Personal Protective Equipment

What are the hazards associated with personal protective equipment?

The lack of personal protective equipment or the use of inappropriate personal protective equipment can result in serious injury, illness or death when engineering and administrative controls have not been (fully) implemented to eliminate or reduce exposure to a particular hazard. Personal protective equipment should never be used as the primary means to control employee exposure to a hazard.

What can I do to protect myself?

Before beginning any task, ask yourself if you will be subjecting any part of your body to a hazard for which PPE is recommended or required.

What resources are available to assist employers?

Safety and Health Programs

An example PPE hazard assessment is available and can be customized to fit workplace conditions. Employers are required to perform a workplace hazard analysis to determine what personal protective equipment is necessary to protect employees from continued exposure to identified hazards. In addition, the fall protection plan are available to assist the employer in the development of applicable programs.

Training and Outreach Services

Presentations on personal protective equipment, and fall protection in construction presentation for general industry and construction provide general safety and health information on personal protective equipment and should be modified to address site-specific conditions and hazards.

In addition, the education, training and technical assistance bureau provides free online safety and health training and outreach services (i.e., speaker's bureau requests, safety booths) upon request. 

Lastly, the NCDOL Library offers free safety and health videos (including streaming video services) and related research assistance on consensus standards (i.e., ANSI, NFPA, NEC).

A-Z Safety and Health Topics

Additional resource information can be found on the A-Z safety and health topics pages for respiratory protection, COVID-19, fall protection and noise. 

Consultation Services

The consultative services bureau provides free and confidential onsite consultation regarding worksite safety and health hazards.

Which standards apply?

OSH has adopted the following standards for personal protective equipment in North Carolina. Note: Please also check the standards information and activity webpage to see if there has been any recent or upcoming regulatory activity on this topic. 

General Industry

• 29 CFR 1910.132 - general requirements

• 29 CFR 1910.133 - eye and face protection

• 29 CFR 1910.135 - head protection

• 29 CFR 1910.136 - foot protection

• 29 CFR 1910.137 - electrical protective equipment

• 29 CFR 1910.138 - hand protection

• 29 CFR 1910.140 - personal fall protection systems

Maritime, Shipyard Employment

• 29 CFR 1915.152 - general requirements

• 29 CFR 1915.153 - eye and face protection

• 29 CFR 1915.155 - head protection

• 29 CFR 1915.156 - foot protection

• 29 CFR 1915.157 - hand and body protection

• 29 CFR 1915.158 - lifesaving equipment

• 29 CFR 1915.159 - personal fall arrest systems

• 29 CFR 1915.160 - positioning device systems

Maritime, Marine Terminals

• 29 CFR 1917.91 - eye and face protection

• 29 CFR 1917.93 - head protection

• 29 CFR 1917.94 - foot protection

• 29 CFR 1917.95 - other protective measures

• 29 CFR 1917.96 - payment for protective equipment

Construction

• 29 CFR 1926.95 - criteria for personal protective equipment

• 29 CFR 1926.96 - occupational foot protection

• 29 CFR 1926.97 - electrical protective equipment

• 29 CFR 1926.100 - head protection

• 29 CFR 1926.102 - eye and face protection

• 29 CFR 1926.104 - safety belts, lifelines and lanyards

• 29 CFR 1926.105 - safety nets

• 29 CFR 1926.106 - working over or near water

State-specific Standards

• 13 NCAC 07F. 0204 - construction

Other Applicable Standards

The Which OSHA Standards Apply webpage can also help identify other standards that may be applicable to your worksite.

Where can I learn more?

Compliance Documents

• Compliance Directive: CPL 02-01-050, Personal Protective Equipment in General Industry, provides clarification on citing personal protective equipment in general industry. The cover sheet contains additional guidance on citing high visibility clothing.

• Operational Procedure Notice: OPN 136 regarding state-specific rule 13 NCAC 07F.0202 provides clarification on citing personal protective equipment used in construction under 13 NCAC 7F.0202 instead of 29 CFR 1926.28(a).

• Standards Notice: SN 38 - Eye and Face Protection for Chemical Use provides guidance for the selection of proper PPE for eye and face protection when working with chemicals.

• Standards Notice: SN 70 - Revised ASTM Standards for Foot Protection clarifies that the OSH Division will accept foot protection designed to ASTM standards.

Industry Guides

• Industry Guide 48 - OSHA Construction Industry Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training provides requirements for standards related to personal protective equipment in construction.

• Industry Guide 49 - OSHA General Industry Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training provides requirements for standards related to personal protective equipment in general industry.

• Industry Guide 53 - OSHA Shipyard Employment Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training highlights the requirements of standards related to personal protective equipment in shipyard employment.

• Industry Guide 54 - OSHA Marine Terminal Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training highlights the requirements of standards related to personal protective equipment at marine terminals.

Technical Assistance

If you would like to receive interpretive guidance on this or any other OSH standard or topic, you can submit your questions using the Ask OSH web form, by e-mail to ask.osh@labor.nc.gov or by calling 919-707-7876.