PPE at Work Regulations 1992: what employers must provide

PPE at Work Regulations 1992: what it requires

Under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, PPE is the last line of defence after other controls. Where it is used, the employer must therefore make sure people know why and how to use it.

What it actually says

Issuing the equipment is not the end of it. The employer shall ensure that “the employee is provided with such information, instruction and training as is adequate and appropriate”

Regulation 9(1), PPE at Work Regulations 1992, on legislation.gov.ukThe regulation then says what the employee has to end up knowing: the risk the equipment avoids or limits, how to use it, and what to do to keep it in working order.Quoted to the end of the opening words; the caption says what the provision goes on to require.

Statutory InstrumentApplies to: Employers who provide personal protective equipment, and since the 2022 amendment, to a wider group of workers.

Courses that cover the PPE at Work Regulations 1992

This ProCompliance course names the PPE at Work Regulations 1992 as its governing framework. It is the training this law asks for. It also states its own accreditation, so you can check it before you buy.

Personal Protective Equipment TrainingIOSH approvedCPD accreditedPPE is the last line of defence, used when risk cannot be removed another way, and only works if it fits and is worn correctly.View info Free trial

What the PPE at Work Regulations 1992 require

Regulation 9

Employers must provide “such information, instruction and training as is adequate and appropriate” for employees to know the risk the PPE will avoid or limit, the purpose for which and the manner in which it is to be used, and what they must do to keep it in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.

Regulation 9

In addition, the information and instruction provided must be comprehensible to the people receiving it.

Read the official text on legislation.gov.uk

What the PPE at Work Regulations mean for training

In practice the comprehensible requirement matters on multilingual sites: information given in a language a worker does not read does not meet regulation 9.

Common questions

Is PPE training a legal requirement?

Yes, where PPE is provided. Regulation 9 of the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 requires adequate and appropriate information, instruction and training, and it must be comprehensible to those receiving it.

What must PPE training cover?

Regulation 9 names three things. The training must cover the risk that the equipment will avoid or limit. It must cover the purpose and the manner of use. It must also cover what the wearer does to keep the equipment in good repair. In other words, it is training about that specific equipment. A general talk about safety is not enough.

Does the instruction have to be in a language the wearer reads?

Regulation 9 of the PPE at Work Regulations 1992 asks for instruction people can understand. The regulation calls that comprehensible. Therefore a site with a mixed workforce must think about the language of the instruction as well as its content.

This plain English summary is not legal advice. The wording above comes from the official text. This page links to that text, and you should rely on it instead. Some duties depend on your own risk assessment, so only that assessment can tell you what they mean.