Employers weigh in on why workers won’t wear PPE

Arlington, VA — Around half of workers don’t wear proper personal protective equipment because they either don’t want to or don’t consider it necessary, according to a recent study of employers.

The International Safety Equipment Association and J. J. Keller & Associates Inc. collaborated on the study. Although 7 out of 10 of the employers who took part said their organization discusses PPE regularly, 3 out of 4 still find workers have issues with wearing PPE. The top reasons cited: workers don’t want to wear PPE (56%) and they don’t think it’s needed (48%).

Additionally, 36% of the employers reported that their workers think wearing PPE makes their jobs more difficult.

Other findings:

• About half of the employers said they struggle to train workers on key aspects of PPE use, such as when it’s necessary, how to wear it properly and limitations of equipment.
• Although more organizations are prioritizing PPE designed for women, around a third encounter challenges in finding options that fit properly.
• 55% of the respondents have difficulty finding PPE for larger sizes, compared with 52% who struggle to locate it for smaller sizes.

“Safety professionals are committed to protecting workers, but this research shows that persistent challenges remain – especially in compliance and training,” ISEA President and CEO Cam Mackey said in a press release. “By leveraging these insights, safety managers, manufacturers and industry leaders can take meaningful steps to improve PPE programs, ensuring workers have access to properly fitting, high-quality PPE and are consistently trained to use it correctly.”

ISEA and J. J. Keller have scheduled a free webinar to discuss the study, set for at 10 a.m. Central on April 17.