The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 came into force on 1st January 1993. They set out the requirements for equipment intended to protect the wearer from health and safety risks.

The regulations define personal protective equipment (PPE) as ‘…all equipment (including clothing affording protection against the weather) which is intended to be worn or held by a person at work and which protects him against one or more risks to his health or safety, and any addition or accessory designed to meet that objective.’

Employers are required to provide PPE for employees who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety except where that risk has been adequately controlled by other means. Self-employed people are required to provide themselves with PPE.

PPE shall:

• Be appropriate for the risks involved and the conditions where exposure to the risk may occur.
• Take account of ergonomic requirements and the state of health of the person or persons who may wear it.
• Be capable of fitting the wearer correctly.
• Be effective to prevent or adequately control the risk.
• Comply with statutory requirements on design or manufacture.
• Be compatible with other PPE.

The regulations that require PPE is assessed before use and maintained and stored properly and that wearers are provided with instructions on safe and correct use.

Employees are required to report to their employer any loss of or obvious defect in personal protective equipment.

The contents of the regulations are:

• Introductory Text
• Citation and commencement
• Disapplication of these Regulations
• Provision of personal protective equipment
• Compatibility of personal protective equipment
• Assessment of personal protective equipment
• Maintenance and replacement of personal protective equipment
• Accommodation for personal protective equipment
• Information, instruction and training
• Use of personal protective equipment
• Reporting loss or defect
• Exemption certificates
• Extension outside Great Britain
• Modifications, repeal and revocations directive
• Schedule 1: Relevant Community
• Schedule 2: Modifications
• Schedule 3: Revocations

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