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Health and Safety

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

What is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) refers to any clothing or equipment worn to protect the wearer from health and safety risks that cannot be adequately controlled by other means. It acts as a final layer of defence when hazards cannot be eliminated or reduced through safer systems of work, engineering controls, or changes to the environment.

PPE can include items such as:

  • Eye protection – safety goggles or face shields to guard against splashes, debris or impact. The University offers prescription safety goggles where required (see below).
  • Protective clothing – laboratory coats, aprons, coveralls, or specialist garments designed to prevent contamination or injury
  • Gloves – selected based on the task and materials handled, including chemical‑resistant or cut‑resistant options
  • Safety footwear – shoes or boots offering protection against impact, puncture or slip risks
  • Respiratory protection – masks or respirators used where harmful dusts, vapours or airborne particles may be present -
  • High‑visibility clothing – worn to ensure individuals remain visible in higher‑risk environments
  • Head protection – helmets designed to prevent injury from falling or moving objects

The type of PPE required depends on the activity and the level of risk identified through the risk assessment process. When PPE is issued, it must be worn and used correctly to be effective. It is important to remember that PPE does not remove the hazard itself—it simply provides personal protection where the risk cannot be fully controlled by other means.

Managing risks using PPE

Managing risks using PPE

During the risk assessment process you should decide whether PPE is needed, you should follow the Hierarchy of controls to determine this.

Hierarchy of controls 

PPE should be the last resort to protect against risks. Consider controls in the following order, with elimination being the most effective and PPE being the least effective:

  • elimination – physically remove the hazard
  • substitution – replace the hazard
  • engineering controls – isolate people from the hazard
  • administrative controls – change the way people work
  • PPE – protect the worker with equipment

This image depicts the Hierarchy of control measures

Some hazards may still remain after engineering controls (e.g. local exhaust ventilation) and safe systems of work (e.g. processes & procedures) have been applied. PPE may then be needed to reduce the risk of injury from:

  • breathing in dust, mist, gas or fume
  • falling materials hitting people
  • flying particles or splashes of corrosive liquids getting into people’s eyes
  • skin contact with corrosive materials
  • excessive noise
  • extremes of heat or cold

You must . Make sure all workers are trained to use it properly and know how to detect and report any faults.

PPE must be worn correctly and fitted properly:

  • PPE only protects the wearer, it does not protect others who are not wearing PPE.
  • If used incorrectly, or if the wrong type of PPE is chosen, it may not provide the protection required.
  • PPE often 'fails to danger' - if your PPE fails you may be directly exposed to a hazard e.g. if your gloves rip chemicals could directly contact your skin.
Selection and use

Selection and use

To make sure the right type of PPE is chosen, the risk assessment should consider the different hazards in the workplace and identify the PPE that will provide adequate protection against them. 

Consider the following when assessing suitability:

  • Do you know the parts of the body that may be affected and the consequences? More on the
  • Does the PPE protect the wearer from the risks and take account of the environmental conditions where the task is taking place? e.g. eye protection designed to protect against chemical splash may not be suitable when cutting steel or stone.
  • Does using PPE increase the overall level of risk or add new risks? e.g. by making communication more difficult.
  • Can it be adjusted to fit the wearer correctly?
  • Do you know the state of the health of the individuals who will be wearing it? e.g. will this negatively impact their safety, health or wellbeing?
  • What are the needs of the job and the demands it places on the wearer? e.g. the length of time the PPE needs to be worn, the physical effort required to do the job or the requirements for visibility and communication.
  • If someone wears more than one item of PPE, are they compatible? e.g. does using a respirator make it difficult to fit eye protection properly?
  • Consider religious clothing needs - such as loose-fitting garments or head coverings - which could require PPE adjustments or exemption. Check out 'Exemptions to PPE wearing' tab below.

 

When selecting PPE

  • Choose products which are CE marked – suppliers will be able to advise you.
  • Choose equipment that suits the user – consider the size, fit and weight of the PPE. When the user helps to choose it they are more likely to use it..
  • You may need to consider the health of the wearer e.g. if equipment is very heavy, or wearers have pre-existing health issues, standard PPE may not be suitable.
  • If more than one item of PPE is worn at the same time, make sure they can be used together. 

