The Hierarchy of Risk Controls

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The hierarchy of risk controls is a fundamental concept in risk management, particularly within health and safety contexts. It outlines a preferred order for implementing controls to minimise potential harm. Here’s a breakdown of the hierarchy, from the most to least effective approach.

Eliminate the Hazard

Elimination of risk where possible is the ultimate example of risk controls.

• Goal: completely removing the hazard that creates the risk. This can be done by either stopping the activity that presents the risk or by the substitution of one method with another.

• Example: Replacing hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives in a lab environment eliminates the risk of exposure to those chemicals for workers.

Reduce the Risk

• Focus: If eliminating the hazard isn’t possible, the next step is to reduce the likelihood or severity of potential harm. That means either the outcome is less bad or less likely – or ideally both – if the risk occurs.

• Examples:

  • Implementing engineering controls like installing ventilation systems to reduce exposure to airborne contaminants.

  • Establishing safe work procedures and providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimise the impact of potential hazards.

  • Developing standard operating procedures and training to keep people safe in the workspace.

Isolate the Hazard

• Approach: When complete elimination or reduction isn’t feasible, isolate the hazard to restrict exposure.

• Examples:

  • Storing hazardous materials in designated areas with limited access.

  • Utilising physical barriers like machine guards to separate workers from hazardous equipment.

  • Ensuring only people with the right skills, qualifications and experience have access to certain equipment or materials.

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Control the Risk

Controlling the risk, which in effect means accepting it as it is or once it has been reduced to a certain level, is only suitable in some circumstances. Typically these are lower risk activities, or those that rely on people’s behaviour, or that can be managed through administrative controls.

• Examples:

  • Providing safety glasses in a workshop environment or requiring face masks when working with airborne dust.

  • Keeping the office environment free of trip hazards

  • Having a regular cleaning programme for the work environment

Why This Hierarchy Matters

• Prioritisation: By following this hierarchy, organisations prioritise the most effective risk control methods. Eliminating hazards altogether is always preferable to relying solely people’s behaviour.

• Layered Approach: The hierarchy encourages a layered approach to risk management. Multiple controls can be implemented together for enhanced protection.

• Sustainability: The higher levels in the hierarchy often provide more sustainable risk control solutions compared to relying heavily on individual action, which may not always be done correctly.

The hierarchy of risk controls serves as a general guideline. The specific approach will vary depending on the nature of the hazard and the work environment. However, prioritising elimination and reduction whenever possible ensures a more proactive and effective approach to managing risk.

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