Personal Protective Equipment Guidance

INTRODUCTION

Personal protective equipment (PPE) includes any equipment or clothing intended to be held or worn by people at work to offer protection against identified risks. PPE should only be used as a "last resort" control measure, where the risks cannot be controlled by other means.

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

Protective clothing and equipment includes aprons, gloves, protective footwear, safety helmets, adverse weather clothing, high-visibility clothing, eye protectors, safety harnesses, life jackets and respirators.

The Regulations governing PPE do not apply to the following types of clothing and equipment:

ordinary working clothes and uniforms which do not specifically protect the health and safety of the wearer.
clothing provided for food hygiene purposes.
offensive weapons used for self defence or deterrence or personal attack alarms but they do cover helmets and body armour where there is a risk of violent attack.
motorcycle helmets while travelling on a road but they do apply in off-road situations.
equipment used during the playing of competitive sports (however, they do apply to equipment used by employees working in ancillary activities such as riding helmets for stable staff).

MAIN HAZARDS

Personal protective equipment covers a wide range of equipment to combat hazards to many parts of the body.

These include:

Head - falling objects, impact with fixed objects, scalping or entanglement of hair, injury due to a fall.
Eyes - splashes or jets of chemicals or hot or molten metals, impact by flying objects such as chippings from grinding, intense light or radiation from welding or lasers.
Hands and Arms - contact with chemicals, contact with hot or cold substances or surfaces, contact with sharp or abrasive materials, vibration.
Body - contact with chemicals, contact with machinery such as chain-saws, effects of intense heat or cold, working in inclement weather conditions.
Feet - crushing or impact injuries due to falling or moving objects, penetration of the sole by sharp objects, working on hot, cold, wet or slippery surfaces, sparking due to static electricity.

CONTROL MEASURES

Assessment

The assessment under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations should highlight the risks which could affect the health and safety of the employees. It should also determine if the risk can be otherwise controlled or if PPE is required.

Prior to the selection of any PPE, a further assessment is required which should:

define the characteristics which the PPE must have in order to be effective against the risk, taking into consideration any risks which the equipment itself may create.

compare the characteristics of the PPE available with the requirements which have been established.

Precautions

PPE should only be supplied as a last resort if it is not possible to remove the hazard at source or the person from the hazard. It may be issued as a short-term solution while engineering or process control measures are developed.

PPE is not suitable for use unless it:

is appropriate for the risk and conditions at the place where exposure to that risk may occur.
takes account of the ergonomic requirements and state of health of the person who wears it.
is capable of fitting correctly, if necessary, after adjustment.
is effective to prevent or adequately control the risk without increasing the overall risk or be the best protection practicable under the circumstances.
complies with a relevant standard in respect of design or manufacture.

Selection

European standards are being developed for most common types of PPE. Manufacturers are required to obtain a certificate of conformity with such standards and mark their products with the 'CE' mark. This means that the article has been shown to meet a design standard but it does not indicate that it is fit for the user's particular requirements.

Most types of PPE are available in various grades, depending upon their level of performance. The employer is not obliged to buy the highest grade if his assessment shows that a lower grade has all the characteristics required to provide effective protection of his employees. Nevertheless, the first consideration in selecting PPE is performance, not price.

Employers are strongly advised to obtain their PPE from a reputable supplier who has in-depth knowledge of his products.

Provision

Employers must ensure that the PPE is readily available for use as and when it is required and in general, each item should be personally issued to the employee.

Employers have a duty, not only to provide information and instruction, but also to train their employees in the use of PPE as well as the reasons why it is necessary, the results of not wearing it and any cleaning or maintenance procedures required.

The employer is not allowed to make any charge or levy in respect of any PPE provided if there is a specific requirement to provide it. This includes any PPE which is provided as a result of an assessment of risk rather than just for the company's image or the comfort or convenience of the employees.

As the employer has to provide PPE which is suitable and takes into account the requirements not only of the task but also the individual, there is a need to consult with the persons who have to wear the PPE.

If more than one item of PPE is worn simultaneously, then such equipment must be compatible, e.g. many types of ear muffs prevent a safety helmet being worn properly but combined helmets and ear muffs are available.

It is the employer's responsibility to ensure that the PPE is worn when required as well as ensuring that the PPE is maintained in an efficient working order, in good repair and is kept clean.

The PPE should be replaced, as and when necessary. Adequate facilities should be provided by the employer to clean, maintain and store the PPE. This may include lockers and drying facilities.

Employee's duties

The employee has a legal duty to wear the PPE when the risk for which it is provided is present. However, the employer should not enforce the wearing of PPE when the risk is not present or is not expected to be present.

The employee has to report any loss of, or defect in the PPE and to look after it properly.

Peripatetic workers

It is often convenient in construction and service trades for the person in control of the site to provide the PPE rather than the tradesman's employer. The direct employer still retains his obligations under the Regulations, so needs to satisfy himself that suitable PPE is actually being issued and properly used.

INFORMATION AND TRAINING FOR EMPLOYEES

There is a requirement to train the users of PPE in the following:

the use and wearing of PPE.
the cleaning, maintenance and replacement of PPE.
the reasons for wearing PPE.
the consequences of not wearing PPE.