..The best control is control from its source. The engineering or mechanical control is the first step, a very important thing to stop hazard at the starting period, when the hazard appears at the first time...
The best control is control from its source. The engineering or mechanical control is the first step, a very important thing to stop hazard at the starting period, when the hazard appears at the first time. It is strongly recommend to including the safety aspects into engineering or mechanical process. Both its purchasing and also maintenance process. When both if this already applied, the safety aspects are already including into its function. While keeping safety aspects into maintenance is also important to ensure that the entire machine is running based on the safe way according to its first condition, the original way when it’s bought at the first time.
Some of engineering or mechanical control for example:
1. Isolation
It’s by covering, isolating or giving limitation of the hazard interfere working environment/ ambient/ surrounding. Some time by closing permanently the machine, or just create a simple cover to stop the hazard expose to the operator. This isolation can be made for whole of machine’s body or just for small parts of the machine that considered can produce the hazard, such as: rotary parts, sharp edge, hot surface, chemical fume, slippery or dusty area, etc. All of those parts must be controlled by isolating them in order not to create hazard for the operator. This isolation technique must be done properly by considering the function of the machine so that isolation will not create the new hazard for the operator, i.e.: for operator who work in the covered and isolated room with those potential hazards.
2. Modification
The other solution to control hazard through engineering or mechanical control is by making some modifications to the machine that will reducing hazard’s exposure to the operator. For example by re-design the old machine which already missing its hand stopper or needle guarding for manual switching machine, or face shield or eye protector for molding machine to protect grams of steel dust spread into naked eye. This modification technique must also being done properly by considering the function of the machine so that modification will not create the new hazard for the operator.
3. Elimination
The elimination is the fastest way to control any unnecessary, any additional process that will create the potential hazard reach and exposed to the operator. This technique cannot be applied to all machine and process. Because the process which can be eliminate is not the main process, the process which without it’s, the production still can be done and reach the target.
4. Substitution
But sometime, when a process which considered as a primary problem which can lead to substandard condition and then create the accident, this then become an alternative solution then elimination technique, especially when those process can’t be deleted since those process is the primary process or vital one.
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