WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY

Personal Protective
Equipment Hazard
Assessment

Oregon OSHA
 Personal Protective Equipment
Hazard Assessment
About this guide
“Personal Protective Equipment Hazard Assessment” is an Oregon OSHA Standards
and Technical Resources Section publication.

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Table of contents
What is a PPE hazard assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Why should you do a PPE hazard assessment?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

What are Oregon OSHA’s requirements for PPE hazard assessments? . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Oregon OSHA’s hazard assessment rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

When is PPE necessary?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

What types of PPE may be necessary? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Table 1: Types of PPE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

How to do a PPE hazard assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Do a baseline survey to identify workplace hazards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Evaluate your employees’ exposures to each

hazard identified in the baseline survey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Document your hazard assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Do regular workplace inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

 What is a PPE hazard assessment
A personal protective equipment (PPE) hazard assessment is an evaluation of your workplace
that helps you determine what hazards your employees are exposed to and what PPE they
need to protect themselves. A hazard assessment should include:
• The jobs (or tasks) that your employees do
• The hazards your employees are exposed to
• Where the hazards are located
• The likelihood that those hazards could injure your employees
• The severity of a potential injury
• The types of PPE necessary to protect your employees from those hazards

Why should you do a PPE hazard assessment?

There are three reasons:
1. A hazard assessment will help you find hazards at your workplace.
2. A hazard assessment will help you determine what personal protective equipment your
employees need for protection.
3. Oregon OSHA’s requires that you do one.

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What are Oregon OSHA’s requirements for PPE
hazard assessments?
If you are a general industry, construction, or agricultural employer you must determine if
your workplace has hazards that you cannot eliminate or control without PPE. If there are such
hazards, you must:
• Select the PPE that protects your employees from the hazards
• Communicate your selection decisions to each affected employee
• Ensure that the PPE fits each employee
• Require your employees to use their PPE when they are exposed to the hazards

General industry employers must also prepare a document that says they have done the
hazard assessment. The document must include:
• A heading that says the document is a “certification” of the hazard assessment
• The name of the workplace evaluated
• The name of the person certifying the hazard assessment was completed
• The date of the hazard assessment

Oregon OSHA’s hazard assessment rules

• General industry: 437-002-0134(1), Hazard assessment and equipment selection.
Appendix B to Subdivision 2/I has guidelines for conducting a hazard assessment.
• Construction: 437-003-0134(1), Hazard assessment and equipment selection.
Appendix B to Subdivision 2/I has guidelines for conducting a hazard assessment.
• Agriculture: 437-004-1005(2), Hazard assessment and protective equipment selection.
Appendix A to Subdivision 4/I has a sample hazard assessment form.

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 When is PPE necessary?
PPE is necessary when your employees are exposed to a hazard that you cannot eliminate or
control any other way.

Hierarchy of Controls
Most
effective Physically remove
Elimination the hazard

Replace
Substitution the hazard

Isolate people
Engineering Controls from the hazard

Administrative Change the way

Controls people work

PPE Protect the worker with

Least Personal Protective Equipment
effective

Although PPE is another way to control a hazard, it is only a barrier between the hazard and
the worker. When PPE does not properly fit a worker or the worker does not use it correctly, the
worker risks exposure.

Before you purchase PPE, know what hazards it protects against and be sure it fits the person
using it. If you are unsure, ask someone who is familiar with the type of PPE you need —
especially when you are selecting respirators or chemical-protective clothing.

Always train employees how to wear, use, and maintain their PPE before they use it the first
time. Training must also include the types of PPE that are necessary and the limitations of the
PPE.

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What types of PPE may be necessary?
What types of PPE may be necessary?

Your hazard assessment should determine if your employees need any of the following types
of PPE:
• Eye and face protection • Hearing protection
• Fall protection • Leg protection
• Foot protection • Personal floatation device
• Hand/general skin protection • Respiratory protection
• Head protection • Torso/general body protection

Table 1 shows these basic types of PPE and gives examples of the hazards they can control.

Table 1: Types of PPE

Personal protective
PPE Typical hazards controlled
equipment rules by industry

Eye and face • Dust, dirt, metal, or wood chips General Industry,
protection from chipping, grinding, sawing, see 437-002-0134(8)
hammering, and from power tools
Construction,
• Chemical splashes from corrosive see 437-003-0134(8)
substances, hot liquids, and solvents
• Objects such as tree limbs, chains, Agriculture, see 437-004-1035
tools, and ropes that swing into the Forest Activities,
eyes or face see 437-007-0315
• Radiant energy from welding and
harmful rays from lasers or other
radiant light

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 Table 1: Types of PPE
Personal protective
PPE Typical hazards controlled
equipment rules by industry

Fall • Falls from unguarded surfaces General Industry,

protection • Tree climbing see 437-002-0134(5)
(includes
personal fall Construction, see Division
arrest and 3/M Fall Protection, 1926.760,
fall restraint 1926.1423, 437-003-1423
systems) Agriculture, see 437-004-1020

