• If an engineering control eliminates the hazard, it may also remove the need to control employee behaviors with management controls.

The underlying intent of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) law requires employers to first attempt to remove hazards through the use of realistic engineering controls because they have the potential to eliminate hazards in the workplace. If an engineering control eliminates the hazard, it may also remove the need to control employee behaviors with management controls.

Engineering controls do not necessarily have to be expensive or complicated. They can be quite simple in some cases. Engineering controls are based on the following broad strategies:

• If feasible, design or redesign the tools, equipment, machinery, materials and/or facility.
• If design/redesign is not possible, remove the hazard and/or substitute something that is not hazardous or is less hazardous.
• If removal is not feasible, enclose the hazard to prevent exposure in normal operations.
• If complete enclosure is not feasible, establish barriers or local ventilation to reduce exposure to the hazard in normal operations.