PPE Selection and Use SOP Template

1.Purpose

To make sure employees are issued the correct personal protective equipment for their task, trained to use it properly, and it is inspected and replaced when damaged.

2.Scope

Applies to all employees, contractors and visitors who need personal protective equipment for a task, hazard or area within the workplace.

Definitions

PPE

Personal protective equipment: gear worn to reduce exposure to a hazard, such as gloves, eye protection, hearing protection or respiratory protection.

Hazard assessment

A review of a task or area to identify hazards that PPE, alongside other controls, needs to address.

3.Responsibilities

Employee

Wears assigned PPE correctly for the full duration of exposure, inspects it before use and reports damage.

Supervisor

Confirms the hazard assessment for their area is current and enforces correct PPE use on the job.

Safety Officer

Conducts hazard assessments, specifies required PPE, and reviews the PPE program periodically.

Stores Coordinator

Stocks approved PPE in the sizes needed and maintains the PPE issue log.

RACI matrix

R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

4.Materials and PPE

Materials, tools and systems

• →Hazard assessment forms by task or area
• →PPE issue log or register
• →Approved PPE catalog matched to identified hazards
• →PPE sizing chart
• →PPE inspection checklist

Personal protective equipment

• →Eye and face protection
• →Hearing protection
• →Hand protection (gloves)
• →Respiratory protection
• →Foot protection
• →High-visibility clothing

5.Procedure

1. 5.1

   Conduct the hazard assessment

   Safety Officer

   Assess the task or work area for hazards to the eyes, head, hands, feet, hearing and respiratory system, documenting findings on the hazard assessment form.

2. 5.2

   Determine required PPE

   Safety Officer

   Based on the hazard assessment, list the specific PPE required for the task, such as cut-resistant gloves, safety glasses or hearing protection.

3. 5.3

   Select PPE meeting recognized standards

   Stores Coordinator

   Choose PPE that meets a recognized safety standard for the hazard identified, avoiding general-purpose items that are not rated for the specific risk.

4. 5.4

   Fit PPE to the individual

   Stores Coordinator

   Issue PPE sized correctly for each employee, since ill-fitting equipment such as a loose respirator or oversized gloves can fail to protect properly.

   Checkpoint: Each employee's PPE is confirmed to fit correctly before they are sent to the task.

5. 5.5

   Train on proper use and limitations

   Supervisor

   Train the employee on how to put on, adjust, wear and remove the PPE correctly, and explain what the equipment does not protect against.

6. 5.6

   Inspect PPE before each use

   Employee

   Check PPE for cracks, tears, missing parts or expired filters before putting it on, and do not use any item that fails inspection.

   Checkpoint: Damaged or expired PPE is identified before the task starts, not discovered mid-task.

7. 5.7

   Don PPE before starting the task

   Employee

   Put on all required PPE correctly before entering the hazardous area or starting the task, following the training provided.

8. 5.8

   Wear PPE for the entire exposure

   Employee

   Keep PPE on for the full time exposed to the hazard, not just part of the task, and do not remove it to work faster or more comfortably.

   Warning: Removing PPE early, even briefly, can expose you to the hazard it was issued to control.

9. 5.9

   Doff and store or clean PPE

   Employee

   Remove PPE using the trained method to avoid contaminating yourself, and clean or store it according to the manufacturer's instructions after use.

10. 5.10

    Replace damaged or expired PPE

    Employee

    Report and replace any PPE that is damaged, worn out or past its expiration or service life immediately rather than continuing to use it.

11. 5.11

    Maintain the PPE issue log

    Stores Coordinator

    Record what PPE was issued to each employee, the date, and the size or type, so replacements and reordering can be tracked.

12. 5.12

    Review the PPE program

    Safety Officer

    Periodically review hazard assessments and PPE selections against new tasks, equipment or incidents to confirm the program still matches actual hazards.

6.Quality checks

• →Every task with an identified hazard has PPE specified in a documented hazard assessment.
• →Employees can demonstrate correct donning, wearing and removal of their assigned PPE.
• →No employee is found using PPE that is damaged, expired or the wrong size.
• →The PPE issue log matches what is actually issued and in use.

7.Records

• →Hazard assessment forms
• →PPE issue log
• →PPE training records
• →PPE inspection and replacement log

8.KPIs

• →Percentage of tasks with a current, documented PPE hazard assessment
• →Number of PPE items replaced due to damage per month
• →Percentage of employees trained on their assigned PPE

9.Common mistakes

• →Issuing generic PPE that is not rated for the actual hazard.
• →Wearing PPE that does not fit correctly because the right size was not in stock.
• →Removing PPE partway through a task to work faster.
• →Continuing to use PPE that is visibly damaged or past its service life.

10.Revision history