The purpose of using personal protective equipment (PPE) is to protect employees from risk of injury or death by creating a barrier against workplace hazards. Personal protective equipment is not a substitute for good engineering or administrative controls or good work practices, but should be used in conjunction with these controls to ensure the safety and health of employees. Each employee/supervisor should assess their working environment and determine what types of PPE are needed to provide the proper level of protection. The purpose of the assessment is to identify physical, chemical and biological hazards and select appropriate PPE.

The Environmental Health and Safety Office can assist departments/individuals in conducting job hazard assessments, selecting Personal Protective Equipment and training employees.