Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is important for ensuring your safety at work. It includes anything you which you wear to minimise risks to your health and safety at work.
Some common examples are:
High Visibility (Hi-Vis) Clothing
Safety Boots
Safety glasses or googles
Gloves
Hard hats
Where health and safety risks exist in the workplace, it is your employer's responsibility to implement control measures to keep you safe. PPE is considered a last resort control measure and should only be used as a back up or where there is no other reasonable way to eliminate risks. When PPE is necessary in the workplace, it must always be provided by your boss.
What kind of PPE do I need?
The PPE provided to you must be suitable for the workplace and the hazards. It is also important to note that your PPE must be a suitable size and fit for you and it must be clean, hygienic and in good working condition.
Your employer should consult with you when deciding what PPE to introduce into your workplace in order to ensure it is of suitable fit and function.
Do I have any responsibilities regarding my PPE?
While it is your boss' responsibility to provide you with the appropriate PPE, it is your responsibility to wear it. It is also your responsibility to not purposefully damage any PPE and to inform your employer of any defect in your PPE when you become aware of it.
Scenario
Jess is an apprentice carpenter working on a big construction site. Her boss ordered everyone their necessary PPE including hard hats, gloves and high visibility clothing. Because there are so many workers on Jess' work site, her boss decided to place a big order of 'one size fits all' PPE. When it arrives Jess discovers that her PPE is way too big. Instead of buying Jess some new PPE in her size, her boss tells her to use the gear she's got.
This is not okay. Jess' boss must provide her with the appropriate PPE in her size and fit.
What do I do if I think I am not getting what I am entitled to?
If you have a question about your entitlements, get in touch with us. We can give you advice about what your entitlements are, and help you decide what to do.
To find out more about how to join your union, visit UnionsACT or have a look at our fact sheet here.