Storage of Personal Protective Equipment
Where the employer or self-employed person is required to ensure the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), he must also ensure that appropriate accommodation is provided for the equipment when not in use.
Manufacturers' guidance should be followed, but improved upon where necessary. The Workplace (Health and Safety) Regulations 1992 (see B 5.4, Storage for Clothing) also apply to accommodation of protective clothing. The storage should be adequate to protect the PPE from contamination, loss, damage or deterioration. Fixed accommodation is not always necessary, for example safety glasses may be kept by the user in a suitable carrying case and PPE used by mobile workers can be stored in suitable containers in their vehicles.
Contaminated PPE should be stored separately. And where quantities of PPE are stored, equipment which is ready for use should be clearly segregated from that which is awaiting repair or maintenance.