Provision of Personal Protective Equipment
The employer must ensure that suitable Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) is provided to his employees who may be exposed to a health or safety risk at work unless the risk is adequately controlled by an equally or more effective means.
At the employer's own workplace he should provide it himself. Where his employees work at another employer's premises he may arrange for that other employer to provide it. In either case, the employer has the duty to ensure its provision and must ensure that his employees are not charged for it.
Self-employed workers must ensure that they are provided with suitable PPE where they may be exposed to a health or safety risk at work unless the risk is adequately controlled by an equally or more effective means. If they fulfil their duty by arranging for an employer to provide it, the employer is not obliged to impose no charge.
Before providing any item of PPE the employer must ensure it is compatible with any other PPE which may be worn (see G 3.2, Compatibility of PPE items) and assess the item (see G 3.3, Assessment and Selection of PPE).