PPE Awareness

Personal protective equipment is equipment worn or held to reduce a worker's exposure to one or more hazards. Examples include safety helmets, eye protection, gloves, safety footwear, hearing protection and respiratory protective equipment.

PPE sits at the bottom of the hierarchy of controls. You should first ask whether the hazard can be removed, replaced, isolated or controlled through safer equipment and work methods. PPE is used for risk that remains after those measures, or as part of a planned combination of controls.

Why PPE is the last line of protection

• It protects the wearer rather than everyone exposed to the hazard.
• Its performance depends on correct selection, fit and use.
• Damage, poor storage, contamination or the wrong size can reduce protection.
• It does not remove the hazard from the workplace.

Never use PPE as a reason to ignore a missing guard, failed ventilation system, unsafe lifting plan or uncontrolled source of energy.

Source basis: HSE describes PPE as the last resort in the hierarchy of controls. EU Directive 89/656/EEC requires PPE when collective protection and work organization do not sufficiently avoid or limit the risk.

PPE selection starts with the risk assessment. The person responsible for the assessment must identify the hazard, the route of exposure, the likely level and duration of exposure, the task conditions and the people who will wear the equipment.

Examples of hazard and protection

• Flying particles or chemical splashes: suitable eye or face protection selected for that exposure.
• Falling or swinging objects: suitable head protection, together with controls that keep people out of the danger area.
• Sharp edges, heat or chemicals: gloves selected for the specific hazard and task. A glove that resists cuts may not resist a chemical.
• Noise: hearing protection selected as part of a noise control programme, after engineering and work practice controls have been considered.
• Dust, fumes, gases or low oxygen: respiratory protection selected by a competent person as part of a site-specific programme. The wrong filter or respirator can leave the wearer unprotected.

Colour, price and appearance do not show whether an item is suitable. Check the risk assessment, required protection level, product marking, manufacturer instructions and local legal requirements.

Source basis: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.132 requires a workplace hazard assessment, suitable PPE selection, communication of that selection and proper fit. HSE also requires PPE to be assessed before use and fit for purpose.

PPE must fit the individual wearer. Equipment that slips, creates pressure points, blocks vision or prevents normal movement may fail to protect the person and may create another hazard.

Check the fit

• Use the correct size and make every adjustment provided by the manufacturer.
• Check that the item stays in place during the movements needed for the task.
• Confirm that the wearer can see, hear, communicate and work without unsafe restriction.
• Report discomfort, skin reaction or any health issue that may affect safe use.

Check items worn together

Several items may be suitable on their own but fail when combined. Safety glasses can break the seal of tight-fitting respiratory protection. A helmet may interfere with earmuffs. A face shield may not provide the eye protection required underneath it. The assessment must confirm that all items remain effective when worn together.

Tight-fitting respiratory protection may require a formal face-fit test and other programme controls under the applicable rules. This online course cannot provide that test or confirm a person's fitness to use respiratory equipment.

Source basis: EU Directive 89/656/EEC requires PPE to fit the wearer and requires simultaneous items to remain compatible and effective. OSHA also requires properly fitting PPE.

Inspect PPE before use. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and the site's approved check. The details vary by equipment, but the same basic discipline applies.

Before use

• Confirm that the item is the one specified for the task.
• Check the condition of shells, lenses, straps, seals, buckles, filters, stitching and other safety-critical parts.
• Check any expiry, inspection or replacement date that applies.
• Put it on, adjust it and complete any user seal check required by the instructions.

After use

• Clean or decontaminate it using the approved method.
• Store it where it is protected from damage, dirt, sunlight, moisture and chemicals as required by the manufacturer.
• Report loss, contamination, damage or poor fit promptly.
• Remove defective equipment from use. Do not repair or modify it unless the approved instructions allow the work and the person is authorized to do it.

A worker finds a deep crack in a helmet shell before entering the work area. The correct action is to remove it from use, report the defect and obtain an approved replacement. Wearing it because the task is short is not an acceptable control.

Source basis: OSHA prohibits the use of defective or damaged PPE. HSE requires PPE to be maintained, stored properly and used correctly, with information, instruction and training for the worker.

Official references

• UK HSE: PPE at work regulations from 6 April 2022
• UK HSE: Using PPE to control risks at work
• EUR-Lex: Directive 89/656/EEC on PPE at work
• US OSHA: 29 CFR 1910.132 general PPE requirements
• US OSHA: PPE assessment training material
• ILO Recommendation No. 164