Florida State University
Environmental Health & Safety
Hierarchy of Protective Measures
Elimination of the hazard altogether
or
substitution of less hazardous materials
should be your first considerations!
Of these three remaining measures, Engineering Controls afford the highest level of protection even though they are the least understood and most taken for granted by facility users.
Typical Engineering Controls
Who Specifies Engineering Controls?
In most circumstances, everyone involved in the construction or renovation of the laboratory or facility has a say in what controls are specified.
Simple engineering controls are sometimes instituted afterwards. These should also be reviewed by Code Officials and EH&S staff for appropriateness and consistency.
Click each bubble of the image below to reveal roles.
Typical Construction Process
References and Resources
What Happens Post-Construction?
After occupancy, the Project Team fades away and the Customer is responsible for the facility.
Post-Construction Period Issues
Design intentions are lost as time passes…
Blueprints and specifications are available but these do not usually clearly indicate the original intentions or purposes.
Systems training is performed and may be videotaped near project completion. However, this is only as useful as the makeup and questions asked by the audience present.
Maintenance, renovations, modifications (legitimate and otherwise) will occur over time. These will affect overall system performance…
Some key or critical components may be routinely tested but…overall system performance is rarely scrutinized.
The involvement of Facilities Engineers, Code Officials, and EH&S is requisite before any system modifications are performed to ensure appropriate integration into existing designs, compliance, and functionality
Post-Construction Period Issues
Perhaps the biggest problem for facility occupants...
Users rarely receive facility system operations training!
"Laboratory personnel need to understand the capabilities and limitations of the ventilation systems,… and other exhaust devices associated with such equipment and how to use them properly…"(National Academies: Prudent Practices in the Laboratory). The aim of this training is to achieve this basic understanding.