Hazards and exposures

Hazard management is a key part of keeping workplaces safe and healthy.

Workplace hazards exist in every industry and can include unsafe practices, hazardous substances, dangerous conditions, or a combination of factors that put workers at risk of injury or illness.

While hazards are always present, they can be identified and controlled. The first step is understanding the potential risks in your workplace so you can take action to prevent injuries, accidents and fatalities.

Control measures keep worker exposure below the occupational exposure limit (OEL) for each biological substance. These measures follow a hierarchy, with elimination and substitution being the most effective types of control. Types of control measures include:

• elimination: eliminate or remove the hazard from the workplace
• substitution: replace with a less hazardous condition, practice or process
• administrative: improvements in the way work is done
• engineering: physical changes that reduce exposure and isolate the worker from the hazard
• personal protective equipment methods