OSHA

OSHA Regulations for Workplace Safety

OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) sets the legal floor for PPE in U.S. workplaces. The starting point is 29 CFR 1910.132, the general industry standard requiring employers to assess their workplace for hazards, select PPE that addresses those hazards, and train workers on its proper use — before any specific type of gear even enters the picture.

From there, each category of protective equipment has its own OSHA subsection: head protection falls under 1910.135 (or 1926.100 for construction), eye and face protection under 1910.133, and so on. When an article on this site references an OSHA requirement, we cite the specific regulation behind it rather than a vague “OSHA requires this” claim.