Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

What Does Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Mean?

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) refers to protective clothing for the eyes, head, ears, hands, respiratory system, body, and feet. It is utilized to protect individuals from the risks of injury and infection while minimizing exposure to chemical, biological, and physical hazards. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) serves as the final line of defense when engineering and administrative controls are insufficient in reducing or eliminating risks.

What is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Safety?

PPE safety is the practice of ensuring a safe, working environment for employees and visitors through the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Safety is paramount to all businesses across industries. Using PPEs, paired with inspections such as workplace and restaurant inspections, assessments like health and safety risk assessments, and analysis such as gap analysis—is essential to protect employees from risks and hazards.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Why is it Important?

According to the hierarchy of controls by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), PPE (sometimes also referred to as PPE equipment)—is recommended to be the last level of defense to prevent occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities, but some businesses combined it with other control measures to ensure a safe and healthy environment for their workers. Here are some benefits of using PPEs:

prevent unnecessary injury in the workplace;

protect employees from excessive chemical exposure;

prevent the spread of germs and infectious diseases including COVID-19;

help businesses comply with regulatory requirements(e.g., The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 that’s recently been extended to limb workers); and

improve employee productivity and efficiency.

The 4 Basic Types of PPE and Their Examples

However, even the strictest controls will not necessarily eliminate all the risks associated with most job tasks and this is where the need for PPE must be evaluated. A hazard assessment can help identify which specialized PPE will be required. There are numerous types of workplace safety equipment available depending on the hazard exposure and work conditions. The following are basic PPE that can help protect employees:

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Understand the importance of PPE safety, its basic types, examples, and tips for proper use.

construction worker wearing ppe for safety

Types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Face and Eye Protection

PPE includes safety goggles and face shields and should be used for tasks that can cause eye damage or loss of vision, sprays of toxic liquids, splashes, and burns.

Check if safety glasses comply with the ANSI Z87.1 eye protection standard.

Ensure that there are no cracks or deformities on the lenses.

Ensure the strap is in good working condition and is firmly sealed to the cheek and forehead.

Clean and disinfect after use.

Face and Eye Protection – PPE

Respiratory Protection

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)  includes full-face respirators, self-contained breathing apparatus, gas masks, N95 respirators, and surgical masks are used for a task that can cause inhalation of harmful materials to enter the body. This includes harmful gas, chemicals, large-particle droplets, sprays, splashes, or splatter that may contain viruses and bacteria such as COVID-19, viral infections, and more.

Ensure that the equipment is fit-tested and the employee has undergone proper training before wearing one.

Carefully read the instructions to determine if it is designed to help protect against the hazards you may face.

Change filters on half-mask or full-mask respirators frequently.

Replace disposable respirators with every use.

Surgical masks are not to be shared with anyone.

Avoid touching the surgical mask after wearing it.

Change surgical mask timely and should be disposed of after use.

Replace the mask immediately if it is damaged or soiled.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in: –

Respiratory Protection

Skin and Body Protection

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) includes the following categories to protect employees from physical hazards:

Head Protection

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) includes hard hats and headgears and should be required for tasks that can cause any force or object falling to the head.

Ensure that there are no dents or deformities on the shell and connections are tightened inside.

Do not store in direct sunlight as extreme heat can cause damage.

Choose appropriate cleaning agents as it can weaken the shells of hard hats and may eliminate electrical resistance.

Always replace a hard hat if it was used for any kind of impact, even if the damage is unnoticeable.

 Body Protection

PPE includes safety vests and suits that can be used for tasks that can cause body injuries from extreme temperatures, flames and sparks, toxic chemicals, insect bites and radiation.

Ensure that they are clean and free from cuts and burns.

Always get a good fit to ensure full body protection.

Ensure bodysuit is heat-resistant clothing when working with high-temperature hazards.

Hands Protection

PPE includes safety gloves and should be used for tasks that can cause hand and skin burns, absorption of harmful substances, cuts, fractures or amputations.

Ensure hand protection fits perfectly with no spaces and is free from cuts, burns, and chemical residue.

Always replace them if any sign of contamination was observed.

Use rubber gloves when working with heat and electricity to reduce the risk of burn or electrical shock.

 Foot Protection

PPE includes knee pads and safety boots and should be used for tasks that can cause serious foot and leg injuries from falling or rolling objects, hot substances, electrical hazards, and slippery surfaces.

Ensure boots have slip-resistant soles that can protect against compression and impact.

Ensure the sole plate is in good condition to prevent punctures.

Fall Protection

PPE includes safety harnesses and lanyards and should be strictly used for tasks that can cause falling from heights and serious injury or death.

Ensure that the straps are free from tears, deformities, and burn marks.

Check the buckles if connected securely and tightly.

Dispose of the equipment if used after a falling incident.

PPE – Skin and Body Protection

 Hearing Protection

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)  includes ear muffs and plugs and should be used for tasks that can cause hearing problems and loss of hearing.

Ensure the equipment fit the ear canal perfectly.

It is recommended to use formable earplugs to fit different sizes of ear canals.

Use protectors that reduce noise exposure to an acceptable level to have room for communication.

