Dive Brief:
- OSHA has finalized a revision to its personal protective equipment standard for construction, explicitly requiring gear to properly fit any worker who needs it, the Department of Labor announced Dec. 11.
- The final rule, effective Jan. 13, adds specific language requiring construction employers to provide properly fitting PPE to their workers, which aligns the construction standard with the standard already in place for general industry.
- OSHA first announced the rule’s proposal in July 2023. The rule applies to all types of PPE, including hard hats, gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection, respirators, coveralls, vests and harnesses.
Dive Insight:
Improperly fitting PPE can be ineffective in protecting workers, OSHA says, a sentiment echoed by advocates calling for better gear for women and others who may not fit in standard gear. In fact, poorly fitting PPE can create new hazards, such as oversized gloves or vests getting snagged or discouraging use due to discomfort.
OSHA said the matter has been a longstanding industry safety concern, particularly among some women as well as among physically smaller or larger workers.
“I’ve talked to workers in construction, particularly women, who have spoken of personal protective equipment that didn’t fit or was simply unavailable at the jobsite in their size,” Doug Parker, assistant secretary for occupational safety and health, said in the release.
In fact, an informal survey of 174 tradeswomen found that 77% had been unnecessarily exposed to a hazard due to ill-fitting PPE, Jessica Bunting, research practice director for CPWR — the Center for Construction Research and Training, told Construction Dive.
But it is not just women who need access to the right PPE.
“There are many male workers in all different shapes and sizes who don’t fit into PPE created for the average-sized American man,” Bunting told Construction Dive in 2023. “Thankfully manufacturers have begun developing more sizes and focus more on women’s workwear.”
