Understand the importance of PPE safety, its basic types, examples, and tips for proper use
In this article Published 27 June 2024
Article by Jona Tarlengco
What is PPE?
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. PPE serves as the final line of defense when engineering and administrative controls are insufficient in reducing or eliminating risks.
What is 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.
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:
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.
Safety Tips:
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
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.
Safety Tips:
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.
PPE - Respiratory Protection
Skin and Body Protection
PPE includes the following categories to protect employees from physical hazards:
Head Protection
PPE includes hard hats and headgears and should be required for tasks that can cause any force or object falling to the head.
Safety Tips:
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.
Safety Tips:
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.
Safety Tips:
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.
Safety Tips:
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.
Safety Tips:
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
PPE includes ear muffs and plugs and should be used for tasks that can cause hearing problems and loss of hearing.
Safety Tips:
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.
PPE - Hearing Protection
Learn more about hearing protection.
Other examples of PPE include:
safety glasses or goggles
safety shoes
high-visibility clothing or vests
heat-resistant gloves
anti-vibration gloves
welding PPE such as helmets and and flame-resistant clothing
chemical-resistant suits or aprons
safety harnesses and lanyards
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Toolbox Talk for PPE
Workplace safety should begin with a hazard assessment. Once the hazards and risks have been identified, a plan can be put forward to prioritize and reduce the risk of injury. Useful systems and tools to perform hazard assessments include performing a risk assessment and a Job Safety Analysis (JSA).
The hierarchy of controls is a proven safety approach that helps protect employees. If elimination, substitution, engineering, and administrative controls are not enough to eliminate the risk, it is vital to choose the appropriate PPE carefully. Ensure employees are properly trained to use the safety equipment and be able to detect and report any damages before commencing work.
A toolbox talk about PPE is recommended to discuss the different kinds of PPE that can be used to minimize the likelihood and mitigate the effects of hazards. A toolbox talk template can help in assessing the sufficiency and availability of safety equipment for all employees.
PPE Safety Requirements
Safety Officers can promote safety in the workplace by following PPE safety requirements:
Check work sites regularly for the need for PPE.
If PPE is needed, provide employees with properly-fitted PPE.
Train employees on OSHA PPE standards.
Provide protective goggles or face shields when there is a danger of flying particles or corrosive materials.
Require that safety glasses are worn at all times in worksites that pose a risk of eye punctures, abrasions, contusions, or burns.
Provide and require protective gloves in situations where employees could be cut or possibly exposed to corrosive liquids, chemicals, blood, and other potentially infectious materials.
Require the use of foot protection when there is a risk of foot injury from hot, corrosive, or poisonous substances, and falling objects.
Inspect hard hats periodically for damage to the shell and suspension system.
Maintain PPE in sanitary and ready-to-use conditions.
Ensure that eyewash facilities and quick drench showers are easily accessible for employees when they are accidentally exposed to corrosive materials.
Establish safe work procedures for disposing of or decontaminating PPE after hazardous exposures.
PPE Safety Examples
These examples of PPE safety are based on a free PPE checklist provided by SafetyCulture for anyone to download and use for free.
Nature of work: Laboratory (Chemical Handling)
Potential hazards at work:
Eye hazards – Handling/dispensing chemicals and ingredients; working around UV lights; chipping, sanding, grinding, welding, metal working; tasks that generate dust
Risk/s – Chemical exposure, dust particulates, flying debris
Description of hazard – Corrosive chemicals which are harmful when they explode
PPE required – Safety glasses with side shields, chemical splash goggles
Does equipment undergo testing and in a good condition?
Goggles are in good working condition. Lenses are clean without any dirt or debris
Does the equipment fit perfectly?
They fit perfectly on cheeks and forehead.
Head/Neck/Face hazards – Handling/dispensing chemicals and ingredients, chipping, sanding or grinding metal or wood; working on energized equipment, working in confined spaces
Risk/s – Chemical exposure, dust particulates, flying debris, UV/IR radiation
Description of hazard – Dispensing chemicals and spills
PPE required – Full face shields
Does equipment undergo testing and in a good condition?
