Basic Concepts

Introduction

The hierarchy of controls helps implement effective infection prevention and control (IPC) measures to reduce the spread of respiratory and other pathogens in healthcare settings. In addition, it helps organisations and employers with the responsibility to assess, manage and monitor risk in managing infectious diseases and multi-drug-resistant organisms (MDROs) based on the measures prioritised in the hierarchy of controls. 

Fig. 1 outlines the hierarchy of the control methods. Implementing this system is very effective in substantially reducing cross-infection and other hazards in healthcare facilities. The measures on the top of the chart are potentially more effective than those on the bottom.