{"id":28632,"date":"2025-01-18T11:24:02","date_gmt":"2025-01-18T19:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/how-to-comply-with-oshas-new-ppe-standard\/"},"modified":"2025-01-18T11:24:02","modified_gmt":"2025-01-18T19:24:02","slug":"how-to-comply-with-oshas-new-ppe-standard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/osha-ppe-standard-construction-compliance\/737415\/","title":{"rendered":"How to comply with OSHA\u2019s new PPE standard"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/files\/membership-default-internal\/\" class=\"memberhide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2023\/01\/20220718_175041000_iOS.jpg\" alt=\"-\"><\/a><br\/><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech\">\n    <button class=\"text-to-speech__button button\"><\/p>\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"text-to-speech__button__icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/static\/images\/audio_icon.svg?482016190122\" alt=\"-\"><\/p>\n<p>        Listen to the article<br \/>\n        <span class=\"text-to-speech__button__audio-length\">5 min<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls\">\n        <audio controls=\"\" class=\"js-text-to-speech\" preload=\"none\"><source src=\"http:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dmgi9movl\/video\/upload\/q_1\/v1736954940\/news\/text_to_speech\/compliance-osha-ppe-construction_b5vazt.wav\" type=\"audio\/mp3\"><\/source><\/audio><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls__text\">\n            This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\">feedback<\/a>.\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Personal protective equipment has to fit for two primary reasons, according to Jessica Bunting, director of research to practice for Silver Spring, Maryland-based CPWR \u2014 the Center for Construction Research and Training.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>First, to work properly, gear needs to fit properly. A poorly fitted fall harness will not protect a worker nearly as well as a well-fitted harness, Bunting said. Second, gear that is too big or too small can end up creating secondary hazards, such as a baggy vest getting caught in machinery, she said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Perhaps worse, if gear is too uncomfortable, workers may forgo wearing it at all, such as doffing loose gloves that impede work.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Starting Monday, OSHA will require <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/osha-final-rule-ppe-construction\/735497\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>construction employers to provide properly fitting PPE<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span> to their workers. The new standard aligns construction with a rule already in place for general industry.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cI\u2019m glad that OSHA is acknowledging that in order for PPE to work, it has to fit,\u201d Bunting said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The rule, first announced in July 2023, applies to all kinds of PPE, such as hard hats, gloves, goggles, safety vests and harnesses. To comply with the rule, experts say contractors should read up on the standard, consult their lawyers and safety teams and ensure they have a wide variety of safety gear options.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>A proper fit<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>At first glance, the rule seems pretty straightforward. Experts say it is, with a few caveats. During the open comment period, legal experts and construction employers took issue with the standard requiring gear to \u201cproperly fit,\u201d as they found that term tough to define.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cUnfortunately, the new rule lacks specific guidance on what it means to fit properly or a definition of that term so that employers can be assured that they are in compliance,\u201d said attorney Ashley Brightwell, partner in Atlanta-based Alston &amp; Bird\u2019s labor and employment group.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Phil Russell, OSHA and employment lawyer, litigator and advisor for Washington, D.C.-based firm Ogletree Deakins, said that the agency noted that the \u201cproperly fit\u201d guidance was provided for the general industry standard, which didn\u2019t result in problems.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>So, does \u201cproper fit\u201d mean comfort? Most effectively safe fit? And what about universal fit items? They can carry a one-size-fits-all label, but still could be too baggy for smaller workers, such as women, who the standard seeks to protect.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cMany employers in other industries comply with the obligation to provide properly fitting PPE by providing adjustable fit PPE,\u201d Brightwell said. \u201cEmployers should keep in mind, however, that even PPE sold as \u2018universal fit\u2019 may still not fit the entirety of the employee population.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Experts say it\u2019s best to focus on what the gear itself is intended for and to keep in mind those two primary reasons PPE needs to fit.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cBecause OSHA is a safety agency, I think you\u2019ve got to connect it to safety, not necessarily comfort,\u201d Russell said.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>But even with the lack of clarity, Matthew Cox, North Carolina-based partner at law firm Smith Currie Oles, says it should be obvious to any safety expert when someone\u2019s gear fits.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cI think it\u2019s just attention to detail, like anything else,\u201d Cox said. \u201cWhen you have those toolbox meetings on site and you look around, it\u2019s easy to see if someone\u2019s gear is not fitting.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Gearing up<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In Russell\u2019s experience, most of his clients already provided the right-fitting PPE for workers. He pointed to trade shows and conferences, such as the American Society of Safety Professionals conference, where retailers offering a variety of PPE fill the expo floor.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cI don\u2019t know if [the new standard] was necessary, but now that it\u2019s passed I don\u2019t think it\u2019ll be harmful,\u201d Russell said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Nonetheless, experts said the addition of the rule may bring some added scrutiny to OSHA inspections or citations.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cIt will be important for employers in the construction industry to ensure that a sufficient variety of sizes of PPE is provided,\u201d Brightwell said. \u201cBy providing only larger sizes of PPE, employers could open themselves up to gender discrimination claims, particularly because the new rule is geared primarily toward women.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Thankfully, resources abound for finding a variety of PPE options. For example, CPWR has a <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cpwr.com\/research\/research-to-practice-r2p\/r2p-library\/resources-for-stakeholders-and-researchers\/construction-personal-protective-equipment-for-the-female-workforce\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>page listing options<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span> for various types of gear for various body types.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>And when it comes to complying, Cox advised not waiting for OSHA to come to you.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cI think being proactive is the biggest key to success,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-5143531171910809\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- News - Bottom -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5143531171910809\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"8320848692\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/osha-ppe-standard-construction-compliance\/737415\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">This article was originally posted at Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Listen to the article 5 min This audio is auto-generated. 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