Hazard elimination is a hazard control strategy based on completely removing a material or process causing a

hazard A hazard is a potential source of harm. Substances, events, or circumstances can constitute hazards when their nature would allow them, even just theoretically, to cause damage to health, life, property, or any other interest of value. The probab ...

. Elimination is the most effective of the five members of the

hierarchy of hazard controls Hierarchy of hazard control is a system used in industry to minimize or eliminate exposure to hazards.

in protecting workers, and where possible should be implemented before all other control methods. Many jurisdictions require that an employer eliminate hazards if it is possible, before considering other types of hazard control. Elimination is most effective early in the design process, when it may be inexpensive and simple to implement. It is more difficult to implement for an existing process, when major changes in equipment and procedures may be required. Elimination can fail as a strategy if the hazardous process or material is reintroduced at a later stage in the design or production phases. The complete elimination of hazards is a major component to the philosophy of

Prevention through Design Prevention through design (PtD), also called safety by design usually in Europe, is the concept of applying methods to minimize occupational hazards early in the design process, with an emphasis on optimizing employee health and safety throughou ...

, which promotes the practice of eliminating hazards at the earliest design stages of a project. Complete elimination of a hazard is often the most difficult control to achieve, but addressing it at the start of a project allows designers and planners to make large changes much more easily without the need to

retrofit Retrofitting is the addition of new technology or features to older systems. Retrofits can happen for a number of reasons, for example with big capital expenditures like naval vessels, military equipment or manufacturing plants, businesses or go ...

or redo work.

Typical examples

Removing the use of a

hazardous chemical Dangerous goods, abbreviated DG, are substances that when transported are a risk to health, safety, property or the environment. Certain dangerous goods that pose risks even when not being transported are known as hazardous materials ( syllabi ...

is an example of elimination. Some substances are difficult or impossible to eliminate because they have unique properties necessary to the process, but it may be possible to instead substitute less hazardous versions of the substance. Elimination also applies to equipment as well. For example, noisy equipment can be removed from a room used for other purposes, or an unnecessary blade can be removed from a

machine A machine is a physical system using power to apply forces and control movement to perform an action. The term is commonly applied to artificial devices, such as those employing engines or motors, but also to natural biological macromolecul ...

. Prompt repair of damaged equipment eliminates hazards stemming from their malfunction. Elimination also applies to processes. For example, the risk of falls can be eliminated by eliminating the process of working in a high area, by using extending tools from the ground instead of climbing, or moving a piece to be worked on to ground level. The need for workers to enter a hazardous area such as a

grain elevator A grain elevator is a facility designed to stockpile or store grain. In the grain trade, the term "grain elevator" also describes a tower containing a bucket elevator or a pneumatic conveyor, which scoops up grain from a lower level and deposi ...

can be eliminated by installing equipment that performs the task automatically. Eliminating an inspection that requires opening a package containing a hazardous material reduces the inhalation hazard to the inspector.

References

{{Underwater diving, divsaf Industrial hygiene Safety engineering Risk analysis