Last week, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a final rule amending its safety standards for the construction industry to require assurance of the proper fitting of personal protective equipment. While the construction standard has long mandated use of PPE, unlike the general industry standard, there was no requirement that the employer check to make sure the equipment actually fits the particular employee using it. Improper fit can reduce the effectiveness of the PPE.

In adopting the new standard, OSHA noted that PPE routinely provided to construction workers may not properly fit female employees. Also, in many cases construction workers provide their own PPE. The new rule requires employers to assure an adequate fit even if the employee supplies their own equipment. OSHA did not address a general contractor’s responsibility for checking PPE fit for workers of the subcontractors. General contractors may want to add this to their inspection lists when reviewing subcontractor safety compliance.

The final rule takes effect 30 days after its publication, meaning sometime in mid-January. States with their own OSHA enforcement plans will be required to adopt this new requirement.

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