What temporary controls should be documented when an immediate hazard cannot be eliminated immediately?

• A. Remove hazard immediately with no documentation.
• B. Wait for the hazard to be resolved by external party.
• C. Implement interim measures, document actions, assign responsibilities, and set a remediation deadline with close monitoring.
• D. Move personnel away without any plan.

Answer: (C)

When an immediate hazard cannot be eliminated right away, you must move to temporary controls that reduce risk while a permanent fix is arranged, and you need to document every step. Implementing interim measures protects workers now by limiting exposure, altering the environment, or changing procedures until a lasting solution is in place. At the same time, you document exactly what actions were taken, who is responsible for them, and the schedule for resolving the hazard. This creates a clear, traceable plan: responsibilities are assigned so someone follows up, a remediation deadline is set so the hazard isn’t left hanging, and close monitoring ensures the controls stay effective and that progress is tracked.

This approach is far better than removing the hazard without documentation, waiting for an external party to fix it, or relocating personnel without a plan. Simply removing the hazard without recording actions leaves gaps in accountability; relying on someone else to fix it can leave workers exposed longer than is safe; moving people away without a concrete plan to address the root cause means there’s no defined path to a safe, compliant resolution.