Maintenance and Replacement of Personal Protective Equipment
The employer must ensure that any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) provided to his employees is maintained (including replaced or cleaned as appropriate) in an efficient state and in good repair.
The employer should establish a strict system of maintenance and lay down clear responsibilities. Manufacturers' instructions and maintenance schedules should be followed, but improved upon where necessary. Where appropriate, records of examinations and tests should be kept. PPE should be checked each time it is issued and also again before it is put on. If any defect is found it should not be issued or worn. Simple maintenance can be carried out by a trained user, but more intricate repairs should only be done by specialist personnel. In some circumstances it may be more appropriate to provide a supply of disposable PPE (e.g. single use overalls).
Self-employed persons must ensure that any PPE provided to them (whether provided by themselves or by an employer) is maintained (including replaced or cleaned as appropriate) in an efficient state and in good repair.