Free Personal Protective Equipment Procedure Template

Download our free Personal Protective Equipment Procedure Template:

*For internal use only. Not for resale or redistribution. By downloading, you agree to our Free Resources Licensing Agreement.

Personal Protective Equipment Procedure

Purpose of Document

A Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Procedure establishes guidelines for the selection, use, and maintenance of personal protective equipment. The key objective is to ensures compliance with safety regulations / standards and providing a safe working environment for workers and others.

How to Use

This Personal Protective Equipment Procedure should be saved on your server and continually reviewed / updated. It should also be communicated to new workers as part of their induction or onboarding process. This document is a template only and it must be customised for your business. Other aspects that may need to be considered include, but are not limited to, ensuring that:

Relevant legal requirements have been met,
Workplace specific risks are identified and managed, and
Workers are consulted with during the customisation / review process.

When to Use

As stated above, this document should be made available to your staff and managers via your server, onedrive or intranet. You should also use it during employee inductions or you may wish to refresh your workers on the contents of the procedure periodically as part of a safety meeting or similar forum.

Who Should Use

This procedure should be reviewed and updated by your Safety Advisor, Project Manager or other Manager. Supervisors or managers can use the procedure to communicate the requirements to workers (including new workers).

Legal Considerations

There is no specific legal requirement to have a documented Personal Protective Equipment Procedure. However, it is best practice, especially for larger companies. It can help meet general legal duties, including:

s(44) WHS Regulations – Duty to Provide PPE

Workers also have legal responsibilities relevant to PPE, including:

s(46) WHS Regulations – Duty of worker (regarding PPE):
- Must use / wear PPE as instructed
- Must not intentionally misuse or damage the equipment
- Must inform the PCBU (or company) if PPE is damaged or not fit for purpose

FAQ

Does the employer need to supply PPE?

Yes, legally the employer (or PCBU) must supply PPE.

Are safety boots considered PPE?

This is a contentious issue in many companies. Safety boots blur the line between work uniforms and PPE. Legally, the employer must supply PPE (including safety boots) but due to the blurred lines between uniform and PPE (and the significant expense involved) some companies require workers to provide their own safety boots. If an employer were to not supply safety boots and there was a serious foot injury / incident, they would likely be subject to prosecution or civil claims.

What are some examples of PPE?

Some examples include safety glasses, googles, respirators and hardhats.

What is a PPE assessment?

A PPE assessment is an assessment of the effectiveness of PPE and PPE procedures. It usually involves a physical inspection of the workplace along with consultation with workers to identify any issues or hazards that aren't properly addressed.