OSHA clarifies payment responsibilities for protective equipment

A new directive details and updates compliance for employers to provide personal protective equipment for their employees. OSHA issued the enforcement guidance for general industry workers.

The directive replaces the Inspection Guidelines for 29 CFR Part 1910 Subpart I, the revised Personal Protective Equipment Standards for General Industry, issued in June 1995.

The most significant changes include:

Clarification on what type of personal protective equipment employers must provide at no cost, when employers must pay for or replace equipment, and when employers are not required to pay for protective equipment.
Clarification on the payment requirements for protective equipment worn off the jobsite, for equipment that must remain at the jobsite, and for employee-owned equipment.
Enforcement policies that reflect court and review commission decisions concerning protective equipment.
Guidance that allows employers to use protective equipment constructed in accordance with the most recent national consensus standards.

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"The rule did not change existing OSHA requirements as to the types of personal protective equipment that must be provided," OSHA said. "Instead, the rule merely clarified that employers must pay for personal protective equipment required to comply with OSHA standards, except in the limited cases specified in the standards."

Read more at the WorkersComp Forum homepage.

March 28, 2011

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