Personal Protective Equipment
The employer's duty to pay
Under 1926.95 and 1910.132–138, the employer selects, provides, and pays for required PPE and must verify the hazard assessment in writing. Traps: non-specialty safety-toe footwear and non-specialty prescription safety glasses may be left to the employee when the employer permits off-site wear; ordinary weather gear and items the employee chooses to wear are not employer-paid.
Matching PPE to the hazard
Eyes and face: safety glasses with side shields for impact, goggles for dust and chemical splash, face shields worn over primary eye protection. Head: hard hats rated G (general), E (electrical, tested to 20,000 volts), and C (conductive, no electrical protection). Hands and feet: cut-resistant gloves, metatarsal guards, chemical gloves selected from permeation data. Hearing: the construction PEL is 90 dBA as an 8-hour TWA, and hearing protection is required when engineering and administrative controls cannot bring exposure below it. Respiratory: 1926.103 adopts 1910.134, requiring a written program, medical evaluation, annual fit testing, and training.
Fall arrest specifics
Anchorage at 5,000 lb per worker or designed with a safety factor of two; limit free fall to 6 feet; inspect harness and lanyard before each use and remove damaged gear from service.
Rule of thumb
Work the hierarchy: eliminate, substitute, engineer, administer, then PPE. Selecting PPE as the first answer rather than the last line of defense is the most common wrong choice on these items.