Which are the three primary categories of control measures used in ICRA?

Which are the three primary categories of control measures used in ICRA?

• A. Financial controls, scheduling controls, and audits.
• B. Communication controls, signage controls, and training controls.
• C. Legal controls, regulatory controls, and policy controls.
• D. Administrative controls, engineering controls, and PPE.

Answer: (D)

The question tests how infection control risk assessment classifies mechanisms to reduce exposure. The three primary categories are administrative controls, engineering controls, and PPE. Administrative controls change how work is performed to lower risk—things like policies, procedures, staff training, scheduling, and access restrictions. Engineering controls alter the environment or the process to remove or minimize hazards at the source or along the transmission path—examples include proper ventilation, containment rooms, directional airflow, and physical barriers. PPE provides personal protection when exposure cannot be fully eliminated by the other measures—gloves, gowns, masks or respirators, face shields, etc. This layered approach is intentional: it targets risk from multiple angles, prioritizing elimination or minimization of exposure at the system and environmental levels before relying on individuals to protect themselves. The other options describe elements that aren’t organized as the standard trio used in ICRA to categorize control measures.

The question tests how infection control risk assessment classifies mechanisms to reduce exposure. The three primary categories are administrative controls, engineering controls, and PPE. Administrative controls change how work is performed to lower risk—things like policies, procedures, staff training, scheduling, and access restrictions. Engineering controls alter the environment or the process to remove or minimize hazards at the source or along the transmission path—examples include proper ventilation, containment rooms, directional airflow, and physical barriers. PPE provides personal protection when exposure cannot be fully eliminated by the other measures—gloves, gowns, masks or respirators, face shields, etc.

This layered approach is intentional: it targets risk from multiple angles, prioritizing elimination or minimization of exposure at the system and environmental levels before relying on individuals to protect themselves. The other options describe elements that aren’t organized as the standard trio used in ICRA to categorize control measures.