Using personal protective equipment (PPE) to control risks at work

2. Managing risk using PPE

As part of your risk assessment[6] you should decide whether PPE is needed. Use the hierarchy of controls to make this decision.

Hierarchy of controls

PPE should be the last resort to protect against risks. Consider controls in the following order, with elimination being the most effective and PPE being the least effective:

  • Elimination – physically remove the hazard
  • Substitution – replace the hazard
  • Engineering controls – isolate people from the hazard
  • Administrative controls – change the way people work
  • PPE – protect the worker with equipment

You must select equipment carefully[7]. Make sure all workers are trained to use it properly and know how to detect and report any faults.

View a printable version of the whole guide[10]

Link URLs in this page

  1. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ppe/overview.htm
  2. Selection and usehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ppe/selection-and-use.htm
  3. Maintenancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ppe/maintenance.htm
  4. Using the right type of PPEhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ppe/using-the-right-type-of-ppe.htm
  5. Product safety and supplyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ppe/product-safety-and-supply.htm
  6. risk assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/index.htm
  7. select equipment carefullyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ppe/selection-and-use.htm
  8. Previous page Overview https://www.hse.gov.uk/ppe/overview.htm
  9. Next page Selection and use https://www.hse.gov.uk/ppe/selection-and-use.htm
  10. View a printable version of the whole guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/ppe/print.htm
  11. Changes to PPE law https://www.hse.gov.uk/ppe/ppe-regulations-2022.htm
  12. Respiratory protective equipmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/respiratory-protective-equipment/index.htm
  13. Guidance on PPE Regulations - L25https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l25.htm
  14. Product safety https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/brexit.htm
  15. Construction and PPEhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/faq-ppe.htm
  16. COSHHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/basics/ppe.htm
  17. Treework and chainsawshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/treework/safety-topics/ppe.htm

Is this page useful?

Updated 2024-12-16