Hierarchy of Risk Control Measures in ISO 45001: How to Control Workplace Risks
Understanding the difference between hazard and risk is the starting point for identifying workplace hazards and assessing occupational health and safety risks. However, the process does not end with a risk assessment. Organizations must decide what actions will actually eliminate hazards or reduce the risks associated with them.
The hierarchy of risk control measures provides a structured way to make these decisions.
Instead of immediately relying on safety procedures or personal protective equipment (PPE), the hierarchy encourages organizations to consider stronger controls first. The aim is to control the hazard as close to its source as reasonably possible and reduce dependence on individual behaviour.
The commonly recognized hierarchy consists of:
- Elimination
- Substitution
- Engineering controls
- Administrative controls
- Personal protective equipment
Understanding the hierarchy of risk control helps organizations select appropriate controls after identifying and assessing workplace hazards.
What Is the Hierarchy of Risk Control Measures?
The hierarchy of risk control measures is a system for prioritizing methods used to eliminate hazards and reduce occupational health and safety risks. The principle is straightforward:
“Start with the most effective method of controlling the hazard before relying on less effective measures.”
For example, completely removing a hazardous activity provides a different level of protection from simply giving workers instructions about how to perform that activity safely.
The hierarchy can be represented as:
Elimination → Substitution → Engineering Controls → Administrative Controls → PPE
These levels help organizations determine suitable control measures of risk assessment rather than choosing controls simply because they are convenient or inexpensive.
Why Is the Hierarchy of Risk Control Important?
Not all controls offer the same level of protection. Consider a machine with exposed moving components. An organization could:
- Remove the hazardous machine.
- Replace it with safer equipment.
- Install a fixed machine guard.
- Introduce a safe-operating procedure.
- Provide workers with protective equipment.
Each action attempts to control risks, but the level of protection and reliance on worker behaviour differ. Removing the hazard entirely usually provides more dependable protection than relying solely on a worker remembering an instruction every time the task is performed.
The hierarchy therefore encourages organizations to ask: Can the hazard be removed or reduced at its source before workers are required to protect themselves from it?
1. Elimination: Remove the Hazard
Elimination sits at the top of the hierarchy because it removes the hazard itself. Examples may include:
- Performing work at ground level instead of at height
- Removing unnecessary hazardous chemicals
- Eliminating an unsafe manual-handling activity
- Purchasing materials already cut to size
- Permanently removing unsafe equipment from service
- Redesigning a process so workers no longer enter a hazardous area
Consider equipment that requires workers to climb a ladder several times each day for routine inspection. If the inspection point can be relocated to ground level or monitored remotely, the work-at-height hazard may be eliminated. This is generally more reliable than retaining the hazard and depending only on fall-protection equipment.
2. Substitution: Replace the Hazard
Where elimination is not practical, substitution may be considered. Substitution means replacing a hazardous material, activity, process or piece of equipment with an alternative that presents a lower risk.
Examples include:
- Replacing a hazardous chemical with a less hazardous alternative
- Replacing high-noise machinery with quieter equipment
- Using lighter materials to reduce manual-handling risks
- Changing a hazardous work process
- Replacing older equipment with equipment incorporating improved safety features
Substitution does not mean the replacement is automatically risk-free. A substitute may introduce different hazards, so the organization should assess the risks associated with the alternative before implementation.
3. Engineering Controls: Separate People from Hazards
Engineering controls use physical or technical measures to reduce exposure. They are particularly valuable because they can often provide protection without depending entirely on workers making the correct decision every time.
Examples include:
- Machine guards
- Local exhaust ventilation
- Physical barriers
- Guardrails
- Safety interlocks
- Noise enclosures
- Automated material-handling systems
- Isolation systems
- Remote-operation equipment
Consider a production process that generates hazardous dust. Providing respiratory protection may reduce worker exposure, but installing effective local exhaust ventilation can capture contaminants closer to their source.
The hazard may still exist, but worker exposure can be significantly reduced through engineering design.
4. Administrative Controls: Change How Work Is Performed
Administrative controls focus on the way work is organized and performed. Examples include:
- Safe operating procedures
- Permit-to-work systems
- Training
- Warning signs
- Restricted access
- Job rotation
- Maintenance programmes
- Workplace inspections
- Supervision
- Shift scheduling
- Safety instructions
These controls can be important, but their effectiveness often depends on people consistently following established arrangements. For example, a procedure may instruct workers to maintain a safe distance from moving equipment.
A physical barrier that prevents workers from entering the hazardous area can provide a more direct form of protection. Administrative controls are therefore commonly used alongside higher-level control measures.
5. Personal Protective Equipment
PPE is used to protect an individual from remaining exposure to hazards. Examples include:
- Safety helmets
- Gloves
- Safety footwear
- Safety glasses
- Face shields
- Hearing protection
- Respiratory protection
- Protective clothing
- Fall-protection equipment
PPE can be essential in many workplaces, but it does not normally remove the underlying hazard. Its effectiveness can depend on:
- Correct selection
- Correct fitting
- Proper use
- Worker training
- Inspection
- Maintenance
- Storage
- Timely replacement
For this reason, PPE should not automatically become the first response whenever a hazard is identified.
Why PPE Should Not Be the First Risk-Control Decision
Organizations sometimes move directly from risk assessment to PPE because protective equipment can appear easier to implement. For example, noise exposure may result in employees being given hearing protection. However, the organization should also consider whether it can:
- Eliminate the noisy activity
- Replace the equipment with quieter machinery
- Enclose the source
- Isolate workers from the noise
Hearing protection may still be required for residual exposure, but stronger controls should be considered first. Effective safety management is therefore not simply about adding more PPE. It is about selecting the most suitable level within the hierarchy of risk control measures.
