Engineering controls

Engineering controls are strategies designed to protect workers by removing hazardous conditions or by placing a barrier between the worker and the hazard.

Three basic strategies are: substitution, isolation, and ventilation. Controlling exposures to hazards can protect workers. A hierarchy of controls is used as a framework to determine how to implement feasible and effective control solutions. Engineering controls are preferred over administrative and personal protective equipment (PPE) for controlling existing worker exposures in the workplace because they are designed to remove the hazard at the source, before it comes in contact with the worker. Well-designed engineering controls can be highly effective in protecting workers and will typically be independent of worker interactions to provide this high level of protection. The initial cost of engineering controls can be higher than the cost of administrative controls or PPE, but over the longer term, operating costs are frequently lower, and in some instances, can provide a cost savings in other areas of the process.

For descriptions of engineering control technologies researched by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and information on the control details and their effectiveness, see the NIOSH Engineering Controls Database. The engineering controls contained in the database are beneficial for users who need control solutions to reduce or eliminate worker exposures.

This article incorporates public domain material from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website https://www.cdc.gov/.

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