Which type of control is most associated with modifying the system to reduce risk?

• A. Engineering
• B. Administrative
• C. Physical
• D. PPE

Answer: (A)

Reducing risk by changing how the system operates or is designed targets the hazard at its source, which is what engineering controls are all about. These controls modify the equipment, processes, or layout to remove or lessen the hazard so exposure is minimized regardless of how people behave. Examples include guardrails on machines, interlocks that stop a process if something isn’t safe, redesigning a workflow to eliminate a risky step, and ventilation or containment that reduces exposure.

Administrative controls, by contrast, rely on people following procedures, training, or rules to minimize risk, which means safety depends on behavior and compliance rather than changing the hazard itself. Personal protective equipment protects the worker but doesn’t remove the hazard from the system, so it’s more about protection than system modification. Physical barriers are safeguards in the environment to reduce exposure, but the most direct way to modify the system itself is through engineering controls.