Control Measures of Risk Assessment: From Hazard to Action
Risk assessment and risk control should operate as connected activities. A useful sequence is:
Identify the hazard → Assess the risk → Select controls → Implement controls → Evaluate residual risk → Monitor effectiveness
For example:
Hazard: Moving forklift trucks in a warehouse.
Risk: Collision between forklifts and pedestrians.
Possible controls may include:
- Elimination: Redesign operations so pedestrians do not need to enter vehicle areas.
- Substitution: Use alternative material-handling systems where appropriate.
- Engineering: Install physical pedestrian barriers and designated crossings.
- Administrative: Introduce traffic-management procedures, speed limits and operator training.
- PPE: Require suitable high-visibility clothing where relevant.
This shows how the control measures of risk assessment should address the actual conditions causing exposure rather than simply adding one generic safety measure.
Can Multiple Risk Controls Be Used Together?
Yes. Organizations often need several layers of controls. Consider exposure to welding fumes.
Suitable measures may include:
- Using a process or consumable that produces fewer hazardous fumes where practicable
- Installing local exhaust ventilation
- Restricting unnecessary access to the work area
- Providing appropriate training
- Providing suitable respiratory protection where required
Combining controls can reduce residual risk more effectively. However, organizations should not use several lower-level controls as a reason to ignore a practical opportunity to eliminate the hazard or introduce stronger engineering measures.
How Organizations Can Control Risks in Dubai Workplaces
The principles of risk control apply regardless of location, but actual controls should reflect the activities and hazards present at each workplace.
Organizations seeking to control risks in Dubai may operate in very different environments, including:
- Construction sites
- Warehouses
- Manufacturing facilities
- Offices
- Hospitality operations
- Logistics facilities
- Workshops
- Healthcare environments
For example, a construction workplace may need strong controls for work at height, lifting operations, mobile equipment and heat exposure, while an office may focus more heavily on ergonomics, emergency arrangements and psychosocial hazards.
The hierarchy should therefore be applied to actual workplace hazards, not as a generic checklist.
Practical Example: Manual Handling
Consider workers manually moving heavy boxes in a warehouse. The organization identifies the possibility of musculoskeletal injury.
Using the hierarchy:
- Elimination: Remove manual lifting through automation.
- Substitution: Use smaller or lighter packages.
- Engineering control: Introduce conveyors, lifting devices or mechanical aids.
- Administrative control: Establish safe-handling procedures, training and task rotation.
- PPE: Use appropriate protective equipment where relevant to remaining hazards.
Training workers how to lift may help reduce risk, but redesigning the process so heavy manual lifting is no longer necessary can provide stronger protection.
Practical Example: Working at Height
Consider routine maintenance performed several metres above ground. The organization could work through the hierarchy as follows:
- Elimination: Relocate equipment so maintenance can be performed from ground level.
- Substitution: Use another inspection or maintenance method that avoids elevated access.
- Engineering controls: Install permanent platforms, guardrails or collective fall-prevention systems.
- Administrative controls: Introduce access restrictions, inspections, permits and appropriate training.
- PPE: Use suitable personal fall-protection equipment where required.
The purpose of the hierarchy is to ensure that PPE does not automatically replace consideration of stronger control methods.
How Can Organizations Check Whether Risk Controls Are Effective?
Introducing a control does not automatically mean the risk has been adequately managed. Organizations should monitor whether controls continue to work as intended.
Evidence may come from:
- Workplace inspections
- Internal audits
- Exposure monitoring
- Incident investigations
- Near-miss reports
- Worker consultation and feedback
- Maintenance records
- Observations of work activities
- Health surveillance where applicable
- Performance monitoring
For example, a machine guard may appear to be an effective engineering control. However, if workers routinely remove it because it interferes with production, the control is not functioning effectively in practice.
The organization should investigate why the guard is being bypassed and determine whether the equipment or control needs to be redesigned. For organizations preparing for ISO 45001 certification in UAE, evidence that workplace controls are implemented, maintained and reviewed helps demonstrate how the occupational health and safety management system operates in practice.
Final Thoughts
The hierarchy of risk control measures provides organizations with a structured approach for turning risk assessment into practical action. The hierarchy follows a clear priority:
Eliminate → Substitute → Engineer → Administratively control → Protect with PPE
Higher-level controls aim to remove the hazard or reduce exposure closer to its source, while lower-level controls generally depend more heavily on people following instructions or correctly using protective equipment.
Organizations should not simply ask: “What PPE do we need?”
A stronger question is: “Can we remove this hazard or control it more effectively before relying on the worker?”
When the hierarchy is applied together with hazard identification, risk assessment, worker participation and ongoing monitoring, organizations can make more systematic decisions about how to control risks and continually improve workplace health and safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hierarchy of risk control measures?
The hierarchy of risk control measures is a structured order for selecting risk controls. It generally prioritizes elimination first, followed by substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and personal protective equipment.
What is the hierarchy of risk control?
The hierarchy of risk control ranks control methods according to their effectiveness and reliability, encouraging organizations to consider removing or reducing hazards at their source before relying primarily on procedures or PPE.
What are the five main risk-control measures?
The five commonly recognized levels are elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and PPE.
How do control measures relate to risk assessment?
The control measures of risk assessment are actions selected after hazards and associated risks have been evaluated. Appropriate controls should then be implemented and their effectiveness monitored.
Why is elimination higher than PPE in the hierarchy?
Elimination removes the hazard itself, whereas PPE normally leaves the hazard present and relies on correct selection, use and maintenance to protect the worker.
Can several risk-control measures be used together?
Yes. Multiple controls may be necessary where one measure alone cannot adequately reduce risk. Organizations should still consider higher-level controls before relying mainly on administrative measures or PPE.
