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When should you use it?
It is a requirement of the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 that risks must be assessed and control measures then implemented and reviewed to prevent or minimise exposure to the risks.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) and administrative controls are lowest on the hierarchy of control measures. PPE does not control the hazard at the source and should not be relied on as the main control measure unless it is a temporary or interim measure or when options higher on the list of controls have been exhausted. PPE can be used effectively in conjunction with other control measures to manage exposure to a risk.
The effectiveness of PPE as a control measure is limited as it can:
- be uncomfortable to wear
- make working difficult
- create other risks to a person’s health and safety
- be expensive in the long term
Last updated 21 August 2008