Ensure earplugs are clean and in good condition.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Hearing Protection

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for COVID-19

This page includes the latest guidance on personal protective equipment (PPE) for the COVID-19 response (including technical specifications) and other related publication. The page is structured as follows:

• Technical specifications of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for COVID-19
• Rational use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
• Other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) publications
• Medical masks do’s and don’ts
• Other resources

Using personal protective equipment (PPE) to control risks at work

1. Overview
2. Managing risk using PPE
3. Selection and use
4. Maintenance
5. Using the right type of PPE
6. Product safety and supply
7. Overview

Employers must protect workers from health and safety risks. This means they must provide PPE free of charge if a risk assessment shows it is needed.

To stay safe, workers may have to wear PPE such as safety helmets, gloves, eye or hearing protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and harnesses.

PPE also includes respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to prevent workers breathing in dust, mist, gas or fume.

When to use PPE

Employers must do a risk assessment. Some hazards may still remain after engineering controls and safe systems of work have been applied. PPE may then be needed to reduce the risk of injury from:

• breathing in dust, mist, gas or fume
• falling materials hitting people
• flying particles or splashes of corrosive liquids getting into people’s eyes
• skin contact with corrosive materials
• excessive noise
• extremes of heat or cold

What the law says

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 place duties on employers to ensure that PPE is:

• properly assessed before use to make sure it is fit for purpose
• maintained and stored properly
• provided with instructions on how to use it safely
• used correctly by workers

Employers must ensure workers have sufficient information, instruction and training on PPE use.

Duties regarding PPE were extended on 6 April 2022 to include PPE for limb (b) workers. There is guidance explaining the changes.

If you provide PPE, you should ensure it complies with product supply legislation.

2. Managing risk using PPE

As part of your risk assessment you should decide whether PPE is needed. Use the hierarchy of controls to make this decision.

Hierarchy of controls

PPE should be the last resort to protect against risks. Consider controls in the following order, with elimination being the most effective and PPE being the least effective:

• Elimination – physically remove the hazard
• Substitution – replace the hazard
• Engineering controls – isolate people from the hazard
• Administrative controls – change the way people work
• PPE – protect the worker with equipment

You must select equipment carefully. Make sure all workers are trained to use it properly and know how to detect and report any faults.

Using personal protective equipment (PPE) to control risks at work

1. Overview
2. Managing risk using PPE
3. Selection and use
4. Maintenance
5. Using the right type of PPE
6. Product safety and supply
7. Selection and use

Before you select PPE, think about:

• who is exposed
• what they are exposed to
• how long are they exposed for
• how much are they exposed to

By involving your workers when selecting PPE, they will be more likely to understand its importance and use it.

Selecting PPE

Check with your supplier on what PPE is appropriate – explain the job to them.

If in doubt, seek further advice from a specialist adviser. Choose products which are CE or UKCA marked.

Select equipment that suits the worker – consider the size, fit, compatibility and weight of the PPE and the physical characteristics of the user. Modifying PPE to fit is not a suitable solution.

For example, coveralls that don’t fit correctly could increase the risk of entanglement if sleeves are too long.

For some PPE, such as harnesses or lifejackets, choosing the right size is particularly critical to ensure they fit properly and need to do so to protect against fatal hazards.

Once you have selected PPE, you must provide this for your workers free of charge.

There is guidance on different types of PPE.

Using PPE

If more than one item of PPE is worn at the same time, make sure they can be used together. For example, wearing safety glasses may disturb the seal of a respirator, causing air leaks.

Choose hard hats and ear defenders carefully to make sure they can be worn together and are both effective.

Instruct and train people how to use PPE, for example train people to remove gloves without contaminating their skin. Tell them why PPE is needed, when to use it and what its limitations are.

If your risk assessment shows PPE is needed for a task, it should always be used, even for those jobs that ’only take a few minutes‘

4. Maintenance

PPE must be properly looked after and stored when not in use, for example in a dry, clean cupboard. If it is reusable it must be cleaned and kept in good condition.

Think about:

• using the correct replacement parts, following the manufacturer’s replacement schedule
• keeping replacement PPE available
• who is responsible for maintenance and how they should do this

How to maintain equipment

Some maintenance can be done by workers themselves, such as replacing a shoelace which can be done by the wearer. More specialist equipment, such as a harness for working at height, may need to be sent back to the manufacturer if maintenance is required.

The effectiveness of some types of PPE, particularly clothing, will be significantly reduced if they are not kept clean. Hi-vis jackets, trousers and coveralls must be cleaned regularly to ensure the retroreflective strips continue to be easily identifiable

Keep a supply of appropriate disposable suits. They are useful for dirty jobs where laundry costs are high, for example for visitors who need protective clothing.

Workers must make proper use of PPE and report any loss, destruction or obvious defect on the PPE they are given.

Monitor and review

Check regularly that PPE is used – if it isn’t, find out why.

Safety signs can be a useful reminder that PPE should be worn – many workplaces will often have signs at the entrance indicating what sort of PPE should be worn.

