What is a key consideration in the modification of safety devices in inherently safer design?

The focus of inherently safer design is to minimize risks by eliminating or reducing hazards at their source rather than relying solely on protective measures. Therefore, the ability to eliminate potential hazards stands out as a key consideration in the modification of safety devices. This approach promotes safety by fundamentally addressing risks rather than simply managing them with devices that may fail or require maintenance.

Inherent safety seeks to integrate safety into the design process, promoting strategies such as substitution (using less hazardous materials) or simplification (making processes less complex) to prevent accidents from occurring in the first place. This philosophy underlines the importance of proactively addressing safety concerns, making it paramount to prioritize the elimination of potential hazards when modifying safety devices.

While aspects like cost of implementation, speed of installation, and regulatory implications are important considerations in any engineering project, they do not fundamentally align with the core principles of inherently safer design, which prioritizes hazard reduction above all. Thus, it is the ability to eliminate potential hazards that is the most crucial factor when modifying safety devices in this context.