BHP - Driving safety forward

Types of controls Controls don’t all work the same way. Some act automatically, others rely on people, and some reduce the impact after an incident has already happened. Understanding these control types helps you apply the right tools at the right time. Watch this short video to explore the four types of controls, how they work across the incident timeline, and why support factors are critical to making them effective.

How effective are the different types of controls? Not all controls offer the same level of protection. Some stop incidents completely. Others rely on human action or only help once something has already gone wrong.

Understanding how effective each control type is helps LCAs and site teams understand their Control Framework as a whole.

Control types: Effectiveness vs timing

These are the most effective— automatic, high reliability controls interrupt the incident sequence by themselves.

Interrupt Controls

Still highly valuable, these support early detection but rely on operators to act to interrupt the incident sequence.

Assisted Interrupt Controls

These depend on people recognising and acting to interrupt the incident sequence. They’re simple to apply but inconsistent in outcome.

Human Action Interrupt Controls

“ The best safety systems don’t rely on one layer—they combine multiple types of controls and support factors to interrupt risk, reduce harm, and strengthen outcomes.”

These don’t prevent the incident but reduce the impact or damage. They’re essential in high-consequence environments.

Damage Reduction Controls

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