Guide
The hierarchy of control
When you decide how to control a hazard, the order you choose matters. The hierarchy of control is the order the law and every assessor expect you to follow.
The short answer
The hierarchy of control is the order in which you choose measures to control a hazard, from most effective to least. You work down it: eliminate the hazard, substitute it for something safer, apply engineering controls, apply administrative controls, and use personal protective equipment as the last line of defence. The point is to control risk at source wherever you can, rather than relying on people to behave safely around a hazard you left in place.
The five levels, in order
- Eliminate. Remove the hazard completely, for example by doing the work a different way that avoids it.
- Substitute. Replace the hazard with something less dangerous, such as a lower-hazard material.
- Engineering controls. Isolate people from the hazard, for example with guarding, extraction or physical barriers.
- Administrative controls. Change the way people work, through safe systems of work, training, signage and permits.
- Personal protective equipment. Protect the individual with equipment such as gloves, respirators or fall arrest, as the last resort.
Personal protective equipment sits at the bottom deliberately. It only protects the person wearing it, only if worn correctly, and does nothing to reduce the hazard itself, so it is the fallback after the higher controls, not the first choice.
For electrical contractors
Electrician CHAS pack · £95
Risk assessments that apply the hierarchy of control properly, written for electrical work, so controls are chosen at source rather than defaulting to PPE.
How to apply it in a risk assessment
When you reach the step in a risk assessment where you decide on precautions, run each significant hazard down the hierarchy. Ask first whether you can eliminate it, then whether you can substitute, and only move down to administrative controls and personal protective equipment once the higher options are exhausted. An assessor reading your risk assessment can tell whether you did this: a control section that jumps straight to gloves and goggles for every hazard signals that the hierarchy was skipped.
Related guides
Read how to write a risk assessment, what a risk assessment is, and what a COSHH assessment is.
Common questions
What is the hierarchy of control?
The order in which you choose measures to control a hazard, from most effective to least: eliminate, substitute, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment as the last resort.
What are the five levels of the hierarchy of control?
Eliminate the hazard; substitute it for something safer; apply engineering controls that isolate people from it; apply administrative controls that change how people work; and use personal protective equipment as the final line of defence.
Why is PPE the last resort?
Because it only protects the person wearing it, only when worn correctly, and does nothing to reduce the hazard itself. Higher controls remove or isolate the hazard, so they protect everyone and do not depend on individual behaviour.
How do I use the hierarchy of control in a risk assessment?
At the step where you decide on precautions, run each significant hazard down the hierarchy: try to eliminate it first, then substitute, then engineering and administrative controls, and only rely on PPE once the higher options are exhausted.