The visitors might have snatched an early lead when Joel Porter broke free into the box, only to be denied by a good save from Joe Murphy.
Gradually Scunthorpe took control with Grant McCann pulling the strings in midfield. It was McCann who fired them in front with a brilliant 25-yard free-kick in the 32nd minute.
Scunthorpe never looked back and leading marksman Gary Hooper went close to making it 2-0 just before the interval.
Hooper did get on the score-sheet in the 47th minute with his 16th goal of the season after a flick from Martyn Woolford put him into the box.
Hartlepool tried to respond but did not have enough fire-power to trouble a solid Scunthorpe defence in which teenager Krystian Pearce was a dominant figure.
Scunthorpe always looked the more likely to add to their lead with Ben May and Woolford both going close.
But they had to wait until the 90th minute before making it 3-0 when substitute Paul Hayes scored from the spot after May had been held down in the box by Hartlepool skipper Sam Collins.