Name the hierarchy of controls from most to least effective.

• A. Elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, PPE.
• B. PPE, administrative, engineering, substitution, elimination.
• C. Elimination, PPE, administrative, substitution, engineering.
• D. Administrative, engineering, PPE, elimination, substitution.

Answer: (A)

Hierarchy of controls ranks protective strategies from most to least effective. The top approach is to remove the hazard entirely from the workplace, so exposure cannot occur. If that isn’t possible, replace the hazard with something less dangerous. Next come engineering controls, which physically reduce or isolate exposure (for example, ventilation systems or enclosed processes) without relying on workers’ actions. After that, administrative controls rely on changing how people work—such as training, procedures, or rotating tasks—to reduce exposure, but these depend on consistent human behavior. At the end is personal protective equipment, which acts as a barrier between the worker and the hazard but doesn’t remove the hazard itself and depends on proper use and fit.

So the correct sequence is elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and PPE. This order reflects why removing the hazard at the source is the most reliable form of protection, with PPE being least effective because it protects only when used correctly and does not eliminate the hazard.