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Hierarchy of Controls

A core principle in safety management, the Hierarchy of Controls provides a systematic approach to risk mitigation. It ranks control measures from the most effective to the least effective, guiding a systematic approach to risk mitigation.

The hierarchy consists of:

  1. Elimination & Substitution: Removing the hazard or replacing it with a safer alternative.
  2. Engineering Controls: Physically isolating people from the hazard.
  3. Administrative Controls: Changing how people work (e.g., procedures, training).
  4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): A last-resort barrier between the worker and the hazard.

An effective Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) program always prioritizes controls at the top of this hierarchy, viewing PPE as the final line of defense, not the primary solution.

This image displays the "Hierarchy of Controls," a fundamental concept in occupational safety and health used to minimize or eliminate exposure to hazards, as presented by the CDC/NIOSH. The hierarchy is visually represented as an inverted pyramid or a triangle, with the most effective controls at the top and the least effective at the bottom. The five levels, from Most effective (top, blue) to Least effective (bottom, red), are: Elimination (Blue): Physically remove the hazard. Substitution (Green): Replace the hazard. Engineering Controls (Yellow): Isolate people from the hazard. Administrative Controls (Orange): Change the way people work. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) (Red): Protect the worker with Personal Protective Equipment. A color gradient scale on the left visually reinforces the effectiveness level, transitioning from blue/green (Most effective) to red (Least effective). The graphic emphasizes that elimination and substitution are the preferred methods for hazard control.

 
The hierarchy of controls should be applied sequentially, starting from the most effective measure and working down (Source: CDC)

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