Safety Unpacked - Hierarchy of Control

About this episode

The episode discusses the hierarchy of controls in risk management and emphasizes critical thinking in safety decisions.

In this episode of the Women in Safety podcast, Alanna Ball and Amy Morris take a practical look at risk treatment options and the hierarchy of controls, unpacking how safety decisions are shaped through systems, design, and context. Rather than treating controls as a checklist exercise, the conversation explores how safety professionals can think more critically about what is actually effective, what is simply assumed to work, and where gaps may still exist. ​ The discussion moves beyond theory and into the realities of risk management, including the difference between active and passive controls, the value of bow tie analysis, and why safety should be considered much earlier in the planning and design of work. Alanna and Amy also highlight the importance of testing and verifying controls, rather than assuming they are effective just because they are documented. ​ Episode Highlights Why safety often sits within data, decisions, and systems, not just frontline actions How the hierarchy of controls can support risk management, while still requiring context and critical thinking The importance of understanding the difference between active and passive controls How the bow tie…

People in this episode

Host: Alanna Ball

Guest: Amy Morris

Topics covered

• risk management
• hierarchy of controls
• active and passive controls
• bow tie analysis
• safety in planning and design
• testing and verifying controls

Keywords

• risk treatment
• safety professionals
• control effectiveness
• planning and design
• safety systems
• verification of controls

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