Personal Protective Equipment is equipment and clothing worn by a worker to protect them from occupational health and safety hazards that may pose risks to their health. Examples of this are as common as gloves worn over the hands to protect from exposures to spills and skin irritants, glasses worn over the eyes to protect from flying debris, respirators worn to protect the nose and mouth and lungs, and any other manner of gear besides. There are a broad diversity of risks to which workers are exposed, and so there is a significant range of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that can be used to protect against those risks. It is important to remember that not all PPE is appropriate for the task at hand, and incorrect selection and use of PPE may introduce new risks which must be managed. It is also important to remember that were PPE is used, workers are trained in and oriented to safe use of that equipment.
Where the control of workplace health and safety risks is being undertaken as mandated by occupational health and safety law and those controls are being applied in line with the Hierarchy of Controls, PPE is the lowest level of control in that hierarchy, indicating the least effective means of controlling hazards. This is because the most effective means of controlling a hazard is to engineer controls for or to isolate workers from that hazard where it cannot be removed entirely. PPE is used to control risk that cannot be mitigated by other means, and so is not an appropriate first choice in risk control. However, there are situations where it is impossible or impracticable to reduce risk past a certain point without using unreasonable methods, otherwise we'd all be walking around in space suits. Additionally, there are some jobs where workers are exposed to risks inherent in the work, like where a chef must use a sharp knife to prepare food, a construction worker must use a tool for drilling and sawing, and a childcare worker must interact with children.
The effectiveness of PPE is also diminished because it relies on workers deciding to use that PPE in their tasks. Personal Protective Equipment is, by definition, used by the person, and the worker must make the conscious, volitional decision to use the equipment. Even if the decision is made at the beginning of the shift, the worker needs to use the PPE correctly, which requires appropriate training in PPE use especially where that PPE has operating parameters like respirator masks, face masks, Positive Air Pressure Respiration or otherwise inducted air. Where PPE is disposable, it needs to be binned and contained appropriately. For example, where gloves are used in a medical context, they should be placed in biohazard bins and not in general waste. Where PPE is reusable, it should be monitored for wear and damage as well as stowed appropriately, such as the regular inspection of full-face respirators for the integrity of filter seals, the replacement of filters themselves, and the appropriate cleaning and stowage of those respirators to prevent the formation of mildews and the accumulation of mould. PPE use and application should be regularly checked within and between shifts, so that doffing and donning of PPE around lunch and meal breaks does not inadvertently introduce risks from poorly worn PPE.
The safe use of PPE relies on comprehensive appraisal of hazards, control of those hazards to a maximally practicable extent, selection of appropriate PPE, and proper use of the equipment. This also requires ensuring that PPE is fitted correctly, maintained in good working order, and used consistently in accordance with the conditions of work. Workers should be oriented to the limitations of their equipment so they understand what the PPE can and cannot protect them from, and how its misuse may inadvertently increase their exposure. Supervisors and managers play an essential role in reinforcing correct use, monitoring compliance, and ensuring that PPE is replaced or upgraded when it becomes worn, damaged, or no longer suitable for the task. Where PPE interacts with other controls—such as ventilation systems, administrative procedures, or engineered isolation—its use should be integrated into a broader risk‑management framework rather than treated as a standalone solution. Effective PPE programs therefore depend not only on the equipment itself, but on training, consultation, and ongoing review to ensure that protection remains robust, practical, and aligned with the evolving needs of the workplace.
Each workplace is different, with different demands, methods of business, and is staffed by people whose capacities, needs, and risk profiles are different. Managing ergonomic, environmental, and occupational health and safety challenges requires a business to examine and engage with the ecosystem of factors that give rise to risk, and how that risk may affect people. Each workplace is different and so sometimes the same problem will require different solutions. This applies to workers as well - every person is different and so may require different support, supervision, or resources to perform comfortably and sustainably. Under Work Health and Safety law, consultation with the workforce, the control of risk as far as is reasonably practicable, and the provision of information, training, instruction and support to the worker by the workplace, is essential to meet obligations to provide workers with a workplace that is as free of risk as far is reasonably practicable.
In our capacity as consultants, Atlas Physio will explore and scope the business and its needs, examining how exposures, risks, and processes contribute to the hazard ecosystem, best inform the design and arrangement of procedural, policy-based, and practical risk controls. Our solutions are tailored to the needs of those with whom we work, implemented in a simple, sustainable, and supportive fashion, designed to be robust and resilient, and to support the ongoing life of the business as well as the sustainable wellbeing of the workers who undertake the day to day activities of work.
At Atlas Physio, we provide reporting, structured control, and ongoing management of risk onsite, on the road, and wherever work is done. We are open seven days a week, and are happy to offer a brief complimentary discussion to explore the needs of your business and your workers if you are an employer, and your needs if you are a worker. Reach out today to arrange a discussion and take the first step toward managing risk and working safely, supported by expertise that is practical, reliable, and designed to deliver lasting results.