Overview
please respond to sheldon with 150. words
Personal protective equipment (PPE), such as respirators, are sometimes used instead of effective engineering controls because of cost. What are some positive and negative aspects of using PPE instead of engineering controls? How might you justify the expense of implementing engineering controls to reduce the use of PPE?
When it comes to the hierarchy of controls, you need to look at it from a standpoint of the most effective to the least effective. Elimination being the highest, engineering controls are like in the middle, and PPE is the last-ditch effort to prevent something (Illinois OSHA, 2025). If you look at it from this standpoint you see that assigning PPE it may present a means to be cost effective but there are human factors related to just that concept. First thing that I would call out is the comfort and fit of that same PPE (NIH, 2025). Usually, the go to is foamy ear plug that form fit to your ear canal (NIH, 2025). The problem with this scenario is that one type or size does not fit all, and so you might have to take that into account. The foam, pre-mold, custom, canal caps, and earmuffs all have their own pros and cons (NIH, 2025). If you go with the foam ones, they are cheap, but they require the employees to follow direction, have some knowledge of how to put them in your ears the right way. Relying on single control is not enough to protect workers, it gives them a false sense of confidence leading to a negative safety culture, and complacency (SBN Software, 2025). It might sound silly but like I mention before some will not use PPE the right way or even understand the limitation of that piece of PPE. Not using PPE, the right way would speak to the training and education of everyone in this instance (SBN Software, 2025).
For example, here is a list of negative human factors you should consider when you are selecting PPE, the fit, risk perception, overconfidence, training, education, attitude, complacency, communication and teamwork (SBN Software, 2025). This is why communication is paramount in these types of situations and hierarchy of controls should be thought about as collaboration. You want to stay higher up on the hierarchy pyramid to eliminate or substitute to a lower level of risk. Let's say you work in a machine shop, and you are getting new equipment. You could start by looking at finding machines that are quieter, review the noise hazards that are currently within the workplace, decrease monitoring timeframes from biannual to annual periodicity, inform your leadership of the current legal requirement (e.g., OSHA). In addition, you could use a lower exchange rate (e.g., 3dBA vs. 5dBA) and that will lower the action level or exposure time. All of the things I mentioned above (e.g., communication, policy, SOP, training) fall under the administration control category, while they are less effective, your proactive attitude, and increase in training could decrease the risk (Illinois OSHA, n.d.). However, by overlapping the engineering controls of a machine, administrative controls, and PPE that all correlate with decreasing the effects of prolonged exposure to noise from the occupational disease standpoint.
Another tool to consider especially when it comes to explaining cost would be the William Fine method that we just used during the risk assessment and analysis from week three project. I never used that assessment tool before, but it gives you the best of both worlds (e.g., risk score and cost analysis). You could also combine that with the use of the OSHA injury estimate calculator; it gives you the direct and indirect cost of particular injuries. For example, a traumatic hearing loss has direct cost of 22,000 dollars and indirect cost is about 25,000 dollars. Compared to the 18,000 to 20,000 dollars direct and indirect cost from prolonged occupational exposure to noise (OSHA, 2025). Yes, there are other factors but with the money you would spend on hospital care, worker compensation, and the blow to the company for losing productivity or sales cost, why would you not invest in other control. So, a well thought out approach is needed especially when it comes to the justifying the cost, considering other ways to implement a system that continually overlaps controls. This will keep your company out of trouble in the legal and financial standpoint, but communication is key (Illinois OSHA, n.d.). Relying on a single point of failure is just that and that comes with a cost and risk to those same employees you are trying to protect.
Illinois OSHA. (n.d.). https://labor.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idol/laws-rules/safety/siteassets/fire-service-resources/other-resources/IL%20OSHA%20Hierarchy%20of%20Hazard%20Controls%20V1.pdf
SBN Software. 2025. What factors influence the selection of personal protective equipment (PPE). https://sbnsoftware.com/blog/what-factors-influence-the-selection-of-personal-protective-equipment-ppe/#:~:text=Beyond%20regulations%20and%20hazard%20assessments,and%20safety%20of%20the%20workforce.
NIH. 2025. Hearing Protectors. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-protectors#:~:text=Examples%20include%20formable%20foam%20earplugs,to%20safely%20enter%20the%20ea