What should be the last method of protection from hazards according to safety and loss prevention priorities?

The last method of protection from hazards should involve using personal protective equipment (PPE) because PPE is considered the final line of defense when all other safety measures have been implemented or are inadequate to eliminate the hazard. Personal protective equipment includes items like helmets, gloves, eye protection, and respiratory protection, and it relies on individual compliance and correct use to be effective.

The prioritization of safety strategies usually starts with the most effective methods of hazard control, which are aimed at removing the hazards or reducing exposure at the source, such as through process elimination and engineering controls. Using PPE comes after these strategies because while it protects individuals, it does not mitigate the hazard itself. Instead, it merely provides a barrier between the employee and the hazard, addressing the situation only after all other options have been considered.

Other strategies like administrative controls, which involve changing policies or procedures to reduce risk or limit exposure, also fall earlier in the hierarchy of controls than PPE. Hence, reliance on PPE should be minimized as much as possible, and it should only be used when other control methods cannot fully eliminate the hazard.