Direct Control
A control that stops a high-energy release even when a person makes a mistake.
A Direct Control is a physical safeguard. The programme’s shorthand is Targeted, Strong, Forgiving:
- Targeted
- Targeted at the specific high-energy source.
- Strong
- Effectively mitigates exposure when installed, verified and used properly.
- Forgiving
- Still works when there is unintentional human error during the work.
It acts on the energy by eliminating it, reducing it below the threshold, or isolating it. A sign is not a Direct Control, and neither is a control that fails the moment someone makes a mistake. A lockout with verified isolation is.
Related terms
- The 3Ts (Timely, Tangible, Targeted)
- The entry test for whether a measure counts as a control at all.
- Alternative Control
- What is required where no Direct Control is feasible: layered error-reduction measures.
- High-energy threshold (1,500 joules)
- The research-based line above which a serious injury is the most likely outcome of contact.