HSE publishes revised Personal Protective Equipment guidance

E115:05 30 August 2005

A revised version of guidance designed to help employers who supply and use personal protective equipment (PPE) at work meet their duties under the law has been published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The guidance, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Work Regulations 1992 (L25), which was first published in 1992, has now been updated to reflect changes to the Regulations, developments in PPE and to clarify guidance queries commonly received by HSE.

The Regulations require PPE; for example, safety helmets, gloves, eye protection and high-visibility clothing, to be supplied and used at work wherever there are risks to workers' health and safety that cannot be adequately controlled in other ways.

The Regulations require PPE to be:

• properly assessed before use to ensure its suitability for the work being done;
• maintained and stored properly;
• provided with adequate instruction on how to use it safely; and
• worn correctly by the user.

The first section of the booklet sets out the Regulations, followed by information on how to comply with their requirements. The second part provides details on the different types of PPE available, the types of hazards that may require PPE to be worn, followed by advice on its correct selection, use and maintenance. This section now also features information on the selection and safe use of Personal Fall protection equipment when working at heights.

HSE has also reissued A Short Guide to the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, a free leaflet aimed at providing employers with a brief summary of the law's main requirements. In particular, the guide includes a short synopsis of common workplace hazards and types of PPE that can be used to prevent workers' exposure. The leaflet also provides tips on ensuring PPE is adequately maintained and workers are provided with sufficient training so that it is properly used.

Copies of Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (as amended) , ISBN  0 7176 6139 3 , price £8.95, are available from HSE Books.

Copies of A Short Guide to the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, INDG174, are available from HSE Books. Alternatively the booklet can be downloaded from the HSE website at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg174.pdf

Notes to editors

1. The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 is based on European Council (EC) Directive 89/656/EEC requiring similar basic laws throughout the European Union on the use of PPE in the workplace.

2. The Regulations came into force on 1 January 1993. They have subsequently been amended by the Police (Health and Safety) Regulations 1999 SI 1999/860, the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 SI 1999/3232 and the Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002 SI 2002/2174.

3. The Regulations do not apply to hearing protection and to respiratory protective equipment for most work activities, as these are covered by other regulations. Full guidance on these including selection, use and maintenance are included in the publications L108 Reducing noise at work: Guidance on the Noise at Work Regulations 1989 and HSG53 Respiratory protective equipment at work: A practical guide. Both of these publications are available from HSE Books http://books.hse.gov.uk/.

4. These regulations should not be confused with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002, which deal with the design, manufacture and supply of PPE. Further information on these regulations is available on the DTI website (www.berr.gov.uk/).

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