with making sure the tasks and the working environment are compatible with human physical capabilities.
Hygiene procedures and infection control measures often rely heavily on administrative controls as well. While gloves, respirators, and disposable gowns all fall under the umbrella of PPE, handwashing policies, distancing measures, and even encouraging people to cough into their elbow are administrative controls.
Variations in the Concept
The implementation of many administrative controls, such as OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard, is a legal requirement of employers in industries that the standards apply to. Within the context of legal requirements, the exact scope of the definition of “administrative control” varies depending on the jurisdiction. OSHA defines the term as referring to alterations designed to reduce risk, and it does not include general safe work practices.
Ready to learn more? Check out our free webinar: Safety as We Know It… Is Killing Your Business!
Sign up to the Safeopedia Newsletter to get more great safety info delivered right to your inbox!