The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992

UK Statutory Instrument 1992 No. 2966 — creates 1 criminal offence.

1offences created

0recorded in force

1revoked

Made: 25 November 1992
In force from: 1 January 1993
Extent: Not stated
Subject: Health and safety, environment, waste and fisheries
Made under: Schedule 3 to, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations) — published with the instrument by the department that made it. © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

These Regulations impose health and safety requirements with respect to the provision for, and use by, persons at work of personal protective equipment. Personal protective equipment is defined in regulation 2(1) and certain types of such equipment are excluded from the application of regulations 4 to 12 by regulation 3(2). The Regulations do not apply in relation to sea transport (regulation 3(1)). With that exception, the Regulations, together with the existing Regulations listed in regulation 3(3) (which are modified by Parts V to X of Schedule 2), give effect as respects Great Britain to Council Directive 89/656/EEC (OJ No. L 393, 30.12.89, p. 18) on the minimum health and safety requirements for the use by workers of personal protective equipment at the workplace. Regulations 4 and 6 to 12 do not apply in respect of risks to health and safety for which personal protective equipment is required by specified existing Regulations (regulation 3(3)). The Regulations require employers to ensure suitable personal protective equip ment is provided for their employees and also require self-employed persons to ensure suitable personal protective equipment is provided for themselves. The circumstances in which personal protective equipment must be provided and minimum conditions of what is “suitable” are specified (regulation 4). The Regulations also impose requirements with respect to— compatibility of items of personal protective equipment where it is necessary to wear or use more than one item simultaneously (regulation 5); the making, review and changing of assessments in relation to the choice of personal protective equipment (regulation 6); the maintenance (including replacement and cleaning as appropriate) of personal protective equipment (regulation 7); the provision of accommodation for personal protective equipment (regulation 8); the provision of information, instruction and training (regulation 9); and ensuring personal protective equipment is used (regulation 10(1)). Requirements are imposed on employees and self-employed persons in respect of the use of personal protective equipment and in respect of returning it to accommodation provided for it (regulation 10(2) to (4)). Employees are also required to report to their employer the loss of or any obvious defect in personal protective equipment (regulation 11). The Secretary of State for Defence may grant exemptions from the Regulations in the interests of national security (regulation 12). The Regulations extend to and in relation to certain premises and activities outside Great Britain (regulation 13). Certain existing provisions relating to personal protective equipment are modified (Schedule 2). Provisions replaced by these Regulations are repealed or revoked (regulation 14(2) and Schedule 3).

Offences created by this instrument

Contravention of The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 the instrument as a whole · Revoked · Strict liability

What Parliament said about it

Contributions, debates and written statements mentioning this instrument by name. Parliamentary material is reused under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.

Employment Rights Act 1996 (Protection from Detriment in Health and Safety Cases) (Amendment) Order 2021 Lords · Grand Committee · 27 April 2021 · Lord Lennie (Lab) [V]
My Lords, limb (b) workers, which this instrument relates to, can be found in any sector, but, as we have heard, they are particularly common in the gig economy. The TUC estimates that one in 10 adults—about 4.7 million people—engage in gig economy work. It can be fragile, insecure work, with one-sided flexibility. Working people need a Government who will stand behind them, not a Government who fail to protect them or who correct mistakes far too late. This statutory instrument represents a failure of government: a failure to ensure that workers have the same rights as before Brexit, and a…
Draft Employment Rights Act 1996 (Protection from Detriment in Health and Safety Cases) (Amendment) Order 2021 Commons · General Committees · 28 April 2021 · The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Paul Scully)
I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Employment Rights Act 1996 (Protection from Detriment in Health and Safety Cases) (Amendment) Order 2021. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Davies. I will begin with some important background to the draft order, which was laid before the House on 17 March 2021. The UK is unique in having three employment statuses for employment rights—self-employed, limb (b) worker, and employee—when most other countries, including within the EU, have just the self-employed and employee categories. Limb (b) workers have a more…
Inclusive PPE Commons · Commons Chamber · 12 March 2024 · The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work (Mims Davies)
May I start by congratulating the hon. Lady on securing such an important and interesting Adjournment debate? I would like to stress from the outset that the Government entirely support her assertion that personal protective equipment issued to workers should be inclusive and, of course, meet individual needs. The Government recognise that when we refer to “inclusive” in this context, it is not just a matter of gender, because the requirement covers disabilities, race and religion, which really emphasises the personal in PPE. I understand the hon. Lady’s point about providers waking up to…
Inclusive PPE Commons · Commons Chamber · 12 March 2024 · Emma Hardy (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle) (Lab)
There have been significant developments in both the design and use of personal protective equipment over the last few decades. UK workplaces are undoubtably safer as a result. The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, now amended to the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations (Amendment) 2022, were an important step forward. They placed a duty on every employer in Great Britain to ensure that suitable PPE is provided to employees who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work. Regulation 4(3) states that personal protective equipment shall…

How Parliament handled it

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