Are engineering controls required to be utilized first?

Some OSHA standards, such as those for exposure to damaging noise and certain harmful substances, specifically require employers to use engineering controls when “feasible.” The definition of “feasible” is open to debate in some cases, though OSHA generally prefers employers to use engineering controls if the work can still be done with the control in place, and it is not financially crippling to implement. Each standard has to be looked at individually to determine what is required, however.