In the hierarchy of hazard controls, which category includes personal protective equipment?

• A. Personal Protective Equipment
• B. Administrative Controls
• C. Engineering Controls
• D. Eliminate/Substitute

Answer: (A)

In the hierarchy of hazard controls, methods that actually remove or reduce the hazard are prioritized over protective gear. Personal protective equipment is the category that covers the gear workers wear—gloves, goggles, respirators, hard hats, and similar items. It sits after eliminating, substituting, engineering controls, and administrative controls, because PPE doesn’t remove the hazard itself; it provides a barrier for the worker when higher-level controls aren’t feasible or don’t fully mitigate the risk.