Which is a typical Engineering Control?

• A. Labels
• B. Lockout
• C. Ventilation systems
• D. Safety training

Answer: (C)

Engineering controls are physical changes to the workplace that reduce exposure to hazards without relying on worker behavior. Ventilation systems fit this category because they physically move air to dilute or capture airborne contaminants, lowering the concentration in the breathing zone. They’re built into the environment or the process and continue to operate to reduce exposure regardless of what workers do.

Labels convey hazard information to workers but don’t reduce the hazard by themselves. Safety training falls under administrative controls; it informs and guides behavior but doesn’t change the actual hazard in the environment. Lockout is a procedural safeguard to prevent machinery from energizing; it’s also administrative/operational rather than a physical engineering modification.

So, ventilation systems are a typical engineering control because they modify the environment to reduce exposure rather than relying on workers’ actions or instructions.