The Hierarchy of Controls
Traditionally, a prioritized "Hierarchy of Controls" (HOC) has been used to implement feasible and effective exposure controls to protect workers. We encourage the use of the HOC as described within the ANSI/ASSP Z10, Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, to control hazards.
The first three strategies in the hierarchy attempt to control exposure by changing hazards so that they eliminate or reduce their severity.
- Elimination: The goal of this strategy is to totally remove the hazard from the workplace. Elimination is the highest priority for controlling hazards because it is the only strategy that does not rely on employee compliance to be effective.
- Substitution: This strategy should be used if it is not feasible to eliminate the hazard. The idea is to reduce the severity of a hazard by replacing it with a less dangerous hazard. An example is replacing a toxic chemical with a less-toxic chemical.
- Engineering Controls: This strategy involves the design or redesign of tools, equipment, machinery and facilities so that hazardous chemicals are not needed or that exposure to those hazardous chemicals are not possible. Examples include enclosing work processes or installing local ventilation systems.
The remaining three strategies may protect employees by reducing exposure to health hazards when elimination, substitution, and engineering strategies are inadequate. It's important to note that each of these strategies must be used to some extent in conjunction with the other strategies.
- Warnings: These measures raise hazard awareness through the use of signs, alarms, signals, labels, placards, cones, and other methods. For example, a warning sign might be used to keep workers from entering a confined space.
- Work practice controls: Exposure to hazards can be eliminated or reduced using work practice controls, but only if workers comply with mandatory safe procedures and rules that mandate safe work practices.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): When one or more of the other strategies fail to provide the needed protection, appropriate personal protective equipment and clothing may be required. PPE provides barriers to prevent employee contact with the hazards.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-7. Which of the following control measures is considered the highest priority in the Hierarchy of Controls?
You forgot to answer the question!