Choosing the Right PPE for the Job
The wrong PPE can be worse than none at all — it gives a false sense of safety while leaving the real hazard untouched. Selecting equipment well is a skill, and it starts long before anything is bought.
Walk into any well-run Irish workplace and you will see personal protective equipment matched carefully to the task: the right gloves for the chemical, the right respirator for the dust, the right boots for the floor. Walk into a poorly run one and you will see a single box of generic kit meant to cover everything. The difference between the two is a proper selection process.
This article sets out how to choose PPE that actually protects, in line with the duties placed on Irish employers.
Start with the hazard, not the catalogue
The most common mistake is reaching for a supplier catalogue before understanding the problem. PPE selection should always begin with the hazard you are trying to control. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007, Part 2, Chapter 3, the type of equipment must be appropriate to the risks identified — which means you first need a clear picture of those risks.
Equipment is chosen to match a hazard, not the other way around. Identify the danger, then find the kit that controls it.
That picture comes from your risk assessment, carried out under section 19 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. It tells you what the hazard is, how serious it could be, and how often workers are exposed. Only then can you judge what level of protection is needed.
Remember the hierarchy of control
Before settling on PPE at all, ask whether the hazard can be dealt with higher up the hierarchy of control. Can it be eliminated entirely? Substituted for something safer? Controlled by engineering, such as guarding or extraction? Managed through better organisation of work? PPE sits at the bottom of that list precisely because it relies on a person wearing it correctly every single time.
Matching equipment to the risk
Once PPE is confirmed as necessary, match the category to the hazard:
- Head injury from falling objects — safety helmets that meet the relevant standard.
- Eye and face hazards from splashes, dust or flying particles — goggles, visors or face shields rated for the specific risk.
- Noise above safe limits — earplugs or ear defenders with adequate attenuation.
- Airborne contaminants — respiratory protective equipment selected for the particular dust, fume or vapour.
- Hand hazards — gloves chosen for the specific chemical, cut or abrasion risk.
- Foot hazards — safety footwear suited to the surface, weight and environment.
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Fit, comfort and compatibility
Even perfectly specified equipment fails if it does not fit. A respirator that leaks around the seal, gloves too bulky to grip a tool, or boots that pinch will be removed or worked around. The General Application Regulations 2007 require PPE to take account of the individual wearer, so fit is not a nicety — it is a legal expectation.
Compatibility matters just as much. Where a worker needs several items at once — say a helmet, ear defenders and eye protection — they must work together without one undermining another. Glasses that break the seal of a respirator, or ear defenders that will not sit under a helmet, defeat the purpose.
Information, training and upkeep
Providing the right PPE is only the beginning. Workers need to know why each item is required, how to fit and adjust it, how to check it before use, and how to store it. Without that, even the best equipment underperforms. Training also gives the employer a clear record that the duty to inform and instruct has been met.
Maintenance closes the loop. PPE must be kept clean and in good working order, with damaged items replaced promptly. Worn-out kit offers little protection no matter how well it was chosen at the start.
Key takeaways
- Choose PPE from the hazard outward, using your section 19 risk assessment.
- Exhaust the higher levels of the hierarchy of control before relying on PPE.
- Match the equipment category precisely to the specific risk.
- Fit and compatibility are legal expectations under the General Application Regulations 2007, not optional extras.
- Back every selection with information, training and ongoing maintenance.
Bringing it together
Good PPE selection is a repeatable habit, not a one-off purchase. Assess the hazard, work down the hierarchy of control, specify equipment that fits and works together, then train and maintain. Done consistently, it turns a drawer of generic kit into genuine protection for the people doing the work.