Forrest Activities, see Division 7/P

Tree climbing

Foot • Heavy objects such as barrels or General Industry,

protection tools that might roll onto or fall on see 437-002-0134(10)
a worker’s feet
Construction,
• Sharp objects such as nails or see 437-003-0134(10)
spikes that could pierce the soles or
uppers of ordinary shoes Agriculture, see 437-004-1060
• Molten metals, other hot materials Forest Industries,
• Energized electrical equipment see 437-007-0330

Hand and skin • Harmful or hazardous temperatures General Industry,

protection • Chemicals that can be absorbed see 437-002-0134(12) and (13)
into the skin or cause burns Construction,
• Energized electrical equipment see 437-003-0134(12) and (13)
• Mechanical equipment that Agriculture, see 437-004-1060
can cause bruises, abrasions,
cuts, punctures, fractures, or Forest Industries,
amputations see 437-007-0320

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 Table 1: Types of PPE
Personal protective
PPE Typical hazards controlled
equipment rules by industry

Head • Overhead objects that could fall General Industry,

protection • Exposed pipes or beams see 437-002-0134(9)

• Energized electrical equipment Construction,

• Contact with objects while see 437-003-0134(9)
traveling in open vehicles Agriculture, see 437-004-1050

Forest Industries,
see 437-007-0305

Hearing • Occupational noise exposure that General Industry and

protection equals or exceeds 85 dBA, averaged Construction, see 1910.95
over eight hours
Agriculture, see 437-004-0630

Forest Industries,
see 437-007-0335

Leg • Hot substances General Industry,

protection • Dangerous chemicals see 437-002-0134(11)

• Cuts from sharp tools such as Construction,

chain saws see 437-003-0134(11)

Agriculture, see 437-004-1060

Forest Industries,
see 437-007-0325

Personal • Drowning General Industry, see

floatation 437-002-1039 and 437-002-1139
device (PFD)
Construction, see 1926.106

Agriculture, see 437-004-1070

and 437-004-1075

Forest Industries,
see 437-007-0340

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 Table 1: Types of PPE
Personal protective
PPE Typical hazards controlled
equipment rules by industry

Respiratory • Not enough oxygen in the air General Industry and

protection • Harmful air contaminants Construction, see 1910.134
(Examples include particulates, Agriculture, see 437-004-1041
gases and vapors, and biological and Division 4/W Worker
organisms) Protection Standard
• Whether a substance is harmful
depends on toxicity, chemical state, Forest Activities, see
physical form, concentration, and 437-007-0345 and 437-007-0350
the period of time one is exposed.

Torso and • Harmful or hazardous temperatures General Industry, see

general body and humidity 437-002-0134(6) and (7),
protection • Hot splashes from molten metal also, see 437-002-0144(2)

(including and other hot liquids Construction, see

high visibility • Impacts from tools, machinery, 437-003-0134(6) and (7)
garments) and materials
Agriculture, see 437-004-1030
• Hazardous chemicals
• Ionizing radiation Forest Activities, see
437-007-0310
• Moving vehicles

How to do a PPE hazard assessment

Do a baseline survey to identify workplace hazards
A baseline survey is a thorough evaluation of your entire workplace – including work processes,
tasks, and equipment – that identifies safety and health hazards. A complete survey will tell you
what the hazards are, where they are, and how severe a potential injury could be. The second
column in Table 1 includes hazards to consider in your baseline survey.

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Suggestions:

Use safety data sheets (SDS) to identify chemical hazards. A safety data sheet has detailed
information about a hazardous chemical’s health effects, its physical and chemical
characteristics, and safe handling practices.

Review equipment owner and operator manuals to determine the manufacturer’s safety
warnings and recommended PPE.

Do a job-hazard analysis. A job-hazard analysis (JHA) is a method of identifying, assessing,

and controlling hazards associated with specific jobs. A JHA breaks down a job into tasks. You
evaluate each task to determine if there is a safer way to do it. A job-hazard analysis works well
for jobs with difficult-to-control hazards and jobs with histories of accidents or near misses.
JHAs for complex jobs can take a considerable amount of time and expertise to develop. You
may want to have a safety professional help you.

Have an experienced safety professional survey your workplace with you.

Evaluate your employees’ exposures to each hazard identified in the

baseline survey
Consider the employee’s task, the likelihood that the employee would be injured without PPE,
and the severity of a potential injury.

An example:

The task: A worker uses a plasma cutter to make decorative wall art out of thoroughly
cleaned oil barrels.

The outcome: Hot metal sparks from the cutting process burns through the worker’s
clothing causing severe skin burns.

Although the used oil container was properly cleaned, tested, and declared free of
flammable vapors, the process of using a plasma cutter on metal produces sparks and
other hazards.

An effective PPE hazard assessment would have produced the following information:

Task: Using a plasma cutter.

Hazards: The plasma-cutting arc produces hot metal and sparks, especially during the
initial piercing of the metal. It also heats the work piece and the cutting torch.

