Which term describes equipment engineered into the building to reduce hazards?

• A. Engineering Controls
• B. Personal Protective Equipment
• C. Administrative Controls
• D. Hazard Communication

Answer: (A)

Engineering controls are physical changes built into the workplace or equipment to remove the hazard or reduce exposure at the source. They’re preferred because they don’t rely on workers to act correctly; the hazard is reduced or eliminated by design. Think of machine guards, safety interlocks, ventilation that removes fumes, or enclosed processes that keep people away from danger.

Personal protective equipment, by contrast, is worn to create a barrier between the worker and the hazard, but it doesn’t remove the hazard itself. Administrative controls change how work is done—like procedures, training, or rotating shifts—but they depend on people following rules. Hazard communication focuses on informing workers about hazards through labels and safety data sheets rather than reducing the hazard directly. So the term that fits “equipment engineered into the building to reduce hazards” is engineering controls.