General PPE Requirements
OSHA standards require the use of PPE to reduce employee exposure to hazards when engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective in reducing these exposures to acceptable levels. Employers are required to determine if PPE should be used to protect their workers and they must also make sure employees use and maintain PPE in a sanitary and reliable condition.
Employers must keep employees safe with suitable PPE.
Employer Responsibilities
In general, employers are responsible for:
- performing a "hazard assessment" of the workplace to identify and control physical and health hazards;
- identifying and providing appropriate PPE for employees;
- training employees in the use and care of the PPE;
- maintaining and replacing worn or damaged PPE; and
- periodically reviewing, updating and evaluating the effectiveness of the PPE program.
Employee Responsibilities
In general, employees should be:
- properly wearing PPE,
- attending training sessions on PPE,
- properly storing, cleaning, and maintaining PPE, and
- informing a supervisor of the need to repair or replace PPE.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-1. Who is directly responsible for storing, cleaning, and maintaining PPE?
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