Personal protect equipment is often the last, and sometimes only, defense an employee has from

serious injury or death at work. This equipment is, therefore, quite heavily regulated by

governing bodies such as the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health

Administration. OSHA does this in several ways, both with a specific standard, Standard

1910.132, and by inserting standard specific personal protective equipment guidelines in other

relevant standards. This can create a difficult situation for safety teams who need to create

company policies and procedures, as the guidelines are spread in multiple areas.

But to make life easier, it is often important to think about the “why” behind the “what.” In this

case, why the equipment is worn and how it protects employees. This common sense approach

will help employers and safety teams make practical guidelines for this equipment in different

situations.

Of course, it is important to ensure that the common sense policies and procedures align with

what is legally required of the employer. And if you are afraid your policies and procedures are

not compliant, it would probably make sense to contact a qualified occupational safety and

health auditing firm which can help you to ensure your procedures are compliant. A qualified

third party firm will review all current policies and procedures and compare them to current legal

requirements, and help the company to update or correct any issues.

If you have any questions about personal protective equipment or need any guidance in update

policies and procedures, please contact us. If you have anything to add about personal protective

equipment, please leave a comment.