Hazard Controls

Hazard controls are an organized set of measures to eliminate or minimize hazards. Effective hazard controls help faculty, staff and students avoid injuries, illnesses and incidents; minimize or eliminate safety and health risks; and help the university provide the U of A community with safe and healthy working conditions.

Hierarchy of Controls

The hierarchy of controls is a step-by-step approach to eliminating or reducing workplace hazards that is used by organizations around the world. It ranks controls from the most effective level of protection (at the top of the inverted pyramid) to the least effective level of protection (at the bottom of the inverted pyramid).

When we aim to mitigate hazards, we start first at the top, assessing the feasibility of the elimination layer before moving on to the substitution layer. Continuing the process down to the bottom of the pyramid ensures we have identified as many controls as needed to protect workers from hazards.