PPE fit requirements

Responding is Janelle Kinnaird, director of marketing, Lehigh CustomFit, Nelsonville, OH.

A revision to OSHA’s standard on PPE that went into effect on Jan. 13 explicitly requires personal protective equipment to properly fit all workers.

Although this new rule is geared toward the construction industry to better align with existing standards, it should be seen as new baseline best practice for all industries that require PPE.

When PPE doesn’t fit properly, workers are at risk. If a woman wears a man’s glove, it will be too loose or bulky, compromising grip strength. The fingertips may be too long, creating machine catch hazards. Baggy clothes can also get caught in machinery, as well as be a tripping hazard. Hard hats that are too big can obstruct vision, be a distraction or fall off. Safety footwear that isn’t properly fitted can cause foot ailments, knee and back pain, and excessive fatigue.

All of these not only increase the chance of injury and compromise safety, but they also decrease job performance, increase absenteeism and presenteeism, discourage worker morale, and diminish a safe work culture.

OSHA states that, “If the personal protective equipment does not fit properly, it can make the difference between being safely covered or dangerously exposed.” When the equipment becomes the hazard, it’s no longer personal protection.

There are a lot of actions employers can take to comply with the standard. For bulk items, a rigid process of maintaining a variety of sizes for all body types is necessary. The standard one-size-fits-all approach shouldn’t be an option. Ensure management is setting a good example and it knows how to spot and address PPE fit issues. Talk to and train workers to understand the importance of proper fit and what it means and feels like to them. Implement regular fit assessments and inspections to help workers know how to identify when PPE no longer fits and the process to replace it.

Providing a good selection of PPE items for workers to choose from is also essential. Greater variety of styles and brands helps them not only find a more perfect fit, but a style they love and will wear – which helps ensure compliance. With the rise of women in the industrial workforce, that selection must include options built and designed for women.

Regarding safety footwear, women’s feet aren’t simply scaled-down versions of men’s feet. They have a lower ankle height, smaller ball circumference, higher and narrower instep, higher toe height, narrower heel and ball width, wider forefoot, and shorter heel-to-ball length. So, a woman who’s only provided men’s options to choose from in a smaller size will experience heel slippage because of her narrower heel, which can cause blisters, overpronation and misalignment that leads to knee and back pain.

In today’s market, there’s no shortage of vendors and programs ready to provide your PPE selection. The best ones will also offer artificial intelligence-enhanced technology and digital measuring options combined with data-driven recommendations to help each individual employee know their own personal fit. Using these innovative programs is how you ensure compliance.

Editor's note: This article represents the independent views of the author and should not be considered a National Safety Council endorsement.