OSHA has issued a final rule on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) fit requirements which is set to go into effect on January 11th, 2025, which explicitly requires PPE to fit properly. Proper PPE fit has been a longstanding point of concern in the construction industry, particularly for larger workers and for women, who tend to require smaller sizes than their male coworkers.
Prior to this new rule, OSHA’s standard for PPE in the Construction Industry only required that PPE be safely designed and constructed for the work being performed, whereas General Industry and Maritime OSHA standards had the additional requirement to ensure proper PPE fit. This new rule for construction aligns the standard with the verbiage already in place for General Industry and Maritime.
OSHA has issued this final rule to address an issue that impacts a diverse group of construction workers, encompassing individuals of various sizes, heights, and body types. While wearing PPE can help protect workers from hazards on the job, improperly fitting PPE can actually create additional hazards for workers and discourage workers from wearing their PPE. For example, loose PPE can get caught in machinery, leading to entanglement or other hazards, and too-tight PPE may hinder movement, causing discomfort and reducing the worker’s ability to perform tasks safely.
To comply with this new rule, which will go into effect on January 11th, 2025, employers will need to assess their existing PPE to ensure that their workers are properly protected. If they find that they have employees who need PPE in a different size than the ones they have currently provided, the employer will need to purchase new, correctly sized PPE for each affected worker at no cost to the employee. Employers will also be required to train employees on the importance of proper PPE fit and how to correctly wear and adjust their equipment. This training should include identifying signs of ill-fitting PPE and understanding when replacement or adjustments are necessary.
This final rule emphasizes that PPE is not a one-size-fits-all solution and highlights the importance of tailoring safety equipment to meet the diverse needs of the modern workforce. OSHA believes that these changes will not only improve safety outcomes but also increase worker comfort and satisfaction, ultimately enhancing compliance with PPE requirements.
If you have questions about how this new rule will affect your company, or if you need help ensuring that your employees are properly protected with OSHA compliant PPE, contact us today. Our team is always here to help.