Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs

To effectively control and prevent hazards, employers should:

• Involve workers, who often have the best understanding of the conditions that create hazards and insights into how they can be controlled.

Identify and evaluate options for controlling hazards, using a "hierarchy of controls."

Use a hazard control plan to guide the selection and implementation of controls, and implement controls according to the plan.

Develop plans with measures to protect workers during emergencies and nonroutine activities.

Evaluate the effectiveness of existing controls to determine whether they continue to provide protection, or whether different controls may be more effective. Review new technologies for their potential to be more protective, more reliable, or less costly.