Do You Legally Need to Undertake PPE Training?

PPE is an essential part of work in many industries, but do you legally need to train your workforce on the correct ways to wear and use PPE in their job?

The answer is, yes!

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the government requires all employers to provide their staff with the training, equipment, PPE, and information that they need to be able to carry out their work safely and effectively.

Investing time, and money, into training your staff properly when it comes to PPE is so important as not only does it make your workforce feel more confident and safer in their roles, but it also prevents any injury or damage at work.

PPE is extremely important in maintaining the safety of your employees; however, no PPE can ever provide 100% protection.

In order to make the PPE you provide your staff with as effectively as possible; you must make sure to select the right garments for the task, encourage your staff to use them properly, and maintain the garments by performing daily checks to see if they are providing adequate protection.

If your PPE is unsuitable, incorrectly used or not maintained properly, it will not give the protection that your employees need—or could be giving them no protection at all, putting your employees at an even greater risk.

Part of the legal requirement of providing PPE includes using garments that are effective in keeping your employees safe. PPE that doesn’t provide the right amount of protection is just a waste of your time and money.

Aside from the legal requirements, offering training to your staff shows that you care about them as value them as individuals, so it’s something that all employers should prioritise.

Why should you invest in PPE training?

When you, or members of your workforce, take a PPE training course, you’ll increase the knowledge that you have of PPE and how it should be used.

You’ll also learn about any of the limitations of PPE, and how to put in place a successful PPE program in your workplace.

Most courses will cover a mix of practical and interactive elements so that you can learn in a hands-on environment.

Anyone who’s responsible for, or involved with, PPE in your workplace should be undertaking PPE training.

What’s covered in PPE training?

Every PPE training course is different depending on the provider, but most training courses will include some of the following topics:

• The range of PPE and how it works
• How to select, use and maintain PPE like protecting clothing, respiratory protective equipment, head protection and hearing protection
• The legislation that controls the use of PPE in the workplace
• How to use different forms of PPE at the same time
• How to put on and take off PPE, as well as the checks you should perform on the equipment daily
• Typical problems with PPE programs and how you can ensure yours is a success

If you need to provide PPE to your workforce, you can browse our selection of high-quality, durable garments that are suitable for a variety of industries.