Which hazard control method is most effective at eliminating the hazard at the source?

• A. Elimination or substitution
• B. Personal protective equipment
• C. Administrative controls
• D. Engineering controls

Answer: (A)

The most effective way to protect people is to remove the hazard itself from the source. Elimination or substitution does exactly that: it gets rid of the hazard or replaces it with something much less risky, so there’s no exposure path to workers. For example, using a non-toxic material or redesigning a process to avoid the dangerous step removes the danger at its origin. Other methods like engineering controls, administrative controls, or personal protective equipment can reduce risk, but they don’t remove the hazard itself—they simply manage exposure or mitigate consequences. So eliminating or substituting the hazard at the source is the best approach.