Personal Protective Equipment and Safe Systems of Work
PPE is the last line of defence
Work through the hierarchy of control before reaching for PPE: eliminate the hazard (work off-peak, close the road), substitute, engineer it out (barriers, exclusion zones, plant with reversing cameras), then administrate (method statements, briefings, permits), and only then protect the individual. PPE at Work Regulations require suitable PPE, free of charge, maintained and stored properly, with training in its use and limitations.
On street works the normal minimum is high-visibility clothing to BS EN ISO 20471 - Class 2 for daytime work, Class 3 at night or in poor visibility, worn as an outer layer and kept clean - plus safety footwear and a hard hat where there is a risk of falling objects or head impact. Add gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, RPE or dust suppression for cutting and breaking, and COSHH controls for silica dust and bitumen.
Safe systems of work
A safe system of work is the written, briefed answer to: what are the hazards, what controls, who does what, and what if it changes? It includes the traffic management plan, method statement, permit-to-work where required, first aid and emergency arrangements, welfare, lone-working rules and a dynamic reassessment whenever conditions change - weather, light, traffic volume, a delivery, a change of plan.
Traps
Watch for questions that imply PPE lets you work closer to live traffic, or that a hi-vis vest worn under a jacket, or one that is dirty or faded, still counts. Headphones and hoods that block sight or sound of traffic are a fail. Also be clear that PPE is issued free and that defective PPE must be replaced, not repaired with tape.
Rule of thumb: if a control depends on the driver seeing you, treat it as fragile - barrier it off instead.