The hierarchy of control involves starting from the top of a list of risk control options and working your way down, with the last option being the least desirable. It can be found in Clause 5 of the OHS Regulation 2001 – Meaning of “control of risks”.

The hierarchy of control must be used when the risk to health and safety cannot be eliminated:

• can the hazard be substituted with a less hazardous one by using a different material or process?
• can the hazard be isolated from the worker or the worker from the hazard?
• can engineering means be used to minimise the risk?
  can safer work or administrative practices be put into place?
• as a last resort, can personal protective equipment (PPE) be used?

A combination of the above controls may be necessary if no single measure is enough to reduce the risk to the lowest level reasonably practical.

PPE should be used as part of an integrated organisational approach to health and safety management. It should complement other control methods, not replace them.