Protective Workwear: When Is PPE Required?

Occupational safety, including equipping personnel with suitable personal protective equipment, or PPE for short, is important for two reasons: First, it helps prevent accidents, and if they do happen—which, unfortunately, will inevitably occur due to human factors—it reduces their consequences. The primary concern is, of course, the health and satisfaction of personnel, but it is also important to avoid indirect costs of workplace accidents as far as possible . If you would like to learn more about indirect costs, we recommend this article: How high are the indirect costs of a workplace accident for the employer? In today’s article, we explain when personal protective equipment is required. Below, you will learn which factors play a role and what the law stipulates. Read on to find out what duties employers have and how you can best protect your most valuable resource—your employees.

The definition of PPE: More than just an outfit

Before looking at when PPE is necessary, it is important to understand what personal protective equipment actually includes. PPE comprises all devices and items of clothing intended to ensure safety and health in the workplace. This ranges from helmets and safety goggles to special protective suits, respiratory protective masks, and safety shoes. The latter are particularly important when you consider that many workplace accidents are caused by tripping while walking. From a prevention perspective, this category of accidents is collectively described as slip, trip, and fall accidents. The German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) publishes statistics on accidents every year. In manufacturing and industry, 32.2% of all reportable workplace accidents in 2022 affected the feet, representing 53,293 workplace accidents per year with potential foot injuries (see pp. 71–72). This clearly shows how important it is to provide your personnel with appropriate footwear. But that is not all: all other vulnerable parts of the body must also be adequately protected. What needs to be considered? Read on to learn more.

Legal and regulatory basis

In Germany, the provision of personal protective equipment is regulated by law. As mentioned in the earlier article How often must an employer provide safety shoes?, the Occupational Health and Safety Act (ArbSchG), the Workplace Ordinance (ArbStättV), and specific regulations such as the PPE Use Ordinance specify the situations and industries in which PPE is required. In principle, the employer is obliged to ensure the safety and health of employees in the workplace. This also includes the provision of PPE when hazards cannot be avoided through other measures. Industry often has specific regulations and guidelines that impose additional occupational safety requirements. These may include, for example, the Hazardous Substances Ordinance (GefStoffV) for industries involving hazardous chemicals, or the Industrial Safety Ordinance (BetrSichV) for systems and machinery.

Workplace risks: Identification is key

The most important step in deciding whether PPE is needed is to identify workplace risks. Every workplace has its own potential hazards, whether chemical, biological, mechanical, or thermal. For example, working with hazardous chemicals or in high-temperature environments often requires special PPE to protect employees from injuries or health damage. Employers must carefully analyze their employees’ workplaces and activities to identify potential hazards. Various factors play a role, including the type of activity, the working environment, existing machinery and equipment, and possible hazardous substances. Based on this risk assessment, suitable protective measures—including the provision of PPE—must be implemented. Let us look at potential sources of risk in manufacturing and industry as examples to understand which scenarios make the provision of PPE essential. 

Identifying risks in industry and manufacturing

• Fall hazards: In areas with elevated workplaces, such as roofs, scaffolding, or platforms, there is a risk of falling. Here, PPE such as safety harnesses, fall-arrest harnesses, and fall protection systems is required to prevent serious injuries or even fatal accidents.
• Slip hazards: Wet floors, spilled liquids, and leaked lubricants—there are many causes of slip-related accidents. Slip-resistant footwear is therefore urgently needed in industry and manufacturing.
• Head injuries: In environments where falling objects pose a hazard, such as  warehouses or when moving heavy materials, safety helmets are essential.
• Eye injuries: During work involving grinding, cutting, or welding, flying particles, sparks, or chemical substances can injure the eyes. Safety goggles or face shields are required here to protect the eyes.
• Noise exposure: In metalworking or factory halls, employees may be exposed to high noise levels that can damage their hearing. Hearing protection such as earplugs or earmuffs is essential here.
• Chemical exposure: In industries that work with hazardous chemicals, such as the chemical industry or laboratories, employees may suffer skin irritation, poisoning, or other health damage. Protective gloves, protective suits, respiratory protective masks, and other PPE are required here to minimize contact with the chemicals.
• Heat and fire hazards: Where hot surfaces, flames, or sparks are involved, there is a risk of burns or fire-related accidents. Flame-resistant protective clothing, welding protective clothing, and other heat-resistant PPE are required in this area.

As you can see, local conditions and the industry are crucial in determining when PPE is necessary. However, slip, trip, and fall hazards exist across all industries. For this reason, we at Shoes For Crews want to do our part to help your personnel move safely and comfortably through their working day. Would you like to learn more? Then please contact us at any time.