Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is equipment that is used or worn in the work place in order to avoid hazards that are created by a job. Personal protective equipment includes a variety of things such as safety goggles, ear plugs or protectors, face guards, protective footwear and gloves.
The type of and amount of equipment you will wear in the workplace will depend on the risks involved with your job.
The equipment can protect against minor scuffs and scrapes; however, on a more serious note, it can also protect against diseases caused by asbestos, hearing loss in noisy work places, and vibration white finger when using machinery.
Your employer is responsible for providing, replacing, maintaining and storing the equipment.
The equipment should offer adequate and sufficient protection for its intended use. Employees should report any defects of the equipment and all employees should be trained for the safe use of the equipment. The equipment must also be suited to the employee. For example, ear plugs or protectors that do not fit the employee properly can increase the employee’s risk of their hearing being affected if working for the obvious reasons that the PPE doesn’t fit them right!
The equipment should prevent or adequately control the risk of the job at hand and should not increase the risk of injury or cause any new hazards whilst using the equipment for the job. Your employer should carry out regular assessments on the equipment being used to ensure that the equipment is suitable for the job and also that the equipment is in good working order.
As an employee, you should be provided with information, instruction and training to enable you to know the risks which the equipment will avoid or limit, the purpose of and the manner in which the equipment is to be used, and any action to be taken by you to ensure that the equipment remains in an efficient state, efficient working order, and in good repair.
If you have been injured at work due to inadequate personal protective equipment or lack of or insufficient training on how to use this equipment, you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation for the injury you have suffered.
If you suspect that your employer is not doing what it should be with regards to personal protective equipment and you have suffered as a result, then please call our free claims line on 0800 634 75 75 for professional and no obligation advice.
