STOP principle
Also: TOP principle, hierarchy of controls, STOP-Prinzip
Definition
The STOP principle sets the order of protective measures: substitution before technical, technical before organisational and organisational before personal measures. It follows from Section 4 of the German Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Substitution means eliminating the hazard – for example replacing a hazardous substance with a harmless one. Technical measures act at the source without employees having to behave correctly: extraction, guards, enclosures. Organisational measures govern processes: access restrictions, working hours, safety instruction. Personal measures – personal protective equipment – come last because their effect depends on each individual's behaviour.
The order is binding: anyone who orders PPE must be able to justify why technical or organisational measures are not sufficient. Without the “S”, it is called the TOP principle. Internationally, the same idea is known as the hierarchy of controls.
Legal basis
- Section 4 Nos. 1, 2 and 5 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act
- Section 7 of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance
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Related terms
This glossary entry gives a general overview of German occupational safety law and does not replace legal advice. The regulations in force and the rules of the statutory accident insurance institutions are authoritative.
