PPE Basics & Hazard Assessment
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is the gear you wear to protect yourself: hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, boots, hearing protection, respirators, harnesses and hi-vis clothing. It is your last line of defense.
- Construction
- General Industry
The PPE hazard assessment
Before choosing PPE, employers must look at the workplace and the tasks to find hazards: impact, penetration, compression, chemicals, heat, harmful dust, light (radiation) and electricity. In general industry, the employer must certify in writing that this assessment was done.
Then the employer selects PPE that fits each worker and protects against those hazards, and trains workers on it.
Matching hazards to PPE
| Hazard | Examples | Typical PPE |
|---|---|---|
| Falling or flying objects | Overhead work, cutting, grinding, nailing | Hard hat, safety glasses (ANSI Z87.1), face shield over glasses for grinding |
| Crushing or puncture of feet | Materials handling, demolition, rebar, nails | Safety-toe boots (ASTM F2413), puncture-resistant soles |
| Cuts, abrasions, chemicals on skin | Sheet metal, glass, solvents, concrete | Gloves matched to the hazard (cut-rated, chemical-resistant, leather) |
| Noise | Saws, jackhammers, generators, heavy equipment | Earplugs or earmuffs |
| Dust, fumes, vapors | Silica, welding fume, spray paint, mold | Respirator (requires a written program, medical clearance and fit testing) |
| Being struck by vehicles | Road work, equipment yards, parking areas | High-visibility garments (ANSI/ISEA 107) |
| Arc flash or flash fire | Energized electrical work, oil and gas | Arc-rated or flame-resistant clothing |
| Falls | Edges, roofs, lifts | Harness and lanyard as part of a fall arrest system |
Who pays for PPE
Under OSHA rules, employers must pay for required PPE, with a few exceptions:
- Employer pays: hard hats, safety glasses, face shields, hearing protection, respirators, specialty gloves, harnesses, metatarsal guards, chemical suits, welding gear, and replacements for PPE that wears out or gets damaged on the job.
- Exceptions: ordinary safety-toe boots and prescription safety glasses, if the employer lets you wear them off the job; everyday clothing and weather gear; and replacements for PPE you lost or damaged on purpose.
- If you choose to bring your own PPE, the employer must make sure it’s adequate and properly maintained.
Some states and union contracts require employers to cover more, such as boot allowances.
When PPE isn’t enough
PPE only works if it’s the right type, fits, is worn correctly every time, and is in good condition. That’s why it comes last in the hierarchy of controls. Before handing out PPE, employers should ask whether the hazard can be removed, swapped for something safer, guarded, or controlled with water or ventilation. For example, cutting concrete with water or a vacuum shroud cuts silica dust far more than a dust mask alone. See Silica.
Training you should receive
- When PPE is necessary and what PPE is necessary
- How to put it on, take it off, adjust it and wear it
- Its limitations: what it does not protect against
- How to care for, maintain, store and dispose of it
Daily habits
- Inspect your PPE before each use. Replace anything cracked, torn, worn or damaged.
- Make sure it fits. Ill-fitting PPE doesn’t protect and gets taken off.
- Keep it clean, and store it out of sunlight, heat and chemicals.
- Ask for replacements. Your employer must pay for most required PPE. See Employer Responsibilities.
- Don’t modify PPE (drilling holes in hard hats, cutting fingers off gloves).
- Don’t share respirators or earplugs.
- Don’t rely on PPE alone when a better control is possible. See Hierarchy of Controls.
Standards & references
- 29 CFR 1910.132: PPE general requirements (hazard assessment, training, payment)
- 29 CFR 1926.95: Criteria for PPE (construction)
- OSHA Publication 3151: Personal Protective Equipment
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