Engineering Controls Program

Key points

  • The NIOSH Engineering Controls Program seeks to protect workers through engineering interventions that can eliminate hazards and make work safer.
  • The Program develops and tests engineering controls for their effectiveness at reducing exposures to chemical, biological, and physical hazards.
worker conducts grinding task with a wetting method of combining water spray and sheet-wetting.

Overview

Worker conducts grinding task with a wetting method of combining water spray and sheet-wetting.
Worker conducts grinding task with a wetting method of combining water spray and sheet-wetting. Photo by NIOSH,

To Learn More‎

This page provides information about the goals and activities of this NIOSH Research Program. For related prevention and safety information please visit Directory of Engineering Controls.

Engineering controls protect workers by removing or reducing hazardous conditions such as harmful air contaminants or dangerous noise levels. Well-designed engineering controls can be highly effective in protecting workers through solutions like machine guards or local exhaust ventilation (LEV). The mission of the NIOSH Engineering Controls Program is to eliminate occupational diseases, injuries, and fatalities through a focused program of research and prevention across all industries and sectors. Traditionally, the hierarchy of controls approach has been an important tool for determining how to implement feasible and effective control solutions.

NIOSH engineering control efforts include the following activities:

  • Plan and conduct research on engineering control technology to prevent worker exposures to hazards.
  • Promote the application of effective engineering control technology for safeguarding worker safety and health.
  • Provide expertise in formulating effective and credible workplace standards.
  • Provide consultation in the application of effective control solutions and techniques for hazard prevention.
  • Promote the application of Prevention through Design (PtD) as one of the best ways to prevent and control occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities by "designing out" or minimizing hazards and risks using engineering control solutions.

Program priorities

The ENG Program has selected research priorities on the basis of burden, need, and impact and collaborated with other NIOSH research programs to write the research goals in the NIOSH Strategic Plan for FYs 2019-2026. Priority areas include (but are not limited to):

  • Hearing loss prevention in Construction, Manufacturing, Mining, Oil and Gas Extraction, and Services.
  • Airborne contaminants, for example crystalline silica in Mining and Construction.
  • Hazardous drugs, surgical smoke, and infectious aerosols in the Healthcare and Social Assistance sector.
  • Drilling fluids in the Oil and Gas Extraction sector.
  • Nanomaterials and other advanced materials in Manufacturing and Construction.

What we've accomplished

in 2022-2023, The Program:

What's ahead

In the future, the Program aims to:

  • Publish a peer-reviewed journal article on the design and evaluation of four low-cost engineering controls for additive manufacturing and 3D printing.
  • Publish guidance that summarizes ventilation strategies and related resources that can reduce infectious aerosol exposures in indoor air environments.
  • Conduct additional research on the effectiveness of HEPA filtration in an ambulance module and publish additional recommendations for ambulance-based interventions for infectious aerosols.

Contacts

Contact the NIOSH Engineering Controls Program at engineeringcontrols@cdc.gov with any questions.

Resources

More information on specific workplace safety and health topics and useful resources can be found on the Directory of Engineering Controls.