For many employees, personal protective equipment is a last defense against serious injuries or

death at work. This equipment will act as a failsafe against other protective devices, such as

machine guards or ventilation systems, and will help in the event of human error while using

machines, chemicals, working with loud noises, or anything else which could present a danger to

employees. Personal protective equipment comes in all shapes and sizes, as well, from gloves

and goggles, to full hazmat suites.

But with all of this personal protective equipment present, there can begin to be some issues with

when it needs to be worn, who is responsible for providing it, where it is stored, and who is

responsible for updating and maintaining it. To help with this, OSHA created OSHA Standard

1910.132, which lays out very general guidelines for the use, care, storage, and maintenance of

personal protective equipment. Unfortunately, there are also specific guidelines present within

other OSHA standards, meaning you need to reconcile Standard 1910.132 with every

occupational safety and health policy and procedure for your company which involves any

personal protective equipment.

This reconciliation and creation of policies can become taxing on any safety team. And the

constant monitoring of equipment can also be time consuming. But it is an important part of

creating a safe work environment, and it is important in avoiding expensive fines from OSHA

should your facility ever be audited. And if you have any questions about any of your personal

protective equipment policies or procedures, it is imperative you contact a qualified third party

occupational safety and health auditing firm to assist in ensuring the facility is compliant.

If you have any questions about your personal protective equipment policies and procedures,

please contact us. If you have anything to add about the importance of personal protective

equipment, please leave a comment.