Personal protective equipment (PPE): duties, selection and instruction
Helmet, hearing protection, gloves or fall protection: personal protective equipment is the last resort in occupational safety – and yet often the first place where things go wrong. What employers must provide, instruct and inspect.
Last updated on 8 min readAMS Go editorial team
Key points at a glance
- Personal protective equipment only comes into play when technical and organisational measures are not enough (STOP principle, Section 4 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, ArbSchG). Which PPE is needed follows from the risk assessment.
- The employer must provide PPE free of charge, maintain it and replace it when needed (Section 3 ArbSchG, PPE Use Ordinance, PSA-BV). Employees must use it and report defects.
- Instruction is mandatory before first use. For PPE against fatal hazards or permanent damage to health – such as fall protection or respiratory protection – practical exercises are added.
- Hearing protection must be provided from 80 dB(A) and worn from 85 dB(A). Respiratory protection and fall protection also come with health check and inspection duties.
What counts as personal protective equipment?
Personal protective equipment is any equipment that employees wear or hold to protect themselves against hazards to their safety and health (Section 1 PSA-BV). This includes safety helmets, safety glasses, hearing protection, respirators, protective gloves, safety shoes, protective clothing, high-visibility vests and fall protection equipment. Normal workwear without a protective function, uniforms or sports equipment do not count.
PPE may only be placed on the market if it complies with the European PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425. You can recognise this by the CE marking and the manufacturer's information supplied with it. The regulation divides PPE into three categories:
I
Protects againstminimal risks
Examplesgardening gloves, sunglasses, rainwear
II
Protects againstmedium risks that fall under neither I nor III
Examplessafety helmets, safety glasses, safety shoes, hearing protection, high-visibility clothing
III
Protects againstfatal hazards or permanent damage to health
Examplesrespiratory protection, fall protection, chemical protective suits, protection against electric shock, chainsaw protective clothing
When PPE is used: the STOP principle
The Occupational Safety and Health Act prescribes an order of protective measures: tackle hazards at source, technical measures before organisational ones, and individual protective measures after all others (Section 4 No. 2 and 5 ArbSchG). Personal protective equipment is therefore the last link in the STOP principle – after substitution, technical and organisational measures.
In practice, this means: before hearing protection is handed out, you must check whether the machine can be enclosed or made quieter. Before respiratory protection is ordered, extraction comes first. Only if the residual risk is still too high is PPE specified – in the risk assessment, for each activity and each work area.
Duties of the employer
- Provide: the employer makes the necessary PPE available and bears the costs (Section 3 (3) ArbSchG, Section 2 PSA-BV). Employees may not be asked to contribute to the costs.
- Select: PPE must protect against the specific hazard, suit the working conditions and the person, and must not create additional hazards. Employees should be involved in the selection – anyone who finds the glasses uncomfortable will not wear them.
- Maintain: PPE must be functional and hygienic. This includes cleaning, maintenance, repair and timely replacement – such as for helmets at the end of their service life.
- Assign personally: PPE is generally intended for one person. If several people use it, the employer must ensure hygiene (Section 2 (4) PSA-BV).
- Instruct: before first use and regularly afterwards, with practical exercises for category III (Section 3 PSA-BV).
- Monitor: managers must make sure that PPE is actually worn and step in if it is not.
PPE by hazard: overview
For each type of PPE there is a DGUV rule describing selection, use and inspection. The most important at a glance:
falling or swinging objects, bumps
PPEindustrial safety helmet, bump cap
Rule and special pointsDGUV Rule 112-193. Helmets have a limited service life, usually 4 years for thermoplastic helmets – follow the manufacturer's information.
splinters, splashes, radiation, dust
PPEsafety glasses, goggles, face shield
Rule and special pointsDGUV Rule 112-192. The EN 166 marking indicates the type of protection; prescription safety glasses for people with impaired vision.
noise
PPEearplugs, earmuffs, custom-moulded earplugs
Rule and special pointsDGUV Rule 112-194. Provide from 80 dB(A), mandatory to wear from 85 dB(A) and mark noise areas (Section 8 of the Noise and Vibration Ordinance, LärmVibrationsArbSchV).
hazardous substances in the air, oxygen deficiency
PPEparticle filters (FFP1–FFP3), half and full masks, powered air-purifying respirators, isolating devices
Rule and special pointsDGUV Rule 112-190. Category III; observe wearing time limits; occupational health checks under ArbMedVV, mandatory for heavy respiratory protection.
mechanical, chemical, thermal hazards to the hands
PPEprotective gloves
Rule and special pointsDGUV Rule 112-195. Material according to section 8 of the safety data sheet; gloves are often prohibited at rotating machinery.
falling loads, wet conditions, slipping, penetration
PPEsafety shoes S1 to S3, occupational shoes
Rule and special pointsDGUV Rule 112-191. Set the protection class according to EN ISO 20345 depending on the hazard.
falls from height
PPEfull body harness, lanyard, self-retracting device
Rule and special pointsDGUV Rules 112-198 and 112-199. Category III; rescue plan mandatory; annual inspection by a competent person; practical exercises.
skin stress from wet work, cleaning, substances
PPEskin protection, skin cleansing, skin care
Rule and special pointsTRGS 401 and skin protection plan; treated as a PPE-like measure and belongs in the operating instructions.
poor visibility in traffic
PPEhigh-visibility clothing according to EN ISO 20471
Rule and special pointsDGUV Rule 112-189. Class depending on traffic speed and environment.
