PPE
By the Riskora Editorial Team · Last reviewed
PPE — Personal Protective Equipment — is equipment worn or held by a worker to protect them from hazards that cannot otherwise be controlled.
Hard hats, hi-vis, safety footwear, gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, respirators and harnesses are all PPE.
Under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (amended 2022), employers must provide suitable PPE free of charge whenever a risk cannot be adequately controlled by other means.
PPE is the last line of defence in the hierarchy of controls. A risk assessment that relies on PPE without first showing that elimination, substitution and engineering controls were considered is incomplete.
Why it matters
PPE only protects the wearer, only when worn correctly, and only for the hazard it is rated against. It is not a substitute for safer working methods.