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OROSHARecord
Standards & Metrics

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Equipment worn by workers to minimize exposure to workplace hazards, including hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, respirators, and fall protection harnesses.

What It Means

OSHA requires employers to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to workers exposed to workplace hazards, at no cost to the employee (29 CFR 1910.132). The employer must first conduct a hazard assessment to determine what PPE is necessary, then select appropriate equipment, train workers on its proper use and maintenance, and ensure it is worn correctly. Common types of PPE include head protection (hard hats), eye and face protection (safety glasses, goggles, face shields), hearing protection (earplugs, earmuffs), respiratory protection (N95 masks, respirators), hand protection (gloves), foot protection (steel-toed boots), and fall protection (harnesses, lanyards). OSHA standards specify PPE requirements for different types of hazards across general industry (1910), construction (1926), and maritime (1915-1918) workplaces. Failure to provide required PPE or to enforce its use is one of the most commonly cited violations. PPE is considered the last line of defense in the hierarchy of controls — employers should first try to eliminate or engineer out hazards before relying on PPE.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "Personal Protective Equipment" mean in OSHA context?

Equipment worn by workers to minimize exposure to workplace hazards, including hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, respirators, and fall protection harnesses.

Why does Personal Protective Equipment matter for workplace safety?

OSHA requires employers to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to workers exposed to workplace hazards, at no cost to the employee (29 CFR 1910.132). The employer must first conduct a hazard assessment to determine what PPE is necessary, then select appropriate equipment, train workers on it...

Related Terms

Fall Protection
Systems and procedures designed to prevent workers from falling from elevated surfaces, including guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest systems.
Serious Violation
A violation where a workplace hazard could cause death or serious physical harm and the employer knew or should have known about it.
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
The federal agency responsible for enforcing workplace safety and health standards across the United States.

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About This Data

Definitions based on OSHA standards, the OSH Act of 1970, and federal enforcement guidance. Penalty amounts reflect 2026 inflation-adjusted maximums. See our methodology.