Which term describes interposing a barrier between a hazard and the people?

Which term describes interposing a barrier between a hazard and the people?

• A. Minimization
• B. Isolation
• C. Ventilation
• D. Substitution

Answer: (B)

Interposing a barrier between a hazard and people is isolation. This engineering control physically separates workers from the hazard by enclosing the process, guarding equipment, or placing distance between them, so exposure is prevented at the source. Examples include machine guarding, sealed enclosures, containment rooms, or barriers that keep people out of the hazard area. This is why isolation is the best fit here: it creates a tangible separation that stops contact with the hazard. Other options reduce risk in different ways but don’t create the necessary physical separation. Minimization lowers exposure by reducing time or amount of hazard encountered; substitution replaces the hazard with a less dangerous one; ventilation helps by diluting or exhausting the hazard but doesn’t establish a barrier between people and the hazard.

Interposing a barrier between a hazard and people is isolation. This engineering control physically separates workers from the hazard by enclosing the process, guarding equipment, or placing distance between them, so exposure is prevented at the source. Examples include machine guarding, sealed enclosures, containment rooms, or barriers that keep people out of the hazard area. This is why isolation is the best fit here: it creates a tangible separation that stops contact with the hazard.

Other options reduce risk in different ways but don’t create the necessary physical separation. Minimization lowers exposure by reducing time or amount of hazard encountered; substitution replaces the hazard with a less dangerous one; ventilation helps by diluting or exhausting the hazard but doesn’t establish a barrier between people and the hazard.