Continuous Quality Improvement Initiative

Visual Controls

VISUAL CONTROLS

Visual controls provide illustrated or color-coded information that helps guide people in performing the proper actions.  They allow the process or system to stay on target, thus reducing opportunities for errors to occur.  Visual controls can contribute to workplace safety, improve flow of people and materials, and provide data with which to measure a process. 

Visual controls may be signs, labels, and/or markings that allow those who are unfamiliar with the process to understand what is being done, where it is being done, and what is out of place.  Audio signals may also be used to alert people to machine maintenance or other useful information. Traffic signals are the most common example of visual controls.  In healthcare, other examples of visual controls are patient wristbands, indicator lights on machines, painted floor areas, and status boards.

Broad categories of visual controls are: 

1.  Display – Low level  -- these provide information about the immediate environment or situation.  They are passive alerts, and people may not notice or respond to them immediately (e.g., pressure gauges, floor markings).

2.  Warning – Medium level  -- these catch your attention through visual or audible alarms.  People may choose to ignore these signals but they are usually perceived (e.g., alarms on pumps used to provide controlled administration of medications).

3.  Command – High-level -- these limit or modify behavior through strong visual messages or physical restrictions as an action is taking place (e.g., requiring a color-coded key to open a cabinet or drawer)