Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is the last line of defense against workplace hazards — not the first. Engineering controls and administrative controls should always be considered before relying on PPE. But when hazards cannot be eliminated or adequately controlled by other means, PPE is required, and the requirements are specific.
PPE appears on OSHA's top 10 most-cited list in multiple categories every year. Eye and face protection alone accounted for 1,814 citations in FY2024. Most violations come down to one of three failures: no written hazard assessment, providing the wrong type of PPE for the hazard, or workers not wearing the protection provided.
The Required PPE Hazard Assessment
Before PPE requirements can be established, OSHA requires employers to conduct and document a workplace hazard assessment. This assessment must:
- Identify all sources of hazards in the workplace
- Determine what PPE is required for each task or work area
- Be certified in writing, with the employer's signature, the workplace evaluated, the date, and the document name
The certification document is what OSHA inspectors ask for. A verbal understanding that "workers should wear hard hats" is not a certified assessment. The written certification is the minimum documentation required — and it must exist for every work location where PPE is required.
Head Protection
Hard hats are required when workers face potential head injury from falling or flying objects, bumping their head against fixed objects, or electrical hazards.
| Hard Hat Class | Protection | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Class E (Electrical) | Impact + 20,000 volts electrical | Construction, electrical work |
| Class G (General) | Impact + 2,200 volts electrical | General industry |
| Class C (Conductive) | Impact only, no electrical protection | Areas with no electrical hazards |
Hard hats must be inspected regularly. Replace any hard hat that shows signs of cracks, penetration, deformation, or exposure to heat, chemicals, or UV radiation. Most manufacturers recommend replacement every 2–5 years regardless of condition.
Eye and Face Protection
Eye protection is required whenever workers face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation. It was the ninth most-cited OSHA standard in FY2024 — and most violations come from workers simply not wearing the protection provided.
| Hazard | Required Protection |
|---|---|
| Flying particles, chips, dust | Safety glasses with side shields or goggles |
| Chemical splash | Indirect-vent chemical goggles |
| Chemical vapors or gases | Direct-vent goggles (sealed to face) |
| Welding (arc) | Welding helmet with appropriate shade lens |
| Grinding or chipping | Face shield over safety glasses |
| Laser work | Laser-specific eye protection rated for the wavelength |
Prescription eyeglass wearers must either wear prescription safety glasses or over-the-glass (OTG) safety glasses that fit over their regular frames. Regular prescription eyeglasses are not safety glasses.
Hearing Protection
OSHA's Hearing Conservation Standard (29 CFR 1910.95) requires a hearing conservation program whenever workers are exposed to noise at or above 85 decibels (dBA) as an 8-hour time-weighted average.
A complete hearing conservation program includes:
- Noise monitoring to identify exposures at or above 85 dBA
- Audiometric testing (baseline and annual hearing tests) for exposed workers
- Provision of hearing protectors (at no cost) for workers exposed at or above 85 dBA
- Training on the effects of noise, hearing protector use, and audiometric testing
- Recordkeeping
When selecting hearing protection, look at the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) on the package. Higher NRR means more protection. However, the actual protection achieved in practice is typically less than the labeled NRR — OSHA applies a derating factor when calculating adequacy.
Hand Protection
Glove selection depends entirely on the specific hazard. The wrong glove can be worse than no glove — for example, certain chemical-resistant gloves provide no cut protection, and some cut-resistant gloves degrade rapidly in chemical exposure.
| Hazard | Glove Type |
|---|---|
| Cut and abrasion | Cut-resistant gloves (ANSI cut level matched to risk) |
| Chemical exposure | Chemical-resistant gloves — material depends on specific chemical |
| Electrical work | Rubber insulating gloves rated for voltage |
| Heat / welding | Leather or aluminized gloves depending on temperature |
| Cold | Insulated gloves appropriate for temperature range |
| Vibration | Anti-vibration gloves |
Always consult the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for chemicals to identify the recommended glove material. The SDS Section 8 (Exposure Controls / Personal Protection) will specify what material provides adequate resistance.
Foot Protection
Safety footwear is required when workers face hazards from falling or rolling objects, objects that could pierce the sole, electrical hazards, or working in wet or slippery conditions that could be addressed by slip-resistant soles.
Safety shoes and boots must meet ASTM F2413 standards. Look for markings on the shoe indicating:
- I/75 C/75 — impact and compression protection (75 ft-lbs / 2,500 lbs)
- EH — electrical hazard protection
- PR — puncture resistant sole
- SD — static dissipative
- Mt/75 — metatarsal protection
Respiratory Protection
Respiratory protection requirements are extensive and covered in detail separately. The short version: a written respiratory protection program is required before any worker wears a respirator, medical evaluation must precede respirator use, and fit testing is required annually for tight-fitting respirators. See our full respiratory protection guide for the complete requirements.
High-Visibility Clothing
Workers who face traffic hazards — including those working near public roads or in areas where vehicles operate — may need high-visibility (hi-vis) clothing. ANSI/ISEA 107 classifies hi-vis garments by performance class based on the level of traffic hazard exposure. Federal highway work zone requirements (the MUTCD) specify Class 2 or Class 3 garments for workers in public road rights-of-way.
Who Pays for PPE?
Under OSHA's PPE payment rule (29 CFR 1910.132(h)), employers must provide and pay for required PPE — with limited exceptions:
Employers are NOT required to pay for:
- Non-specialty safety-toe footwear, when the employer allows the worker to wear the footwear off the job
- Non-specialty prescription safety eyewear, when the employer allows the worker to wear the eyewear off the job
- Logging boots
- Everyday clothing, ordinary weather gear, or long-sleeved shirts unless they serve as PPE for a specific hazard
- PPE that the employee has lost or intentionally damaged
Everything else — hard hats, chemical-resistant gloves, hearing protectors, safety glasses used only at work, respirators — must be provided at no cost to the employee.
PPE Training Requirements
Before any worker is required to use PPE, OSHA requires training that covers:
- When PPE is necessary
- What PPE is necessary for their tasks
- How to properly put on, take off, adjust, and wear PPE
- The limitations of PPE
- The proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of PPE
Training must be documented. Retraining is required when there is reason to believe a worker does not understand or use PPE correctly, or when new PPE is introduced.