While one of the simplest items to ensure compliance with in any safety and health management system, personal protective equipment is one of the most common issues during an audit. Whether outdated, worn beyond the minimum safety requirements, or improperly used, personal protective equipment that is not up to code can have devastating effects on both employers and employees. One of the main reasons people have so much trouble with personal protective equipment is that guidelines are scattered among a number of different standards, encompassing everything from confined spaces to lockout tagout. In addition, there is also Standard 1910.132, which lays out the minimum requirements for any personal protective equipment to be OSHA compliant.

One of the primary issues business owners have with the standards is the vagueness which surrounds 1910.132 and the extreme rigidity of individual standards. For instance, in 1910.132(c), OSHA states: “All personal protective equipment shall be of safe design and construction for the work to be performed.” But this extremely indistinct requirement is clarified dozens of times within other standards, meaning a company can be in compliance with 1910.132 but not in compliance with another standard. And while this seems a rather simple issue to fix, it can be difficult to go back through every single glove, helmet, and apron to ensure that they are all always being used in the right way at exactly the right time.

Thankfully, there are companies who specialize in OSHA compliance. And these companies are an excellent resource for business owners worried that they are out of compliance or worried that they might be misusing a piece of equipment. To get more information on safety audits and personal protective equipment, please contact us. And if you have anything to add about personal protective equipment, please leave a comment.