Response to the following:
Preventive controls are designed to decrease the likelihood of an undesired risk event. The majority of controls applied in organizations in response to hazard risks are preventive controls. For health and safety risks, preventive control will include the replacement of a less hazardous substance in the activity (Hopkin, 2017).
All risks cannot be prevented or removed on a cost-effective basis, nor may they be desirable for the future of the organization and the continuation of certain actions. Examples of protective controls include separation of duty, where no one has the power to act without the consent of another when paying an invoice. Also, spending systems should prevent the same person from requesting goods and then authorizing payment. About health and safety, preventive controls include eliminating or removing the hazard and providing a less hazardous alternative. (Hopkin, 2017)
Preventive controls are that they eliminate the risk so that they are not reviewed. In reality, this might not be a cost-effective option and may not be possible for operational reasons. The disadvantages of prior controls are that useful activities can be eliminated or outsourced or replaced with something less effective and efficient. Health and safety practitioners note that hazardous activities must be eliminated, achieving something as much as possible requires a feasible balance between cost in terms of time, trouble and money against interest in terms of reducing the level of danger that is achieved. For example, the risk of collapse in underground mines can be reduced by providing support beams and props that will prevent the risk of demolition. However, as far as practicable, it is necessary to take into account the cost of providing these pillars against the level of risk reduction that can be achieved in this particular mine (Hopkin, 2017).
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Preventive controls are essential for managing risk and ensuring the health and safety of individuals in organizations. These controls aim to decrease the likelihood of unwanted risk events from occurring. In the context of health and safety risks, preventive controls involve measures such as replacing hazardous substances with safer alternatives during activities.
While it is not possible to prevent or eliminate all risks, preventive controls play a crucial role in minimizing their impact. Examples of protective controls include the separation of duties, where multiple individuals are involved in the decision-making process to prevent unauthorized actions, such as unauthorized payment of invoices. Similarly, spending systems can be designed to prevent the same person from both requesting goods and authorizing the payment.
In terms of health and safety, preventive controls focus on eliminating or removing hazards and providing less hazardous alternatives. This could involve eliminating certain activities altogether or finding substitutes that are less risky. However, it is important to consider cost-effectiveness and operational feasibility when implementing preventive controls. It may not always be practical or cost-effective to eliminate a risk completely, and therefore a balance needs to be struck between the cost and benefits of risk reduction measures.
For instance, in underground mining operations, the risk of collapse can be reduced by providing support beams and props. However, the cost of implementing these measures needs to be evaluated against the level of risk reduction achieved in that particular mine.
In conclusion, preventive controls are crucial for managing risks in organizations, particularly in terms of health and safety. While they aim to eliminate risks, this may not always be feasible or cost-effective. Therefore, a balance needs to be struck between the costs and benefits of implementing preventive controls.
