What is personal protective present, you must select PPE and require equipment? employees to use it, communicate your PPE Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is selection decisions to your employees, and select designed to protect employees from serious PPE that properly fits your workers. workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from You must also train employees who are contact with chemical, radiological, physical, required to wear PPE on how do the following: electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Besides face shields, safety glasses, ■ Use PPE properly, hard hats, and safety shoes, PPE includes a ■ Be aware of when PPE is necessary, variety of devices and garments such as goggles, coveralls, gloves, vests, earplugs, and ■ Know what kind of PPE is necessary, respirators. ■ Understand the limitations of PPE in What are your responsibilities as an protecting employees from injury, employer? ■ Don, adjust, wear, and doff PPE, and

OSHA’s primary PPE standards are in Title ■ Maintain PPE properly. 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1910 Subpart I, and equivalent regulations Can PPE protect workers from head in states with OSHA-approved state plans, but injuries? you can find PPE requirements elsewhere in the General Industry Standards. For example, Yes. Hard hats can protect your employees 29 CFR 1910.156, OSHA’s Fire Brigades from head impact, penetration injuries, and Standard, has requirements for firefighting gear. electrical injuries such as those caused by falling In addition, 29 CFR 1926.95-106 covers the or flying objects, fixed objects, or contact with construction industry. OSHA’s general PPE electrical conductors. Also, OSHA regulations requirements mandate that employers conduct a require employers to ensure that workers cover hazard assessment of their workplaces to and protect long hair to prevent it from getting determine what hazards are present that require caught in machine parts such as belts and chains. the use of PPE, provide workers with appropriate PPE, and require them to use and How can PPE protect workers from maintain it in sanitary and reliable condition. foot and leg injuries? Using PPE is often essential, but it is generally In addition to foot guards and safety shoes, the last line of defense after engineering controls, leggings (e.g., leather, aluminized rayon, or other work practices, and administrative controls. appropriate material) can help prevent injuries by Engineering controls involve physically changing a protecting employees from hazards such as machine or work environment. Administrative falling or rolling objects, sharp objects, wet and controls involve changing how or when slippery surfaces, molten metals, hot surfaces, employees do their jobs, such as scheduling work and electrical hazards. and rotating employees to reduce exposures. Work practices involve training workers how to Does PPE help protect workers from perform tasks in ways that reduce their exposure eye and face injuries? to workplace hazards. Yes. Besides spectacles and goggles, PPE As an employer, you must assess your such as special helmets or shields, spectacles workplace to determine if hazards are present with side shields, and faceshields can protect that require the use of PPE. If such hazards are employees from the hazards of flying fragments, large chips, hot sparks, optical radiation, When should workers wear PPE for splashes from molten metals, as well as objects, respiratory protection? particles, sand, dirt, mists, dusts, and glare. When engineering controls are not feasible, workers must use appropriate respirators to What can PPE do to protect workers protect against adverse health effects caused by from hearing loss? breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, Wearing earplugs or earmuffs can help prevent fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or damage to hearing. Exposure to high noise levels vapors. Respirators generally cover the nose and can cause irreversible hearing loss or impairment mouth or the entire face or head and help as well as physical and psychological stress. prevent illness and injury. A proper fit is essential, Earplugs made from foam, waxed cotton, or however, for respirators to be effective. All fiberglass wool are self-forming and usually fit employees required to wear respirators must first well. A professional should fit your employees undergo medical evaluation. individually for molded or preformed earplugs. Clean earplugs regularly, and replace those you How can I get more information? cannot clean. You can find more information about PPE, including the full text of OSHA’s standards, on Should workers wear PPE to help OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov. In addition, prevent hand injuries? publications explaining the subject of PPE in Yes. Workers exposed to harmful substances greater detail are available from OSHA. through skin absorption, severe cuts or Personal Protective Equipment (OSHA 3077) lacerations, severe abrasions, chemical burns, and Assessing the Need for Personal Protective thermal burns, and harmful temperature Equipment: A Guide for Small Business extremes will benefit from hand protection. Employers (OSHA 3151) are available on OSHA’s website. For more information about Why should workers wear PPE to personal protective equipment in the construction protect the whole body? industry, visit http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/ constructionppe/index.html. In some cases workers must shield most or all of their bodies against hazards in the workplace, To file a complaint by phone, report an such as exposure to heat and radiation as well as emergency, or get OSHA advice, assistance, or hot metals, scalding liquids, body fluids, products, contact your nearest OSHA office under hazardous materials or waste, and other hazards. the “U.S. Department of Labor” listing in your In addition to fire-retardant wool and fire- phone book, or call (800) 321-OSHA (6742); retardant cotton, materials used in whole-body teletypewriter (TTY) number is (877) 889-5627. PPE include rubber, leather, synthetics, and To file a complaint online or obtain more plastic. information on OSHA federal and state programs, visit OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov.

This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies, or standards. It does not impose any new compliance requirements or carry the force of legal opinion. For compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory-impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 693-1999. See also OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov.

U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration 2002