OSHA is proposing an update to its personal protective equipment rule to explicitly require that PPE fit workers properly.
The current rule, as written, only requires that PPE is available to all workers and that it is maintained to provide maximum safety.
In a statement, OSHA said this new language is expected to improve safety for approximately 10% of the U.S. construction workforce, especially women, who disproportionately wear ill-fitting one-size-fits-all equipment that ranges anywhere from being an irritant to a hazard.
Many companies already have moved away from standard sizing to a variety of equipment available based on a worker’s height, weight and body shape.
Once published, OSHA will accept public comments on the rule until Sept. 18.