Employer Duty to Provide PPE: What the Law Says

Quick Summary

• Under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, employers must provide suitable PPE free of charge wherever a risk can't be adequately controlled by other means
• The duty goes beyond simply handing over equipment — it includes ensuring proper fit, maintenance, replacement, and training in correct use
• PPE is meant to be a last line of defence, used alongside — not instead of — other risk controls such as safer equipment or safer systems of work
• Gaps in any part of this duty — provision, fit, maintenance, training, or enforcement — can be central to a workplace injury claim

What does the law actually require regarding PPE?

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 place several specific duties on employers, not just a general obligation to "provide PPE":

• Provide suitable PPE free of charge to employees exposed to a risk that can't be adequately controlled by other means
• Ensure the PPE properly fits the individual worker — a one-size-fits-all approach that leaves some workers with ill-fitting equipment doesn't meet this duty
• Maintain and replace PPE so it remains effective, including repairing or replacing damaged or worn items
• Provide information, instruction, and training on why the PPE is needed, how to use it correctly, and its limitations
• Take reasonable steps to ensure PPE is actually used, not merely made available and then ignored

Is PPE meant to be the main way employers manage risk?

No. Under UK health and safety law more broadly, PPE sits at the bottom of a wider hierarchy of risk control — employers are expected to first try to eliminate or reduce a risk through safer equipment, safer systems of work, or other engineering controls, and only rely on PPE for risks that remain after those steps. An employer who relies solely on PPE for a hazard that could reasonably have been controlled another way may not have properly discharged their broader duty of care.

What if PPE was provided but didn't fit properly?

This is a genuine and fairly common failure. PPE that doesn't fit — gloves too large to grip properly, safety boots that don't fit and cause instability, a harness that doesn't sit correctly — can fail to protect the wearer, or even introduce new risks. An employer's duty extends to ensuring proper fit, not just handing over generic equipment.

What if PPE was damaged, worn out, or not replaced?

Employers are required to maintain PPE in an efficient state and good repair. Continuing to issue visibly damaged or worn-out PPE, or failing to replace it when it's no longer effective, can be a breach of this duty.

What if I wasn't trained on how to use the PPE?

Training and instruction are a specific part of the employer's duty — not an optional extra. PPE used incorrectly because no proper instruction was given may not provide the protection it's designed for, and this gap can be relevant if an accident occurs as a result.

Does my employer have to make sure PPE is actually worn?

Yes, so far as reasonably practicable — simply making PPE available isn't enough if an employer knows, or should know, that it isn't being used and doesn't take reasonable steps to address this, such as supervision or enforcement of a safety policy.

What if I wasn't wearing PPE at the time of my accident?

This doesn't automatically prevent a claim — it depends on why. See our dedicated guide on claiming when you weren't wearing PPE for the full picture, including how contributory negligence might apply.

Frequently asked questions

Does my employer have to pay for PPE, or can they charge me?

Employers must provide PPE required for the job free of charge — they cannot lawfully charge employees for PPE that's genuinely needed for the role.

What if my employer says PPE wasn't required for the task I was doing?

This is exactly the kind of question a solicitor will investigate — whether a proper risk assessment identified the need for PPE, and if it should have but didn't, that gap itself is relevant.

Can I claim if the PPE itself was faulty and caused my injury?

Potentially, yes — this could also raise questions about the equipment's suitability or maintenance, in addition to the underlying accident circumstances.

Injured because of a gap in PPE provision, fit, or training?

A specialist solicitor can assess whether your employer met their specific PPE duties.

Free case assessment

Or call 01228 272395 to speak to Edward & Amaury Solicitors (SRA number: 800525). No upfront cost and nothing to pay if your claim does not succeed.