5.5 Describe employees’ responsibilities regarding the use of PPE

This guide will help you answer 5.5 Describe employees’ responsibilities regarding the use of PPE.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is any equipment worn to protect a worker against risks to health and safety. In the health and social care sector, PPE can include gloves, aprons, masks, face shields, gowns, visors, and protective footwear. PPE is a legal requirement in many situations, supported by workplace policies and national guidance. Every employee has clear responsibilities when using PPE to safeguard themselves, colleagues, and those they care for.

Following Organisational Procedures

Employees must follow their organisation’s written policies and procedures on PPE use. These procedures outline:

• When PPE should be worn
• Which type of PPE to select for different tasks
• How to put it on and take it off
• How to dispose of it safely

Following these procedures reduces risks such as infection spread, contamination, and injury. Consistent adherence also supports compliance with health and safety law.

Wearing PPE Correctly

PPE offers protection only if worn correctly. Employees should:

• Select PPE in the correct size and fit
• Check PPE for damage before use
• Put on PPE before starting the task where risks exist
• Avoid adjusting PPE during a task unless necessary for safety
• Remove PPE at the right stage according to infection control guidance

Incorrect use reduces protective effects. For example, wearing gloves too loosely can let contaminants touch skin.

Maintaining PPE in Good Condition

Employees should keep PPE in good condition by:

• Storing it in clean, dry areas when reusable
• Avoiding damage by handling gently
• Reporting broken or worn PPE to a manager immediately
• Cleaning reusable PPE following training instructions

Damaged PPE can give a false sense of safety. An apron with a tear cannot prevent liquid contact. A cracked face shield will not fully protect eyes.

Keeping PPE Clean

Reusable PPE must be cleaned after use to prevent contamination. This may involve washing with disinfectant or following specialist cleaning facilities. Cleaning must match the workplace’s infection control measures. Dirty PPE can spread germs between work areas and people.

Single-use PPE should never be cleaned for re-wear. Once contaminated, it must be disposed of according to workplace rules.

Reporting PPE Problems

An employee must always report problems with PPE promptly. This includes:

• Shortage of PPE supplies
• Receiving incorrect PPE for a task
• PPE that does not fit properly
• PPE that breaks or fails during use

Reporting allows managers to take quick action to reduce risk. Silence can leave hazards unmanaged, putting people at risk.

Training and Competence

Employees must take part in PPE training provided by their employer. Training may include:

• How to select the correct PPE
• Correct wear and removal order
• Disposal methods
• Situations where PPE is mandatory

Workers should make sure they understand the training and ask questions when unsure. Using PPE without understanding it leads to mistakes and risk exposure.

Avoiding Cross-Contamination

Improper use of PPE can cause cross-contamination. Employees must:

• Remove PPE before leaving contaminated areas
• Avoid touching their face while wearing PPE
• Dispose of PPE in appropriate waste bins
• Wash hands after removing PPE

This prevents spreading harmful substances between rooms, patients, or surfaces.

Legal Duties

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, along with the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, outlines duties for employees. Key points include:

• Correct and safe use of PPE
• Following training and instruction
• Care of PPE provided
• Reporting defects promptly

Failure to meet responsibilities can lead to disciplinary action or prosecution. These laws exist to protect both workers and service users.

Selecting Appropriate PPE

Employees should choose PPE that matches the risk level of the task. For example:

• Nitrile gloves for handling chemicals
• Non-sterile gloves for personal care
• Face masks or respirators for airborne risk tasks
• Aprons for tasks involving liquids

Using the wrong PPE can increase harm. Soft fabric gloves give no protection from chemicals. Paper masks do not protect from fluid splashes.

Avoiding Misuse

Employees should never:

• Share PPE with others unless it is designed for multiple users
• Alter PPE or remove parts of it
• Wear PPE outside work areas for personal use
• Use PPE for tasks it was not designed for

Misuse can remove protective effects or damage the equipment.

Disposal Responsibilities

Contaminated PPE must be disposed of in designated bins, often colour coded:

• Yellow bags for clinical waste
• Black bags for general waste
• Sharps bins for items like needles

Employees should never throw PPE into ordinary bins unless instructed. Unsafe disposal exposes other workers and the public to hazards.

Wearing PPE Consistently

Employees must wear PPE at all times when a task or area requires it. Shortcuts such as skipping PPE during quick tasks risk spreading harm. The protective barrier works only if present from start to finish.

Consistency helps build safe habits and reassures service users that their health is valued.

Responding to Emergencies

Sometimes PPE may need quick replacement during emergencies. Employees must:

• Act quickly to replace damaged PPE
• Follow emergency PPE procedures such as donning respiratory protection during air contamination incidents
• Keep calm and alert managers to any PPE shortages during emergencies

Fast response maintains safety during sudden hazards.

Protecting Service Users

In health and social care, PPE use is not only about worker health. It protects service users, many of whom may have weakened immune systems or existing health conditions. Employees must:

• Use PPE to stop passing infections between service users
• Dispose of PPE correctly so contaminated material never comes into contact with others
• Keep service users informed about PPE use to prevent alarm and promote understanding

Explaining why PPE is worn can make people feel safer, especially children or those with dementia.

Understanding PPE Limitations

PPE reduces risk but does not remove it entirely. Employees must still follow other safety measures such as hand hygiene, safe disposal of waste, and maintaining clean work areas. Knowing PPE limits helps avoid over-reliance and keeps all safety practices active.

Recognising When PPE Is Not Required

Using PPE unnecessarily can waste resources and cause discomfort. Employees should follow policy to know when PPE is not needed. For example, gloves might not be required for tasks with no direct contact risk. Awareness prevents supply shortages.

Compliance and Accountability

Employers monitor PPE use through supervisors, audits, and incident reviews. Employees should cooperate fully. If errors occur, staff must be willing to discuss them. Accountability allows workplaces to learn and improve safety measures.

Protecting Personal Health

Using PPE correctly protects employees from exposure to harmful substances, infections, or injury. This protection helps employees stay healthy and remain able to work. Ignoring PPE rules risks illness or absence, harming both the individual and the care service.

Environmentally Responsible Use

Employees should help minimise environmental impact by:

• Avoiding waste of PPE
• Using reusable PPE where safe and possible
• Following recycling rules for PPE parts when available

Careful use means resources last longer and waste is reduced.

Respecting PPE Training Updates

Guidance on PPE changes over time through research and law updates. Employees must keep up to date with any changes in their workplace’s PPE rules and retrain if required. This ensures safe practice stays in line with current standards.

Final Thoughts

PPE plays a key role in keeping health and social care settings safe. Employees hold responsibility not just to put on PPE but to wear it correctly, maintain it, report problems, and dispose of it safely. Every action contributes to a safer environment for staff and service users.

Responsibility with PPE use is about protecting yourself, those you care for, and colleagues. PPE use must be treated as a normal part of daily work activities, not an optional extra. By meeting these responsibilities every time, you strengthen safety, build trust, and comply with the law.