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As part of a preventive approach and depending on the risks involved, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be fitted. This is the eighth pillar of the general principles of prevention, which of course comes after giving priority to the use of Collective Protection Equipment (article L. 4121-2 of the French Labour Code).
PPE is used to protect workers against various risks, such as noise, non-ionizing radiation (laser, UV lamp, etc.), electrical risk, risk of falling from heights, chemical risk, etc.
PPE selection
The PPE selected must be appropriate to the risks to be prevented and the conditions in which the work is carried out.
Where multiple risks require the simultaneous use of several items of PPE, these items must be compatible with each other and maintain their effectiveness in relation to the corresponding risks.
When selecting PPE, the employer must take into account :
- the seriousness of the risk,
- frequency of exposure to risk,
- the characteristics of each worker's workstation,
- the performance of the PPE involved
- atmospheric conditions, in particular heat-related risks during hot spells (new feature introduced by decree no. 2025-482 of May 27, 2025).
A test group could be set up to validate the choice of PPE and ensure that workers agree to wear it. The occupational physician or, more broadly, the occupational health and safety department could be called upon to provide assistance and expertise in the PPE selection process.
After consulting the Social and Economic Committee, the employer determines the conditions under which PPE is made available and used, in particular the duration of its use.
Provision of services
The employer provides PPE free of charge to workers.
The employer must ensure that they are in good working order and maintained in a satisfactory hygienic condition, through maintenance, repair and replacement as necessary.
PPE must be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and recommendations described in the instructions for use.
PPE is reserved for personal use in the context of professional activities.
However, if the nature of the equipment and the circumstances require successive use of this PPE by several people, appropriate measures are taken to ensure that such use does not pose any health or hygiene problems for the different users.
Staff information/training
The employer shall provide appropriate information to workers who are required to use personal protective equipment:
- the risks against which personal protective equipment protects them;
- the conditions of use of this equipment, in particular the purposes for which it is reserved;
- instructions or instructions concerning personal protective equipment ;
- the conditions under which personal protective equipment is made available.
The employer draws up an instruction manual containing this information in a comprehensible form.
In some cases, such as the use of SCBAs or safety harnesses, workers who are required to use such PPE are given appropriate training, including instruction in the use of the equipment.
This training is repeated as often as necessary to ensure that the equipment is used in accordance with the operating instructions.
Periodic inspection and maintenance
PPEs subject to annual periodic inspection (decree of March 19, 1993) are :
- self-contained breathing apparatus for evacuation ;
- Respiratory protection devices and complete equipment for accidental interventions in hostile environments;
- inflatable life jackets ;
- personal protective systems against falls from a height ;
- stocks of anti-gas filter cartridges for respiratory protection equipment.
Periodic checks are carried out by qualified personnel, who may or may not belong to the establishment, and whose list is made available to the Labour Inspectorate.
These people have the necessary skills to carry out their mission with regard to the personal protective equipment subject to verification, and are familiar with the corresponding regulatory provisions.
Articles R. 4323-91 to Article R. 4323-106 of the French Labor Code