A loud compressor sits in an open office; leadership hands out earplugs instead of relocating or enclosing the machine. What higher-order control should be considered first?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Earplugs ask every person to be the control. Moving or boxing in the compressor asks the environment to carry the load—and that is higher on the hierarchy. Isolate the racket when you can; PPE is the backup singer, not the headliner.
Full Explanation
Isolation separates people from the hazard and generally outranks administrative rules and PPE. Leaving a loud compressor in an occupied open office while issuing earplugs leans on the weakest practical layer. Feasible relocation or enclosure better reduces exposure at the source pathway.