Take note of any changes in equipment, materials and methods – you may need to update what you provide.

5. Using the right type of PPE

When your risk assessment shows you should provide PPE, you need to make sure you choose the right type to protect different parts of the body. This page explains how you can do that.

Eyes

Hazards to the eyes include chemical or metal splash, dust, projectiles, gas and vapour or radiation.

PPE options include safety spectacles, goggles, face screens, face shields and visors.

Make sure the PPE you choose has the right combination of eye protection against various hazards of impact, dust, splash or molten metal. It should also be appropriate for the task and fit the user properly.

Head and neck

Hazards to the head and neck include falling or flying objects, risk of banging the head, hair getting tangled in machinery, chemical drips or splash, climate or extreme temperatures.

PPE options include safety helmets, bump caps and hairnets. Some safety helmets incorporate or can be fitted with specially designed eye or hearing protection. Don’t forget neck protection, for example, during welding.

Always replace head protection if it is damaged.

Ears

Hazards to the ears from noise come from a combination of sound level and duration of exposure. Very high-level sounds are a hazard even with short duration.

PPE options include earplugs, earmuffs or semi-insert/canal caps.

Provide the right hearing protectors for the type of work, and make sure workers know how to fit them. Choose protectors that reduce noise to an acceptable level, while allowing for safety and communication.

Hands and arms

Hazards to the hands and arms include abrasion, temperature, cuts, impact, chemicals, electric shock, radiation, biological agents or prolonged immersion in water.

PPE options are gloves (including gloves with a cuff), gauntlets and sleeving that covers part or all of the arm.

Avoid gloves when operating machines such as bench drills where they might get caught.

Barrier creams are not a substitute for proper PPE. Using separate cotton inner gloves can help prevent skin problems from wearing gloves for long periods. Choose gloves made from materials that are not quickly penetrated by chemicals. There is more guidance on skin at work.

Feet and legs

Hazards to the feet and legs include temperature, electrostatic build-up, slipping, cuts, falling objects, heavy loads, metal and chemical splash or being struck by a vehicle.

PPE options include penetration-resistant safety boots and shoes with protective toecaps or specific footwear, for example foundry boots and chainsaw boots.

Select appropriate footwear for the risks. It can have a variety of sole patterns and materials to help prevent slips in different conditions, including oil or chemical-resistant soles. It can also be anti-static, electrically conductive or thermally insulating.

Lungs

Hazards to the lungs include oxygen-deficient atmospheres, dusts, gases or vapours.

Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) options include respirators which rely on filtering contaminants from workplace air. These can be simple filtering facepieces and respirators or power-assisted respirators. Some RPE may be face fitted.

Some types of RPE give an independent supply of breathable air, for example fresh-air hose, compressed airline and self-contained breathing apparatus.

There is detailed guidance on RPE, including how to make sure it fits properly.

Whole body

Hazards to the whole body include heat, chemical or metal splash, spray from pressure leaks or spray guns, contaminated dust, impact or penetration.

PPE options include safety harnesses, life jackets, conventional or disposable overalls, boiler suits, aprons and chemical suits. Where it is needed, choose material that is flame-retardant, anti-static, chain mail, chemically impermeable or high-visibility.

Emergency equipment

Careful selection and maintenance and regular operator training is needed for equipment to use in emergencies, like compressed-air escape breathing apparatus, respirators and safety ropes or harnesses.

6. Product safety and supply

The law on the supply of PPE

If you provide PPE, you should ensure it complies with product supply legislation.

Regulation 2016/425 (as incorporated into UK law) sets out the essential health and safety requirements that must be met before PPE products can be placed on the GB market.

The Personal Protective Equipment (Enforcement) Regulations 2018 provide a system for the enforcement of the 2016/425 Regulation and are enforced by HSE for PPE intended for workplace use in Great Britain.

Duties for employers

If you are an employer, you must choose products which are  UKCA marked (or CE marked in specific circumstances). PPE should also have a Declaration of Conformity and instructions on how to use the item. Suppliers can advise you.

You must ensure that any PPE is only used in line with the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you have concerns that PPE supplied for use at work does not comply with the product supply legislation, you can let HSE know by reporting a defective product.

Duties for those in the supply chain

If you are a manufacturer, authorised representative, importer or distributor of PPE, you have duties under Regulation 2016/425 (as incorporated into UK law). These duties are more fully explained in guidance from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) and will vary depending on where you are in the supply chain (definitions of the different roles are given below).

For example, manufacturers will have more duties, with tighter restrictions, than distributors. However, they all have an important role to play in ensuring that only compliant and safe PPE is placed on the market.

Manufacturers

A manufacturer is a person who manufactures PPE, or has PPE designed or manufactured, and markets that PPE under their name or trademark.

Authorised representatives

An authorised representative is a person authorised by the manufacturer to perform certain tasks on their behalf under a written mandate. Mandated authorised representatives for the GB market can be based in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, but cannot be based outside the UK.

Importers

An importer is a person or business based in the UK who places PPE on the GB market from a country outside the UK.

Distributors

A distributor is any person, other than the manufacturer or importer, who makes PPE available on the GB market.