You must also train workers who are required to

wear personal protective equipment on how to

do the following:

• Use protective equipment properly,

• Be aware of when personal protective equipment is necessary,

• Know what kind of protective equipment is

necessary,

• Understand the limitations of personal protective equipment in protecting workers from

injury,

• Put on, adjust, wear, and take off personal protective equipment, and

• Maintain protective equipment properly.

Protection from Head Injuries

Hard hats can protect your workers from head

impact, penetration injuries, and electrical

injuries such as those caused by falling or

flying objects, fixed objects, or contact with

electrical conductors. Also, OSHA regulations

require employers to ensure that workers

cover and protect long hair to prevent it from

getting caught in machine parts such as belts

and chains.

Protection from Foot and Leg Injuries

In addition to foot guards and safety shoes,

leggings (e.g., leather, aluminized rayon, or

otherappropriate material) can help prevent

injuries by protecting workers from hazards

such as falling or rolling objects, sharp objects,

wet and slippery surfaces, molten metals, hot

surfaces, and electrical hazards.

Protection from Eye and Face Injuries

Besides spectacles and goggles, personal

protective equipment such as special helmets

or shields, spectacles with side shields, and

faceshields can protect workers from the hazards of flying fragments, large chips, hot sparks,

Employer Responsibilities

OSHA’s primary personal protective equipment standards are in Title 29 of the Code of

Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1910 Subpart I,

and equivalent regulations in states with OSHAapproved state plans, but you can find protective equipment requirements elsewhere in the

General Industry Standards. For example, 29

CFR 1910.156, OSHA’s Fire Brigades Standard,

has requirements for firefighting gear. In addition, 29 CFR 1926.95-106 covers the construction industry. OSHA’s general personal protective equipment requirements mandate that

employers conduct a hazard assessment of

their workplaces to determine what hazards

are present that require the use of protective

equipment, provide workers with appropriate

protective equipment, and require them to use

and maintain it in sanitary and reliable condition.

Using personal protective equipment is often

essential, but it is generally the last line of

defense after engineering controls, work practices, and administrative controls. Engineering

controls involve physically changing a machine

or work environment. Administrative controls

involve changing how or when workers do

their jobs, such as scheduling work and rotating workers to reduce exposures. Work practices involve training workers how to perform

tasks in ways that reduce their exposure to

workplace hazards.

As an employer, you must assess your workplace to determine if hazards are present

that require the use of personal protective

equipment. If such hazards are present, you

must select protective equipment and require

workers to use it, communicate your protective

equipment selection decisions to your workers,

and select personal protective equipment that

properly fits your workers.

FactSheet

Personal Protective Equipment

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is designed to protect workers from serious

workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Besides face shields, safety

glasses, hard hats, and safety shoes, protective equipment includes a variety of devices

and garments such as goggles,coveralls, gloves, vests, earplugs, and respirators.
This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or

standards. It does not impose any new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of

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.

The voice phone is (202) 693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627.

U.S. Department of Labor

www.osha.gov

(800) 321-OSHA

For more complete information:

DOC 4/2006

optical radiation, splashes from molten metals,

as well as objects, particles, sand, dirt, mists,

dusts, and glare.

Protection from Hearing Loss

Wearing earplugs or earmuffs can help prevent

damage to hearing. Exposure to high noise

levels can cause irreversible hearing loss or

impairment as well as physical and psychological stress. Earplugs made from foam, waxed

cotton, or fiberglass wool are self-forming and

usually fit well. A professional should fit your

workers individually for molded or preformed

earplugs. Clean earplugs regularly, and replace

those you cannot clean.

Protection from Hand Injuries

Workers exposed to harmful substances through

skin absorption, severe cuts or lacerations,

severe abrasions, chemical burns, thermal

burns, and harmful temperatureextremes will

benefit from hand protection.

Protection from Body Injury

In some cases workers must shield most or all

of their bodies against hazards in the workplace, such as exposure to heat and radiation as

well as hot metals, scalding liquids, body fluids,

hazardous materials or waste, and other hazards. In addition to fire-retardant wool and fireretardant cotton, materials used in whole-body

personal protective equipment include rubber,

leather, synthetics, and plastic.

When to Wear Respiratory Protection

When engineering controls are not feasible,

workers must use appropriate respirators to

protect against adverse health effects caused by

breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts,

fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or

vapors. Respirators generally cover the nose

and mouth or the entire face or head and help

prevent illness and injury. A proper fit is essential, however, for respirators to be effective.

Required respirators must be NIOSH-approved

and medical evaluation and training must be

provided before use.

Additional Information

For additional information concerning protective equipment view the publication, Assessing

the Need for Personal Protective Equipment: A

Guide for Small Business Employers (OSHA

3151) available on OSHA’s web site at www.

osha. gov. For more information about personal

protective equipment in the construction industry, visit www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/constructionppe/ index.html.

Contacting OSHA

To report an emergency, file a complaint or seek

OSHA advice, assistance or products, call (800)

321-OSHA or contact your nearest OSHA

regional or area office.