Why should PPE be considered a last resort option for employee protection?

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should be considered a last resort option for employee protection primarily because it could fail or be used incorrectly. While PPE is an essential component of workplace safety, it relies heavily on proper usage and maintenance from the wearer. If PPE is not worn correctly, is damaged, or is not fit for the task, it may not provide the intended level of protection.

The idea behind using PPE as a last resort stems from the hierarchy of controls in safety, which prioritizes methods of hazard elimination and substitution above PPE. These methods focus on eliminating the hazards outright or substituting less hazardous processes, thus reducing the reliance on equipment that may not always function as intended. By considering PPE as a last resort, organizations can strive to implement safer systems that protect workers through engineering controls and administrative controls before relying on individual protective equipment. This approach leads to a safer work environment overall, ensuring that the potential limitations of PPE do not undermine workers’ safety.