Control Hierarchy and Reliability
Choosing controls that prevent exposure at source before relying on individual behaviour.
How to prepare for Working Safely
Build a simple worker-level sequence: notice the real hazard, identify exposure and harm, use the strongest available control, and report or escalate weakness.
Core concepts
Concept 1
Elimination and substitution remove or reduce the hazard before exposure occurs.
Exam cue: Ask first whether the hazard or hazardous step can be removed.
Concept 2
Engineering and collective controls generally protect more people with less dependence on perfect behaviour.
Exam cue: Check how often the control depends on a person remembering and acting perfectly.
Concept 3
Procedures, training and PPE remain important for residual risk but require correct selection, use and supervision.
Risk pitfalls and guardrails
Choosing PPE as the automatic first response.
Guardrail: Do not normalise a familiar hazard or replace a stronger source control with a warning, procedure or PPE alone.
Adding a warning sign while leaving an uncontrolled source unchanged.
Guardrail: Do not normalise a familiar hazard or replace a stronger source control with a warning, procedure or PPE alone.
Memory anchors
Remove Before Remind
Eliminate the hazard before relying on a warning.
Source Before Person
Control the hazard where it begins.
Collective Protects More
Prefer safeguards that protect everyone exposed.
PPE Is the Last Layer
Use suitable PPE for residual risk, not as the whole strategy.
Control Must Work
Selection, maintenance and real use determine reliability.
Checkpoint rule
Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.
Knowledge Check (after reading)
Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.
Check-up Questions
Which control removes the hazardous task or source?
A solvent-based cleaner can be replaced by an effective water-based product with lower health risk. Which control is this?
Why are collective controls generally preferred to individual precautions?
Dust is released at a saw. What is a stronger control than issuing disposable masks alone?
Where does PPE sit in a sensible control strategy?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Continue learning
Move forward only after this module is stable.
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