EH&S Environmental Health & Safety Introduction15 minCompliance tier
Hierarchy of Controls
Understand the hierarchy of controls for hazard management
What you'll be able to do
•Rank hazard controls from most to least effective, from elimination and substitution through engineering controls, administrative controls, and PPE
•Explain why removing or substituting a hazard beats relying on employee behavior or protective gear
•Apply the hierarchy to a real workplace hazard to choose stronger controls first
•Recognize why PPE, though important, is the last line of defense rather than the first solution
Who it's for
Supervisors, team leads, and safety committee members who evaluate hazards and decide how to control them. Also valuable for any employee who wants to understand why some safety fixes are prioritized over others.
What changes on the job
•Hazard fixes that start with elimination or engineering controls instead of jumping straight to PPE
•Better-reasoned recommendations when reporting or reviewing a hazard
•A shared vocabulary for discussing control options across a team
Bring this course to your team
See how Thrive delivers enterprise-quality development for SMBs.
Yes, somewhat. Where most EH&S courses teach a specific hazard, this one teaches the decision framework used to control any hazard. It makes the other courses fit together and is especially useful for anyone influencing safety decisions.
How long does it take?
About 15 minutes, self-paced. It is a strong foundation before or alongside the more hazard-specific courses in the track.
Do I need a safety background to follow it?
No prerequisites. It is written to be clear for anyone, though it is particularly relevant to supervisors and safety committee members who make control decisions.