Types of PPE
PPE is the equipment you wear when the hazard could not be removed. It is the bottom rung of the hierarchy of controls, not the top, and knowing that is worth more marks in the CITB HS&E test than memorising a list of kit.
The PPE you meet on site
HSE names safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and harnesses, and treats respiratory protective equipment as PPE as well. Grouped by what they protect and what they protect against:
| Equipment | The risk it addresses |
|---|---|
| Safety helmet | Falling materials hitting people |
| Eye protection | Flying particles, or splashes of corrosive liquid getting into the eyes |
| Respiratory protective equipment | Breathing in dust, mist, gas or fume |
| Hearing protection | Excessive noise |
| Gloves | Skin contact with corrosive materials |
| Safety footwear | Crushing, penetration and slips underfoot |
| High-visibility clothing | Being struck by plant and vehicles |
| Harness and fall arrest | Falls from height |
HSE also lists extremes of heat or cold among the risks PPE may be needed for, which is why weather clothing counts. The legal definition says so explicitly.
The exam point: PPE is the last resort
HSE's hierarchy of controls runs elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, then PPE, with elimination the most effective and PPE the least. If a question offers you a control that removes the hazard and a control that protects one person from it, the answer is almost always the first one.
The same logic runs through manual handling TILE, where avoiding the lift beats assessing it and assessing it beats lifting it more carefully.
What the law actually says
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 define PPE as all equipment, including clothing affording protection against the weather, which is intended to be worn or held by a person at work and which protects the person against one or more risks to their health or safety, together with any addition or accessory designed to meet that objective.
The duties they place on an employer are to ensure PPE is:
- properly assessed before use, to make sure it is fit for purpose
- maintained and stored properly
- provided with instructions on how to use it safely
- used correctly by workers
Workers must have sufficient information, instruction and training on using it. And it is free: where a risk assessment shows PPE is needed, the employer provides it at no cost, and HSE states that you cannot charge workers for PPE they require to carry out their work.
Two details worth knowing
- The rules cover more people than they used to. Since 6 April 2022 the PPE at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 have extended the same duties to limb (b) workers, broadly those on more casual contracts. The duties did not change, only who they apply to. The change does not extend to the genuinely self-employed.
- Not all PPE sits under these regulations.PPE protecting against lead, asbestos, ionising radiation, noise and substances hazardous to health is dealt with under those subjects' own regulations instead. That is why COSHH and noise and vibration are separate topics on this site rather than sub-headings under PPE.
Practise the PPE questions
PPE comes up throughout the Operatives paper, not just in its own section. Work through the CSCS PPE questions with explanations, or sit a full free CSCS practice test to see where it is costing you marks.
PPE definition, employer duties, the hierarchy of controls, the free of charge rule and the 2022 extension verified against hse.gov.uk, July 2026. Regulations cited: SI 1992/2966 and SI 2022/8.
Types of PPE: common questions
- What are the main types of PPE?
- HSE lists safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and harnesses, and treats respiratory protective equipment as PPE too. Grouping them head to toe is a useful way to remember them, but it is a teaching habit rather than a legal classification.
- Does my employer have to pay for PPE?
- Yes. Where a risk assessment shows PPE is needed, the employer must provide it free of charge, and HSE states plainly that you cannot charge workers for PPE they need to do their work. That includes maintenance, storage and replacement.
- Why is PPE called the last resort?
- Because it protects one person and only if it is worn correctly, whereas the controls above it in the hierarchy remove the hazard for everyone. HSE's order is elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, then PPE, with elimination most effective and PPE least.
- What counts as PPE in law?
- The 1992 Regulations define it as all equipment, including clothing affording protection against the weather, which is intended to be worn or held by a person at work and which protects them against one or more risks to their health or safety, plus any addition or accessory designed to meet that objective.
- Did the PPE rules change recently?
- Yes. Since 6 April 2022 the PPE at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 extended employers' and workers' PPE duties to limb (b) workers, meaning people on more casual contracts. The duties themselves did not change, only who they cover. The change does not apply to the genuinely self-employed.
- Is all PPE covered by the same regulations?
- No, and this catches people out. PPE used against lead, asbestos, ionising radiation, noise and substances hazardous to health is regulated under its own separate regulations rather than the 1992 PPE Regulations.