Personal protective equipment (PPE) is gear you wear so a hazard cannot reach your body: a hard hat, gloves, safety glasses, a mask. In both the United States and Canada, the employer must provide required PPE at no charge. It is the last layer of protection, used after the workplace tries to remove or control the danger.

Chemical containers use hazard symbols on the label. In the U.S. those follow OSHA’s hazard-communication rules. In Canada the same kind of system is called the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS). You read the label, get the training, and follow the handling rules.

Related Lessons:

• Click Here for our lesson on Workplace Success, Safety & Employee Rights
• Click Here for our lesson on Workplace Rights, Safety, and Equity in Canada