Instruction and practical exercises
The PPE Use Ordinance requires the employer to instruct employees before first use and afterwards as needed – based on the manufacturer's information and related to the specific activity. For PPE that protects against fatal hazards or permanent damage to health, exercises are also mandatory (Section 3 (2) PSA-BV).
- 1
Why the PPE is needed
Explain the hazard: what happens without hearing protection, without glasses, without fall protection? People who understand the reason are more likely to wear it.
- 2
Putting it on and taking it off correctly
Especially with respiratory protection and harnesses, a correct fit determines the protective effect. Check the seal, adjust the straps, attach the lanyard correctly.
- 3
Checking before use
Visual check for cracks, wear and expiry date. What counts as a defect, and where is it reported?
- 4
Wearing times and limits
Wearing time limits for respiratory protection, recovery times, limits of use for filters, ban on gloves near rotating parts.
- 5
Care, storage, replacement
Cleaning, storage away from UV light and chemicals, when the PPE is replaced and who issues replacements.
- 6
Practical exercise for category III
Put on fall protection and practise rescue, wear respiratory protection under realistic conditions. Document the exercises.
The instruction is part of the annual safety instruction and is documented with date, content, instructor and participants. When new types of PPE are introduced, an additional instruction is due.
Inspection and service life
Most PPE is checked by employees with a visual inspection before each use. For certain PPE, formal inspections are added:
- PPE against falls from height: inspection at least once a year by a competent person, documented with date and result; withdraw immediately after a fall.
- Respiratory protection: inspection and maintenance according to the manufacturer, usually by trained equipment attendants; filters have an expiry date.
- Safety helmets: service life according to the manufacturer, the production date is embossed; replace after a hard impact, even if there is no visible damage.
- Chemical protective gloves: observe the breakthrough time according to the safety data sheet and the manufacturer; do not reuse disposable gloves.
- Insulating protective equipment for electrical work: recurring inspection according to DGUV Rule 103-011 or the manufacturer's information.
Checklist: PPE in your company
- Required PPE per activity defined and justified in the risk assessment
- Technical and organisational measures checked before PPE (STOP principle)
- Only CE-marked PPE with manufacturer's information purchased
- Employees involved in the selection, fit and comfort taken into account
- PPE issued free of charge and assigned personally
- Instruction carried out and documented before first use
- Practical exercises carried out for respiratory protection and fall protection
- Noise areas marked, hearing protection provided from 80 dB(A)
- Inspection intervals for fall protection, respiratory protection and helmets recorded in the inspection register
- Occupational health checks organised for respirator wearers
- Replacement, cleaning and storage defined, contact person named
- Managers check that PPE is worn
Free templates for this guide
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Frequently asked questions
Who has to pay for personal protective equipment?
The employer. Under Section 3 (3) ArbSchG, the employer may not charge employees for occupational safety measures. This also applies to replacements due to wear and to prescription safety glasses when safety glasses are required.
From what level is hearing protection mandatory?
From a daily noise exposure level of 80 dB(A), the employer must provide hearing protection; from 85 dB(A), employees must wear it. Areas from 85 dB(A) must be marked as noise areas (Section 8 LärmVibrationsArbSchV).
How often must employees be instructed on the use of PPE?
Before first use and regularly afterwards – usually as part of the annual safety instruction – as well as when new types of PPE are introduced or after accidents. For PPE against fatal hazards or permanent damage to health, practical exercises are also mandatory.
May employees bring their own PPE?
In principle, the employer provides the PPE. If someone wants to use their own safety shoes or glasses, the employer must check whether they meet the requirements of the risk assessment – the responsibility remains with the employer.
What happens if someone does not wear the PPE?
Employees are obliged to use it (Section 15 ArbSchG). The employer must enforce this – by talking to the person, issuing a warning and, in the case of repeated violations, with measures under employment law. The injured person remains covered by statutory accident insurance even after an accident without PPE (Section 7 (2) SGB VII). However, if the employer failed to enforce the obligation through gross negligence, the accident insurance institution can reclaim its expenses from the employer (Section 110 SGB VII).
Terms from the glossary
This guide gives a general overview of German occupational safety law and does not replace legal advice. The regulations in force and the rules of the statutory accident insurance institutions are authoritative.
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