What Condition Is Your PPE In?

Is personal protective equipment (PPE) provided for staff and visitors, is it suitable and is there a stock held? Select one item of PPE provided and check it is in good repair (e.g. safety shoes, safety goggles, masks).

Reason for This Question

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 are a set of regulations created under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the regulation place a duty on employers concerning the provision and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) at work.

Possible Answers

• Red: No PPE provided

• Amber: PPE provided but not being used

• Green: PPE provided and being used

Fail Rate

27% of businesses failed this question based on our sample data.

Common Issues

• No evidence of PPE being issued or it’s condition

• Damaged PPE identified at the time of audit

• Insufficient PPE

• Common Recommendations

• PPE usage to be signed off

• Provide staff with personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Remind all staff that the PPE issued to them is for their protection and it is their responsibility to wear it where it has been identified in the risk assessment

• Ensure PPE is provided where required

Information

What is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

PPE is equipment that will protect the user against health or safety risks at work. It can include items such as safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses. It also includes respiratory protective equipment (RPE).

Making the workplace safe includes providing instructions, procedures, training and supervision to encourage people to work safely and responsibly.

Even where engineering controls and safe systems of work have been applied, some hazards might remain. These include injuries to:

• the lungs, eg from breathing in contaminated air

• the head and feet, eg from falling materials

• the eyes, eg from flying particles or splashes of corrosive liquids

• the skin, eg from contact with corrosive materials

• the body, eg from extremes of heat or cold

• PPE is needed in these cases to reduce the risk.

View HSE Personal protective equipment (PPE) at work PDF Leaflet

This post is part of the “Focus on Health and Safety Audit Questions” series. A series which focuses on questions asked by our health and safety consultants when conducting a health and safety audit.