TEACHING THE HIERARCHY WITHIN VARIOUS APPROACHES TO SAFETY

Abstract

This paper highlights examples of approaches to safety and illustrates how these approaches influence the implementation of the hierarchy of controls. The hierarchy of controls emphasizes the elimination or reduction of exposure to hazards by using the most effective controls in a hierarchical order. The five control measures, from most to least effective, are: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Undergraduate engineering students should be well informed about the hierarchy of controls, the order in which the controls are applied, and be able to justify why they applied a particular level of control. Teaching a hierarchical approach to safety also benefits undergraduate engineering students after they graduate. It is concluded that the educational training provided to an undergraduate engineering student should ensure that the hierarchy of controls is explained, and its application reinforced with engineering-specific examples throughout the undergraduate years.