33 FEBRUARY 2025 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Tennessee Water Well Association Annual Meeting and Trade Show February 28 - March 1 Gatlinburg, TN Exhibits Scholarship Auction Continuing Education 865-761-4363 tnwaterwellassociation.org and Much More! Revision to PPE Standard for Construction Industry Adapted from Information by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration The U.S. Department of Labor announced OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) finalized a revision to the personal protective equipment (PPE) standard for the construction industry. The final rule explicitly requires PPE to properly fit any construction worker who needs it, improving protections from hazardous conditions. Even when employees provide their own PPE, employers must assure its adequacy, including proper maintenance and sanitation. “I’ve talked to workers in construction, particularly women, who have spoken of personal protective equipment that didn’t fit or was simply unavailable at the jobsite in their size,” said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. “PPE must fit properly to work. I’m proud of the broad support from both employers and unions for OSHA’s efforts to make clear that employers must provide the right PPE for each worker who needs it.” The revision to the standard adds specific language requiring employers to provide PPE that properly fits construction industry workers. The change aligns the construction industry standard with the standard already in place for general industry. Many types of personal protective equipment must be sized to fit a worker properly. Improperly sized PPE can be ineffective in protecting workers; create new hazards for the worker, such as oversized gloves or protective clothing being caught in machinery; and discourage use because of discomfort or poor fit. The matter has been a longstanding industry safety concern, particularly among women and those workers who are physically smaller or larger. Many who supported these changes believe the explicit language that PPE must properly fit construction workers could spur the manufacture, distribution, and availability of PPE in a wider range of sizes and fits. Properly fitting PPE will not only ensure workers are better protected on the job, it will also increase productivity. The Personal Protective Equipment in Construction; Final Rule went into effect January 13, 2025. For more information, visit www.osha.gov/personal-protective-equipment/construction Workers of all sizes will benefit from properly fitting PPE. CONST
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