Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

6.3.3 Reduced time exposure
This involves reducing the time during the working day 
that the employee is exposed to the hazard, either by 
giving the employee other work or rest periods. It is only 
suitable for the control of health hazards associated with, 
for example, noise, display screens and hazardous sub-
stances. However, it is important to note that for many 
hazards there are short-term exposure limits as well as 
normal working workplace exposure limits (WELS) over 
an 8-hour period (see Chapter 14). Shortterm limits must 
not be exceeded during the reduced time exposure 
intervals.
6.3.4 Engineering 
controls
This describes the control of risks by means of engineer-
ing design rather than a reliance on preventative actions 
by the employee. There are several ways of achieving 
such controls:
1. control the risks at the source (e.g. the use of more 
effi cient dust fi lters or the purchase of less noisy 
equipment)
2. control the risk of exposure by:
– 
isolating
the equipment by the use of an enclos-
ure, a barrier or guard
– 
insulating
any electrical or temperature 
hazard
– 
ventilate
away any hazardous fumes or gases, 
either naturally or by the use of extractor fans 
and hoods.
6.3.5 Housekeeping
Housekeeping is a very cheap and effective means 
of controlling risks. It involves keeping the work-
place clean and tidy at all times and maintaining good 
storage systems for hazardous substances and other 
potentially dangerous items. The risks most likely to be 
infl uenced by good housekeeping are fi re and slips, trips 
and falls.
6.3.6 Safe systems of work
A safe system of work is a requirement of the HSW 
Act and is dealt with in detail later. The system of 
work describes the safe method of performing the job 
activity. If the risks involved are high or medium, the 
details of the system should be in writing and should 
be communicated to the employee formally in a training 
session. Systems for low risk activities may be conveyed 
verbally. There should be records that the employee (or 
contractor) has been trained or instructed in the safe 
system of work and that he or she understands it and 
will abide by it.