Types of PPE and its Use Cases in the Workplace – LabelTac (2025)

Federal agencies and organizations rigorously work to make workplaces safer. The nature of every workplace varies, where offices with desk-based work have a high risk of ergonomic hazards, and construction sites report fatal deaths annually. Federal organizations like (OSHA) The Occupational Safety and Health Administration mandate the use of PPE to protect workers from relative workplace hazards.

Here, we’ll talk about the safety protocols for personal equipment in workplaces when something goes wrong. Let’s start with the basics.

What Is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

PPE (short for personal protective equipment) refers to equipment or clothing that protects workers from hazards in the workplace.

1. Personal: PPE is designed for individual use. It meets certain specifications for the worker’s role and workplace hazards.
2. Protective: The specialized gear is designed to act as a barrier against potential hazards and risks like sudden falls, impact from falling objects, and chemical spills.
3. Equipment: The types of PPE vary with every workplace, making it necessary to choose the appropriate kind of PPE that is crafted to protect against specific dangers.

PPE equipment or clothing works by minimizing the blow of hazards encountered in the workplace. For instance, rubber gloves and boots prevent the flow of electricity working as personal protective equipment (PPE) for electricians.

Here are some common personal protective equipment (PPE) that you may be familiar with:

• Gloves
• Safety glasses
• Shoes
• Earplugs or muffs
• Hard hats
• Respirators
• Coveralls, vests, and full-body suits

PPE is primarily used to lessen the degree of exposure to hazards that cause serious illnesses or serious injuries. These injuries may vary from workplace to workplace, making it essential to provide relevant types of PPE to protect workers from chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards.

Types of PPE

PPE is the first line of defense against workplace hazards. Various types of PPE are designed to protect various parts of the body. Through a hazard assessment, the type of PPE required for each workplace is evaluated. Each type of PPE is designed to protect against specific workplace hazards. This helps ensure workers are protected from potential hazards in the workplace.

Head Protection:

Safeguard the head from serious injuries caused by falling objects or striking against machinery or equipment.

• Hard hats: An essential type of PPE found in construction sites. It absorbs the shock caused by impact to lessen the blow from falling objects.
• Helmets: Reduce the force of impact from the head and ensure safety from potential slips, trips, and falls.
• Bump Caps: Protect the skull from low-impact hazards like bumping into low ceilings.

Eye and Face Protection:

Shields the eyes from flying objects or hazards like electrical sparks or wood splinters.

• Safety Googles: Offers protection against minor particles and impacts.

• Googles: Prevents chemical splashes or hazardous fumes from affecting the eyes.

• Face Shields: Offer comprehensive eye and face protection against large splashes or electrical sparks.

Hearing Protection:

Helps by defeaning loud noises or sounds from mechanical equipment like drilling machines.

• Earplugs: Construction workers exposed to excessive noise levels use small, removable earplugs for ear protection.
• Earmuffs: This type of PPE serves as over-the-ear protection that promises high-level noise reduction.

Respiratory Protection:

Prevents chemical or toxic substances from entering the lungs.

• • Disposable masks: Protects workers from transmission of viruses or diseases and non-toxic particles.
  • Half-Face and Full-Face Respirators: Partially or fully cover the face to prevent toxic vapors in the air from entering the lungs
  • Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PARs): A battery-powered fan is attached, which provides filtered air that is void of toxic vapors.

Hand Protection:

Covers the hands and arms, eliminating exposure to hazardous chemicals and electrical sparks.

• Rubber Gloves: Electricians commonly use this type of PPE, as it prevents the flow of electricity in case of contact with a live wire.
• Chemical-Resistant Gloves: Provides protection against hazardous chemicals.
• Cut-Resistant Gloves: Reduces the likelihood of cuts and punctures, ideal for sharp or jagged materials.

Foot Protection:

Suited for workplaces where manual lifting is required and the risk of falling objects is high.

• Steel-Toe Boots: Boots include steel toe caps to protect against falling objects and compression.
• Slip-Resistant Shoes: Worn to prevent slips and falls on wet or oily surfaces.

Why Selecting Appropriate PPE Matters

Choosing the right type of PPE is vital as it directly impacts the degree of protection a worker receives from workplace hazards. The right kind of PPE can act as a barrier against specific workplace hazards, significantly reducing the risk of workplace accidents and injuries. It’s essential to conduct a hazard risk assessment and analyze the suitable PPE required to minimize the risk of injuries and create a safe working environment.

Hazard Assessment:

Before choosing any PPE, take a look around your workplace. Assess the potential hazards that you may encounter in everyday procedures or during operations. For instance, safety goggles are used to minimize the risk of sparks while working with electrical equipment.

Choose A Combination Of PPE:

Once you have evaluated the set of hazards in your workplace, choose a combination or single set of PPE as part of your workplace culture. This will help develop safety workplace guidelines that will match the nature of every task.

Inspect PPE Before Use:

Look for holes, tears, or damaged parts before performing any tasks in PPE. It’s important to conduct a thorough assessment to ensure your PPE can minimize the risk of potential hazards and injuries.

Proper Fit:

Wear your PPE before any practical use. This way, you can assess whether your apron or body suit fits you correctly without risking any defaults. Too long sleeves can snag onto machinery or equipment parts, leading to accidents.

Maintenance And Seal Checks:

While PPE is made out of durable equipment, it is crucial to conduct thorough maintenance checks routinely and replace your bodysuit or gloves if there is a hole or the elasticity has been compromised.

How Labels And PPE Go Hand In Hand

Bright, visible signage acts as a visual reminder to help workers wear PPE to eliminate risks and ensure workplace safety. At LabelTac, we understand the relationship between safety signage and personal protective equipment and work to provide quality industrial labeling systems and a range of labeling supplies.

By mounting bright, visible signs or applying safety signs on malfunctioning equipment, you can ensure the appropriate use of PPE for your workplace.

If you have questions, please feel free to call us at 877-356-6584 or email info@labeltac.com.

Additional Resources

• PPE: Personal Protective Equipment [Safety Standards]– creativesafetysupply.com
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – The Basics– safetyblognews.com
• A Brief Introduction to Personal Protective Equipment– babelplex.com
• Personal Protective Equipment for Chemical Handling– realsafety.org
• Proper PPE for Face Protection– blog.creativesafetysupply.com
• PPE for Winter That’s Also Flame-Resistant– creativesafetypublishing.com
• Importance of Proper Respiratory Protection in the Workplace– blog.5stoday.com
• Workplace Safety & Foot Protection– lean-news.com
• Keep an Eye on Safety with ANSI z87.1– hiplogic.com