Never cut closed or pressurized containers such as tanks or drums that could explode.
Never cut containers that may have held combustible or toxic or reactive materials unless
they have been cleaned, tested, and declared safe by a qualified person.
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 Likelihood of injury without PPE: High

Severity of a potential injury: Life-threatening burns

PPE necessary for the task:

Body: Flame-resistant clothing or clothing made from tightly woven material such as
leather, wool, or heavy denim.

Eyes and face: safety glasses with side shield or face shield; welding helmet with shaded
eye protection for welding tasks.

Feet: high-top leather shoes or boots.

Hands: flame-resistant gloves.

Respiratory protection: local ventilation at the worksite and appropriate

respirator if ventilation is not adequate to remove air contaminants.

Document your hazard assessment

Your documentation must include the following information:
• A heading that says the document is a “certification” of the hazard assessment
• The name of the workplace evaluated
• The name of the person certifying the hazard assessment was completed
• The date of each hazard assessment

Make sure your documentation includes this information for each job assessed:

PPE hazard assessment certification

Workplace evaluated:______________________________________________________

Person certifying the evaluation:_____________________________________________

Hazard assessment date:___________________________________________________

You can use the PPE hazard assessment form on our website that you can download and use to
do your own hazard assessment.

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Construction industry and agricultural employers do not have to document their hazard
assessments, but must tell each exposed employee about their PPE selection decisions and
meet other rule requirements.

Do regular workplace inspections

Regular inspections tell you whether you have eliminated or controlled existing hazards,
and help you identify new hazards. Quarterly inspections by employees trained in hazard
recognition are a good way to get the job done.

Look for new hazards whenever you change equipment, materials, or work processes.
Determine what hazards could result from the changes and how to control them. If your
business works at multiple sites, you may need to do a hazard assessment at each site.

Notes

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 Oregon OSHA Services
Oregon OSHA offers a wide variety of safety and health services to employers and employees:
Enforcement
`` 503-378-3272; 800-922-2689; enforce.web@oregon.gov
• Offers pre-job conferences for mobile employers in industries such as logging and
construction.
• Inspects places of employment for occupational safety and health hazards and investigates
workplace complaints and accidents.
• Provides abatement assistance to employers who have received citations and provides
compliance and technical assistance by phone.
Consultative Services
`` 503-378-3272; 800-922-2689; consult.web@oregon.gov
• Offers no-cost, on-site safety and health assistance to help Oregon employers recognize
and correct workplace safety and health problems.
• Provides consultations in the areas of safety, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, occupational
safety and health programs, assistance to new businesses, the Safety and Health
Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), and the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).
Standards and Technical Resources
`` 503-378-3272; 800-922-2689; tech.web@oregon.gov
• Develops, interprets, and gives technical advice on Oregon OSHA’s safety and health rules.
• Publishes safe-practices guides, pamphlets, and other materials for employers and
employees.
• Manages the Oregon OSHA Resource Center, which offers safety videos, books, periodicals,
and research assistance for employers and employees.
Appeals
`` 503-947-7426; 800-922-2689; admin.web@oregon.gov
• Provides the opportunity for employers to hold informal meetings with Oregon OSHA on
concerns about workplace safety and health.
• Discusses Oregon OSHA’s requirements and clarifies workplace safety or health violations.
• Discusses abatement dates and negotiates settlement agreements to resolve disputed
citations.

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Oregon OSHA Services
Conferences
`` 503-378-3272; 888-292-5247, Option 1; oregon.conferences@oregon.gov
• Co-hosts conferences throughout Oregon that enable employees and employers to learn
and share ideas with local and nationally recognized safety and health professionals.
Public Education
`` 503-947-7443; 888-292-5247, Option 2; ed.web@oregon.gov
• Provides workshops and materials covering management of basic safety and health
programs, safety committees, accident investigation, technical topics, and job safety analysis.

Need more information? Call your nearest Oregon OSHA office.

Salem Central Office Medford
1840 Barnett Road, Suite D
350 Winter St. NE Medford, OR 97504-8250
Salem, OR 97301-3882 541-776-6030
Phone: 503-378-3272 Consultation: 541-776-6016
Toll-free: 800-922-2689
Fax: 503-947-7461 Pendleton
en Español: 800-843-8086 200 SE Hailey Ave.
Website: osha.oregon.gov Pendleton, OR 97801-3056
541-276-9175
Bend Consultation: 541-276-2353
Red Oaks Square
1230 NE Third St., Suite A-115 Portland
Bend, OR 97701-4374 Durham Plaza
541-388-6066 16760 SW Upper Boones Ferry Road, Suite 200
Consultation: 541-388-6068 Tigard, OR 97224-7696
503-229-5910
Eugene Consultation: 503-229-6193
1500 Valley River Drive, Suite 150
Eugene, OR 97401-4643 Salem
541-686-7562 1340 Tandem Ave. NE, Suite 160
Consultation: 541-686-7913 Salem, OR 97301
503-378-3274
Consultation: 503-373-7819

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 Salem Central Office
350 Winter St. NE
Salem, OR 97301-3882

Phone: 503-378-3272
Toll-free: 800-922-2689

Fax: 503-947-7461
en Español: 800-843-8086

Website: osha.oregon.gov
440-2738 (5/19/COM)

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