Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) includes a wide range of clothing and equipment meant to reduce or eliminate the risk of injury for workers. It can be as simple as putting on steel-toed boots, hardhat and safety glasses or a pair of protective gloves; or, it could be more involved, like wearing a fall protection harness system or an air-purifying respirator.

The first step in finding proper PPE is to have a job hazard assessment completed for the job or task you are doing. One may have already been done and will be on file in your department. Once the proper PPE for a job has been determined, it is the university's responsibility to provide it for you and to train you on its use.

When you are issued PPE, make sure that you know when to use it, and how to use it properly. Ask questions if you need any clarification. And never alter your PPE! It is your responsibility to keep your equipment clean and in reliable working condition. It is also your responsibility to ensure that your PPE is with you at the worksite and that you use it.