Personal protective equipment PPE
Personal protective equipment (PPE) can be used to protect people against health and safety risks.
Personal protective equipment might include:
- Eye protection.
- Face covering.
- Gloves.
- Harnesses.
- Hearing protection.
- High-visibility clothing.
- Protective clothing.
- Respiratory equipment.
- Safety footwear.
- Safety helmets.
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 control the use of PPE at work, other than respiratory equipment, cycle helmets and crash helmets which are covered by other regulations.
Employers are responsible for providing personal protective equipment in the workplace free of charge, however, it should be used only as a last resort, when exposure to risks cannot be adequately controlled in other ways.
If it is not used, or if it fails PPE, does not provide protection and so it is important to ensure that PPE is:
- Assessed to ensure it offers the right level of protection.
- Suitable for the conditions and duration of use.
- Does not interfere with the job.
- Does not introduce another risk (such as heat stress or inability to communicate).
- Maintained, cleaned, stored and replaced properly, with responsibility for these activities clearly allocated and understood.
- Checked for defects.
- Provided with instructions and training.
- Used correctly.
- ‘CE’ marked and compliant with the requirements of the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations.
- The correct size, fit and weight.
- Easy to adjust.
- Comfortable – if possible let the user choose it.
- Compatible with other items.
- Checked to ensure it remains suitable when the job changes.
On 6 April 2022 the Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (PPER 2022) came into force and amended the 1992 Regulations (PPER 1992).
Under PPER 2022, the types of duties and responsibilities on employers and employees under PPER 1992 will remain unchanged but will extend to limb (b) workers, as defined in PPER 2022. Limb (b) workers are workers who carry out casual or irregular work for one or a number of organisations.
Prior to the adoption of PPER 2022, these workers were required to provide their own PPE. Under PPER 2022, if a risk assessment indicates a worker requires PPE to carry out their work activities, the employer must carry out a PPE suitability assessment and provide the PPE free of charge as they do for employees. The employer will be responsible for the maintenance, storage and replacement of any PPE they provide, while workers will be required to report loss and defects in the PPE which is provided, use the PPE in accordance with the training and instruction provided, and ensure PPE is returned to the accommodation provided by the employer.
Updated guidance is available here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/ppe/index.htm
See also: PPE regulations 2022.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Achieve safety in demolition.
- Asbestos.
- CDM.
- Cold stress.
- Construction dust.
- COSHH.
- Deleterious materials.
- Demolition.
- Dynamic self-retracting lanyard.
- Face coverings.
- Filtering facepieces.
- First aider.
- Fit testing.
- Getting personal about protective equipment.
- Hazardous substances.
- Health and safety.
- Heat stress.
- Hi-vis clothing.
- How to keep workers safe around machinery.
- Method statement.
- New domestic electrical work video.
- Noise at Work Assessment.
- Occupational health.
- Pandemic safety for on-site accommodations.
- PPE regulations 2022.
- Risk assessment.
- Safety briefing.
- Safety helmet colours.
- The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992.
- Toolbox talk.
- Workplace noise exposure estimator.
- Workplace safety supplies.
[edit] External references
- Health and Safety Executive, Personal protective equipment (PPE) at work, A brief guide. 2013.
- The British Safety Industry Federation.
- HSE, Personal protective equipment (PPE) at work regulations from 6 April 2022.
- HSE, Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Second edition). 2005
- The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations. 1992.
- HSE Personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Different types of PPE
Featured articles and news
AI and the challenges to intellectual property
The legal landscape of adopting AI now and in the future.
Worrying landscape for Welsh construction SMEs revealed.
In recent risk factor analysis report completed by CIOB.
Construction Sport survey highlights risks of dehydration
Supporting construction workers to avoid dangers.
Can your business afford to ignore mental well-being?
£70 - 100 billion annually in UK construction sector.
Mental health in the construction industry
World Mental Health Day 10 October.
Construction awards provide relief in wake of ISG collapse
Spike in major infrastructure awards, housing up but short of targets, are ISG collapse impacts yet to come.
Biodiversity net gain with related updates and terms
Only 0.5% of applications subject to BNG in the context significant proposed changes to planning.
As political power has shifted from blue to red
Has planning now moved from brown to green?
The role of construction in tackling the biodiversity crisis
New CIOB Nature of Building digital series available now.
The Nature Towns and Cities initiative
Grants of up to 1 million for local councils and partners.
The continued ISG fall out October updates
Where to look for answers to frequently asked questions.
Building safety remediation programme for Wales
With 2024 October progress updates.
In major support package for small businesses.
Conservation and transformation
Reading Ruskin’s cultural heritage. Book review.
Renovating Union Chain Bridge.
AI tools for planning, design, construction and management
A long, continually expanding list, any more to add?