What Is PPE? Personal Protective Equipment Types, Uses and UK Requirements When you work in a factory, warehouse, workshop, laboratory or construction setting, you've most likely heard the word PPE. what is PPE, and when is it needed? PPE is any item of clothing or held equipment which would minimize exposure to hazards that might affect the health or safety of the wearer. Examples of these include safety helmets, protective gloves, safety shoes, eye protection, hearing protection and respirators. Quick definition: personal protective equipment is defined as equipment worn by an individual to protect themselves from potential hazards. It is anything that a person wears or carries to safeguard him or herself from a certain type of workplace hazard. Need help sourcing industrial PPE? Share your application, hazard and product specifications with our sourcing team. Request a Quote What Is Personal Protective Equipment? People asking what does PPE stand for in safety are usually looking for more than an abbreviation. PPE includes equipment designed for a particular risk, task and working environment. An ordinary coat, for example, is not normally PPE. A garment designed to protect against a specified workplace hazard may be PPE when it provides the required level of protection. PPE does not eliminate the hazard. No gloves will stop a chemical spill and no earmuffs will make noisy machines quieter. Rather, they form a protective barrier which can minimize the exposure of the worker or the extent of the injury. Why Is PPE Important in the Workplace? Another way to say what PPE is for is that it is used to prevent people from being exposed to risks that have not been eliminated by other measures. PPE could shield from flying particles, excessive noise, chemical splashes, dust, fumes, sharp materials, falling objects, heat or poor visibility, contingent on the kind of PPE. The number of workers who are ill or injured while on the job and businesses who suffer losses as a result of work-related ill health and injury are continuing in Great Britain, according to HSE estimates. But PPE must not be seen as a substitute for a complete safety system. The risk assessment, training, machine guarding, ventilation and safe working procedures are still vital. What Are the Main Types of PPE? Anyone researching what are the different types of PPE should begin with the body area and hazard involved. The main categories of personal protective equipment are summarised below. PPE type Examples Typical hazards Head protection Safety helmets and bump caps Impact and falling objects Eye and face protection Safety glasses, goggles and face shields Particles, sparks and liquid splashes Hand protection Protective gloves Cuts, heat and chemical exposure Hearing protection Earplugs and earmuffs Hazardous workplace noise Respiratory protection Filtering facepieces and respirators Dust, fumes, gases and vapours Foot and body protection Safety boots, coveralls and high-visibility clothing Impact, slips, weather and low visibility Businesses can explore ZF Corporation's Safety category and broader Safety Equipment range when researching products for industrial applications. Examples include steel-toe safety boots and workwear listings such as this Cepovett Safety reusable garment . How Does PPE Fit Into the Hierarchy of Controls? PPE is generally the final level in the hierarchy of controls. Employers should first consider eliminating the hazard, replacing it with a safer alternative or controlling it through engineering and organizational measures. PPE is appropriate when these measures cannot adequately manage the remaining risk. Important distinction: Not every workplace safety product is PPE. Products such as a flame sensor and heat detector or a smoke and heat detector testing kit may support a wider safety system, but they are not equipment worn or held for personal protection. How Do You Choose the Right PPE? When your team is considering whether or not PPE is suitable to a task, begin with a competent risk assessment. Define the hazard, route of exposure, severity, duration and people at risk. Then look at the product usage, protection level and manufacturer instructions. Choose equipment designed for the identified hazard. Check size, fit, weight and comfort for the individual user. Confirm that multiple items can be worn together safely. Review relevant standards and conformity information. Provide instructions and practical training before use. Document inspection, maintenance and replacement arrangements. Compatibility is particularly important. Safety glasses must not prevent a respirator from sealing properly, while helmet-mounted hearing protection must remain effective when used with other equipment. UK Workplace PPE Requirements The question what is PPE required by law does not have one universal product list. Requirements depend on the findings of a risk assessment. In Great Britain, the Personal Protective Equipment at Work…