The different categories of PPE in the hospitality and food service sector

France’s sixth-largest private employer, the hospitality and food service sector exposes its workforce to physical, chemical and psychological risks. With an average of 76 days off work per workplace accident and 365 days off work per occupational illness in hotels and traditional restaurants (Ameli figures, updated in March 2024), absenteeism is one of the challenges businesses face, in addition to recruiting and retaining employees in the sector. Given this reality, the implementation of a prevention policy is essential to tackle occupational risks at their source in order to ensure and protect employees’ physical and mental health.

As stated in Article L4121-1 of the French Labour Code, as well as the following articles, it is the employer’s responsibility to take the necessary precautions according to the nature of their establishment’s activities. These precautions include wearing personal protective equipment, also known as PPE.

What is personal protective equipment and how should it be chosen? In this article, after providing a definition, we will look at the different categories of PPE, including those applicable to the hospitality and food service sector.

What is PPE?

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, “means devices or equipment designed to be worn or held by a person to protect them against one or more risks likely to threaten their safety and health.” (Article R233-83-3 of the French Labour Code) 

It includes a wide range of equipment, including gloves, goggles, helmets, footwear and protective clothing. Unlike workwear, which conveys the image of the company the employee works for and meets practical needs specific to the job, protective clothing complies with specific standards intended to protect staff from work-related hazards.

PPE categories

According to European regulations that came into force in 2018, personal protective equipment is classified according to three levels of protection that comply with standards specific to each risk.

• Category or class I PPE covers minor risks, namely:
  - superficial mechanical injuries;
  - contact with cleaning products with weak action or prolonged contact with water;
  - contact with hot surfaces not exceeding 50 °C;
  - eye injuries due to exposure to sunlight (other than while observing the sun);
  - atmospheric conditions that are not extreme in nature.

• Category or class II PPE covers risks other than those listed in categories I and III, namely significant risks that may result in serious injuries.
• Category or class III PPE covers risks likely to result in very serious consequences, such as irreversible injuries or death. They are linked to the following:
  - substances and mixtures hazardous to health;
  - atmospheres with an oxygen deficiency;
  - harmful biological agents;
  - ionising radiation;
  - high-temperature environments with effects comparable to those of an air temperature of at least 100 °C;
  - low-temperature environments with effects comparable to those of an air temperature of -50 °C or below;
  - falls from height;
  - electric shock and live working;
  - drowning;
  - cuts caused by hand-held chainsaws;
  - high-pressure jets;
  - gunshot or knife wounds;
  - harmful noise.

Each PPE category is associated with a certification procedure to guarantee product reliability. While class I is subject to manufacturer self-certification, assessment is more stringent for classes II and III, which require examination by a third-party body.

PPE categories for hospitality and food service 

The choice of PPE category results from identifying and assessing the hazards associated with workstations. In the sector we are considering, the following main occupational risks can be mentioned:

• cuts: hand-drying glasses, poorly maintained or improperly stored knives, etc.
• burns: splashes from hot liquids or preparations.
• chemical risk: irritating cleaning products, inadequate product storage, etc.
• falls: slippery or dirty floors, unsecured stairways, etc.

To prevent them, if the collective protection measures in place are not sufficient, the employer must make category I and II PPE available to employees. Here are the main items of equipment to choose:

• cut-resistant gloves
• heat-protection gloves
• chemical-protection gloves
• fire-resistant jackets
• safety goggles
• slip-resistant safety shoes
• slip-resistant work shoes

Wearing PPE is one of the recommendations to consider in preventing the main causes of workplace accidents in the hospitality and food service sector. As a leading manufacturer of slip-resistant work shoes, we invite you to contact our team of Shoes For Crews experts to receive information about our slip-resistant shoes and implement your prevention policy now.