Construction Safety

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3151.html

“To ensure the greatest possible protection for employees in the workplace, the cooperative efforts of both employers and employees will help in establishing and maintaining a safe and healthful work environment. In general, employers are responsible for:

Performing a "hazard assessment" of the workplace to identify and control physical and health hazards.

Identifying and providing appropriate PPE for employees.

Training employees in the use and care of the PPE.

Maintaining PPE, including replacing worn or damaged PPE.

Periodically reviewing, updating and evaluating the effectiveness of the PPE program.”

(OSHA Publication 3151-12R, 2003)

https://www.osha.gov/dte/outreach/intro_osha/7_employee_ppe.pdf

“On May 15, 2008, a new OSHA rule about employer payment for PPE went into effect. With few exceptions, OSHA now requires employers to pay for personal protective equipment used to comply with OSHA standards. The final rule does not create new requirements regarding what PPE employers must provide.

The standard makes clear that employers cannot require workers to provide their own PPE and the worker’s use of PPE they already own must be completely voluntary. Even when a worker provides his or her own PPE, the employer must ensure that the equipment is adequate to protect the worker from hazards at the workplace.

Examples of PPE that Employers Must Pay for Include:

Metatarsal foot protection

Rubber boots with steel toes

Non-prescription eye protection

Prescription eyewear inserts/lenses for full face respirators

Goggles and face shields

Fire fighting PPE (helmet, gloves, boots, proximity suits, full gear)

Hard hats

Hearing protection

Welding PPE

Payment Exceptions under the OSHA Rule

Employers are not required to pay for some PPE in certain circumstances:

Non-specialty safety-toe protective footwear (including steel-toe shoes or boots) and nonspecialty prescription safety eyewear provided that the employer permits such items to be worn off the job site. (OSHA based this decision on the fact that this type of equipment is very personal, is often used outside the workplace, and that it is taken by workers from jobsite to jobsite and employer to employer.)

Everyday clothing, such as long-sleeve shirts, long pants, street shoes, and normal work boots.

Ordinary clothing, skin creams, or other items, used solely for protection from weather, such as winter coats, jackets, gloves, parkas, rubber boots, hats, raincoats, ordinary sunglasses, and sunscreen

Items such as hair nets and gloves worn by food workers for consumer safety.

Lifting belts because their value in protecting the back is questionable.

When the employee has lost or intentionally damaged the PPE and it must be replaced.”

(OSHA Handout #7 from Introduction to OSHA materials, Employers Must Provide and Pay for PPE)

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Responsibilities

Employees must:

Actively participate in training

Consistently use PPE as prescribed

Properly maintain, inspect, clean, and store PPE

Immediately replace damaged PPE

PPT 10-hr. Construction – PPE v.05.18.15

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Created by OTIEC Outreach Resources Workgroup