Face shields have no dents and marks.
Respiratory hazards – Handling/using highly hazardous chemicals; tasks that generate dust and/or fumes; cutting, brazing on certain metals (stainless steel)
Risk/s – Chemical exposure, dust particulates, flying debris
Description of hazard – Exposure to dangerous vapors
PPE required – Respirators
Does the equipment fit perfectly?
It fits perfectly. Straps are tight.
To give you a better idea, we’ve created a PPE checklist sample pdf report below:
PPE Example Report
Preview Sample PPE Report
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Guarantee Proper Usage of PPE with PPE Courses
Giving personal protective equipment (PPE) for your workers alone is not enough to protect them from hazards, injuries, and accidents. This is especially true for industries such as construction, manufacturing, and healthcare. To make sure that their PPEs fully serve their functions, it’s crucial that your workers understand their proper use, maintenance, and disposal to protect themselves and the people around them. Thankfully, training now is made easy and convenient for you with online PPE courses that your workers can take any time and anywhere.
Improve safety in your workplace with SafetyCulture Marketplace as your one-stop shop for all work gear and equipment needs. Get on-demand access to top quality and specialized work gear from trusted equipment brands in the industry—all in one centralized location. Raise the bar of safety and efficiency by empowering employees to request what they need with just a few taps, anytime and anywhere!
PPE Inspections with SafetyCulture (formerly iAuditor)
Tracking the number of usable PPE is easier for safety officers as well and they are better equipped to provide what their employees need to get the job done.
SafetyCulture provides a digital space for safety officers and employees to work towards PPE safety. By utilizing this app, safety officers are able to protect employees from the hazards of the job by ensuring that their PPEs are always in good condition. Make PPE inspections easy by being able to:
Take pictures of PPE defects and even annotate photos to show where the damage is
Perform hazard assessments to determine if enforcing PPE use is the best control measure for the task
Generate PPE inspection reports instantly with just one tap, anytime, and anywhere
Store inspection data in a safe and cloud-based recordkeeping
Beyond PPE inspections, SafetyCulture can also be used to develop an organization’s health and safety program by enabling safety officers to do the following:
Enforce standardized safety protocols across teams and different sites
Mitigate risks with a wide variety of free risk assessment templates
Plan corrective actions immediately to prevent incidents from occurring
Discover a better, faster, and easier way to empower teams in the workplace.
SafetyCulture has helped businesses around the world achieve 60% reduction in reporting time*
49% savings from safety & compliance improvements*
60% increased audit & data management efficiency*
PPE Checklist
PPE Safety Checklist
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Safety Checklists are used by safety officials and supervisors to help identify tasks that require PPE, ensure staff is using the right equipment, and reduce overall harm. Get started with these free customizable PPE checklists to find out how you can prevent accidents at work. Use SafetyCulture a web and mobile inspection app, to conduct regular PPE self-inspections, identify tasks that require PPE, and ensure staff is using the right equipment.
FAQs about PPE and PPE Safety
Who is responsible for buying ppe?
How often should PPE be replaced?
Can a mask be worn when performing fitness activities?
What can be done to ensure the proper use of personal protective equipment?
Are employers required to train each worker who is enforced to use PPE?
Who is responsible to pay for PPE when it is used to comply with OSHA standards?
Who is responsible for making sure that PPE fits each worker properly?
Why are there so many precautions about using PPE?
Can employers allow employees to not wear PPE for ‘only take a few minutes’ jobs?
How to select the appropriate safety equipment?
SafetyCulture Content Specialist
Jona Tarlengco is a content writer and researcher for SafetyCulture since 2018. She usually writes about safety and quality topics, contributing to the creation of well-researched articles. Her years of experience in one of the world’s leading business news organisations helps enrich the quality of the information in her work.
