Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Work Regulations from 6th April 2022
On 6 April 2022 the Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (PPER 2022) came into force. They amend the 1992 Regulations (PPER 1992).
They extend employers’ and employees’ duties regarding personal protective equipment (PPE) to limb (b) workers.
limb (a) are employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) and are already in scope of the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (the PPER1992)
limb (b) are those who generally have a more casual employment relationship and work under a contract for service; this group are known as limb (b) workers and do not currently come under the scope of the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (the PPER 1992).
If PPE is required, employers must ensure their workers have sufficient information, instruction and training on the use of PPE.
What this means for employers
PPER 1992 places a duty on every employer in Great Britain to ensure that suitable PPE is provided to ‘employees’ who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work.
PPER 2022 extends this duty to limb (b) workers and came into force on 6 April 2022. Employers need to carefully consider whether the changes to UK law apply to them and their workforce and make the necessary preparations to comply.
You need to ensure that your workers are provided with PPE free of charge, where required, by 6 April 2022. This means assessing the residual risk once all other measures (such as engineering controls) have been taken.
You then need to ensure suitable PPE is:
- provided
- compatible
- maintained
- correctly stored
- used properly
You will also need to provide training and instruction in its use to all your workers.
You cannot charge workers for PPE they require to carry out their work.
What is PPE?
Personal protective equipment is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearers body from injury or infection.
At Prestige Safety Services we could help protect your employees in the workplace by supplying the correct PPE, which is suitable for the works carried out in the workplace. Our PPE ensures you are fully protected within the workplace. Get in touch if you would like further information or prices.