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Risk Control Measures

Last updated: March 6, 2019

What Does Risk Control Measures Mean?

Risk control measures are actions taken by an employer to limit the risk of a hazardous incident occurring within or around the work environment. They are a basic legal requirement of modern occupational health and safety regulations.

Safeopedia Explains Risk Control Measures

The control of workplace risk is a practical, evidence-driven process; employers assess the work environment to identify risks present in the workplace—as well as the specific individuals at risk—before taking appropriate action to control those risks. The term “risk control” is used because it is often impossible to eliminate the hazard completely; the employer’s obligation is to reduce risk to an acceptable level.

The risk control process requires attention to any regulatory and international standards with which the employer may be required to comply. Health and safety regulations may require specific controls for specific hazards, depending on the jurisdiction. The use of risk control measures is expected to follow a “triage” model in which the highest risk is addressed first, using the most effective controls available. Common types of specific risk control measures include good housekeeping practices, employee safety training, safety policies, use of safety drills, re-design of unsafe tasks, and the implementation of automated equipment.

The UK Health and Safety Executive describes the risk control process as consisting of a cycle of five steps.

  1. Identification of all hazards in the workplace.
  2. Identification of the persons placed at risk by those hazards.
  3. Evaluation of the level of risk posed by each hazard and the development of control measures.
  4. Recording of all control measures and the rationale behind them.
  5. Re-evaluation of workplace risk to determine if updates to hazard controls are necessary.

Other jurisdictions require processes similar to this.

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Synonyms

risk control strategy

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