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Hierarchy of Controls: Manufacturing Examples

Compare elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative controls and PPE with manufacturing examples and evidence for verification.

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  1. Elimination

    Remove the hazardous task or source.

  2. Substitution

    Use a less hazardous process; assess new hazards.

  3. Engineering controls

    Separate people from the hazard by design.

  4. Administrative controls

    Define methods, training and access rules.

  5. Personal protective equipment

    Select suitable protection for remaining exposure.

Start at the top. Combine controls where necessary, then verify the installed control in the actual task. A warning alone does not remove access to a hazard.

Choose controls in order of strength

The NIOSH hierarchy ranks elimination and substitution above engineering controls, administrative controls and personal protective equipment. It is U.S. guidance, not a regulation. Higher-order controls generally reduce dependence on a person remembering to act, but suitability and new hazards still need assessment.

Apply the hierarchy to one exposure

For repeated reaching into a process, elimination could remove the manual intervention. Substitution could change the material or method. Engineering could prevent access to hazardous motion. Procedures and training support the system; PPE addresses suitable remaining exposure. These are options to evaluate, not an automatic design prescription.

Verify the mechanism, not the label

State exactly how the control changes the exposure. Ask whether it functions during setup, cleaning and foreseeable abnormal tasks. Record implementation evidence and the result of an appropriate qualified check. A control labeled “engineering” can still be ineffective if it is easy to defeat or does not cover the actual task.

A reminder compared with a design change

Illustrative manufacturing example

A sign asking people to keep hands away depends on behavior at every cycle. A properly designed feeding arrangement may remove the need to reach. Compare the actual effect, remaining access and new risks; do not claim a guaranteed reduction from the category alone.

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Sources and scope

ORDREL supports a documented review. It does not certify a machine, provide legal advice or approve work. User-assessed ordinal ratings help prioritize decisions; they are not probabilities or declarations of safety. Follow applicable local requirements and your organization’s authorized procedures.