Hazard substitution

Occupational hazards
Physical Chemical Biological Psychosocial
Hierarchy of hazard controls
Elimination Substitution Engineering controls Administrative controls Personal protective equipment
Occupational hygiene
Occupational exposure limit Exposure assessment Workplace exposure monitoring
Study
Occupational toxicology Occupational epidemiology Workplace health surveillance
v t e

Hazard substitution is a hazard control strategy in which a material or process is replaced with another that is less hazardous. Substitution is the second most effective of the five members of the hierarchy of hazard controls in protecting workers, after elimination.^[1][2][3] Substitution and elimination are most effective early in the design process, when they may be inexpensive and simple to implement, while for an existing process they may require major changes in equipment and procedures.^[1] The concept of prevention through design emphasizes integrating the more effective control methods such as elimination and substitution early in the design phase.^[4]

Hazard substitutions can involve not only changing one chemical for another, but also using the same chemical in a less hazardous form. Substitutions can also be made to processes and equipment. In making a substitution, the hazards of the new material should be considered and monitored, so that a new hazard is not unwittingly introduced,^[3] causing "regrettable substitutions".^[5] Substitution can also fail as a strategy if the hazardous process or material is reintroduced at a later stage in the design or production phases,^[6] or if cost or quality concerns cause a substitution to not be adopted.^[7]