Speech recognition and control system, comprising: a receiver for receiving an audio input; an event detector for analyzing the audio input and identifying at least one event of the audio input; a recognizer for interpreting at least a portion of the audio input, the recognizer adapted to identify at least one speech command from the audio input; a database including a plurality of mitigation rules; and a controller for generating a control command based on the at least one event, a system status determined by the controller, and at least one rule, the controller adapted to receive event data from the event detector and query said plurality of mitigation rules to determine whether a hazard or risk mitigation measure is needed based on the at least one event, the system status and the at least one rule, and adapted, if no mitigation measure is needed, to receive said speech command from the recognizer, to send said speech command to a device or devices operable by said speech command and to implement said speech command accordingly, wherein said plurality of rules comprises a rule that, if a mitigation measure is needed, provides for, by the controller sending said control command to said device or devices, immediately stopping a device activity of said device or devices operable by said speech command, directing said device or devices to perform a different activity or action to prevent or mitigate a hazard, or countermanding said speech command to be sent or previously sent to said device or devices, when an utterance duration exceeds or does not meet a predetermined duration, threshold or range, said utterance duration included in said at least one event. a receiver for receiving an audio input; an event detector for analyzing the audio input and identifying at least one event of the audio input; a recognizer for interpreting at least a portion of the audio input, the recognizer adapted to identify at least one speech command from the audio input; a database including a plurality of mitigation rules; and a controller for generating a control command based on the at least one event, a system status determined by the controller, and at least one rule, the controller adapted to receive event data from the event detector and query said plurality of mitigation rules to determine whether a hazard or risk mitigation measure is needed based on the at least one event, the system status and the at least one rule, and adapted, if no mitigation measure is needed, to receive said speech command from the recognizer, to send said speech command to a device or devices operable by said speech command and to implement said speech command accordingly, wherein said plurality of rules comprises a rule that, if a mitigation measure is needed, provides for, by the controller sending said control command to said device or devices, immediately stopping a device activity of said device or devices operable by said speech command, directing said device or devices to perform a different activity or action to prevent or mitigate a hazard, or countermanding said speech command to be sent or previously sent to said device or devices, when an utterance duration exceeds or does not meet a predetermined duration, threshold or range, said utterance duration included in said at least one event.