 

When using PPE

  • Instruct and train people how to use it e.g. train wearers to remove gloves without contaminating their skin.
  • Tell wearers why it is needed, when to use it and what its limitations are. They are then more likely to wear it.
  • Never allow exemptions for those jobs that ‘only take a few minutes’.
  • If something changes, check the PPE is still appropriate and update the risk assessment accordingly – refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for this information.
  • If in doubt, seek further advice from your local Health and Safety Coordinator, or safetyscienceschools@sussex.ac.uk if in Faculty of Science, Engineering & Medicine, or healthsafety@sussex.ac.uk.
Maintenance and storage

Maintenance and storage

PPE must be properly looked after and stored when not in use.

  • Store PPE appropriately when it is not being used to protect it from damage or contamination e.g. in a dry, clean cupboard or for smaller items in a box or case.
  • Keep PPE clean and in good repair – follow the manufacturers' maintenance schedule (including recommended replacement periods and shelf lives).
  • Simple maintenance can be carried out by the trained wearer, but more intricate repairs should only be done by specialists.
  • Use the right legitimate replacement parts which match the original e.g. respirator filters.
  • Identify who is responsible for maintenance and how to do it.
  • Ensure employees make proper use of PPE and report its loss or destruction or any fault in it.
  • Ensure suitable replacement PPE is always readily available. It may be useful to have a supply of disposable PPE e.g. for visitors who need protective clothing.
Monitoring

Monitoring

  • Managers, Supervisors and Principle Investigators (PI's) should check regularly that PPE is used. If it isn’t, find out why not.
  • If there are any significant changes to the work environment or activities then the PPE provided should be reviewed and changed if necessary e.g. using a different chemical or new machinery. Remember to update the risk assessment.
  • A record of PPE that has been issued to employees should be established and retained.
  • A record of maintenance, cleaning and disinfection should be retained for reusable and shared PPE.
  • Areas where PPE is mandatory should be made clear with health and safety signs and its use enforced.
Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE)

Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE)

RPE is used to protect individuals from inhaling hazardous substances such as dusts, fumes, biological agents, gases, or vapours when exposure cannot be adequately controlled by other means. Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations, RPE must only be used as a last line of defence after all reasonably practicable engineering and organisational controls have been considered.

When RPE Is Required

RPE may be necessary when:

  • Local exhaust ventilation or other engineering controls cannot fully control airborne hazards.
  • Short-term tasks create temporary exposure risks (e.g., maintenance, cleaning, or emergency situations).
  • Activities take place in areas where airborne contaminants are known or suspected to be present.

 

Types of RPE

  • Tight‑fitting RPE (e.g., disposable masks, half masks, full-face respirators) requires a face‑fit test, which must be repeated if there are significant changes such as weight fluctuation, facial hair affecting the seal, or new equipment models.
  • Loose‑fitting RPE (e.g., powered hoods) may be used where tight‑fitting masks are unsuitable, including for individuals with facial hair.

 

User Responsibilities

  • Wear RPE as instructed and ensure it fits correctly.
  • Remain clean‑shaven in the seal area for tight‑fitting masks.
  • Report any defects or concerns immediately to your line manager, supervisor or PI.

 

Manager/ PI Responsibilities

  • Ensure risk assessments identify when RPE is required.
  • Provide suitable, adequate RPE matched to the hazard (refer to manufacturer specification).
  • Arrange face‑fit testing where necessary.
  • Ensure staff receive training in use, maintenance, and storage.
  • Regularly review the need for RPE as part of ongoing risk management/ risk assessment process.

 

Further Support 

Contact your local Health and Safety Coordinator, safetyscienceschools@sussex.ac.uk if in the Faculty of Science, Engineering & Medicine, or healthsaftey@sussex.ac.uk for further support.

Exemptions to PPE wearing

Exemptions to PPE wearing

In the UK, exemptions from certain types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are limited. One exemption applies to turban‑wearing Sikhs, who are exempt from the requirement to wear head protection in most workplaces under ( as amended by  . This exemption is specific to head protection only.

There are no legal exemptions from using Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) when it is required by risk assessment. If an individual cannot be clean‑shaven for religious or personal reasons, suitable alternatives which do not rely on a tight fit to the face, such as loose‑fitting powered hoods, must be provided instead. It is advised to speak to your line manager, supervisor or PI about these alternatives.

Prescription Safety Spectacles 
Prescription Safety Spectacles
If your role requires prescription safety glasses for a risk‑assessed work activity, please complete the request form below. Approval from your line manager is required before an order can be placed.