Who pays for personal protective equipment?

Question

Accepted Answer

Personal protective equipment is provided by the employer free of charge. Article 4 of Law 6331 states plainly that the cost of occupational health and safety measures cannot be passed on to workers. The duty covers not only the first issue but cleaning, maintenance, repair, and replacing equipment that has reached the end of its life. The rule and where it comes from Article 4 of Law 6331 on Occupational Health and Safety, setting out the employer's general duties, also states that the cost of health and safety measures cannot be passed on to workers . Personal protective equipment is one of those measures, so its provision cannot be shifted to the worker through a pay deduction, a deposit, a “you break it you buy it” practice, or by expecting people to bring their own. Providing is more than handing over The duty runs for the working life of the equipment: selecting equipment suited to the task and to the person, cleaning, maintenance and, where needed, disinfection, replacing damaged equipment or equipment that has reached the end of its life, instructions for use, and training. No contribution may be asked from the worker for any of these. Personal use PPE is, as a rule, for personal use. Where circumstances require more than one person to use an item, measures must be taken so that no health or hygiene problem arises — and that too is the employer's duty. Why the record matters An issue record exists to show that the right equipment is with the right person and when it is due for replacement — not to put a debt against a worker's name. Turning the issue register into a way of charging the cost back inverts the purpose of both the record and the duty.

Obligation	Legal basis	How the page covers it
The cost of occupational health and safety measures cannot be passed on to employees	Law no. 6331, art. 4(4) — the employer cannot pass the cost of occupational health and safety measures on to employees; art. 4(1)(a) — taking all measures including prevention of occupational risks, training and information, and providing the necessary means and equipment is the employer's duty.	The "The rule and its basis" section.
The equipment is given free of charge; maintenance, repair, replacement and hygiene are part of the duty	Regulation on the Use of Personal Protective Equipment at Workplaces, art. 6(1)(e) — personal protective equipment is provided free of charge by the employer; maintenance, repair and periodic checks are carried out in line with the manufacturer's manual, necessary parts are replaced, and the equipment is kept in hygienic condition and ready for use.	The cleaning, maintenance and replacement items in the "Providing is more than handing over" list.
The equipment is personal; where sharing is unavoidable, the hygiene measure is the employer's job	Regulation on the Use of Personal Protective Equipment at Workplaces, art. 6(1)(ç) — where personal protective equipment intended for a single user must, in unavoidable cases, be used by more than one person, all measures shall be taken so that no health or hygiene problem arises from that use.	The "Personal use" section.
Fitness for the job and the person, plus instructions and training, are in the same duty package	Regulation on the Use of Personal Protective Equipment at Workplaces, art. 6(1)(a) — the equipment shall be suitable to prevent the risk without creating an additional one, suited to workplace conditions, suited to the ergonomic needs and state of health of the user, and fit the user properly after adjustment; art. 6(1)(f) and 6(1)(g) — the employer informs the employee which risk is being protected against and ensures hands-on training on its use; art. 6(2) — the instructions must be understandable to the employees.	The selection, instruction and training items in the "Providing is more than handing over" list.

Obligation	Legal basis	How the page covers it
Safety and health measures may in no circumstances involve financial cost for the worker	Directive 89/391/EEC, art. 6(5) — measures related to safety, hygiene and health at work may in no circumstances involve the workers in financial cost.	The EU counterpart of the "The rule and its basis" section.
The equipment is provided free of charge, with one limited contribution exception	Directive 89/656/EEC, art. 4(6) — personal protective equipment shall be provided free of charge by the employer, who shall ensure its good working order and satisfactory hygienic condition by means of the necessary maintenance, repair and replacements; the same paragraph states that Member States may provide, in accordance with national practice, that the worker be asked to contribute towards the cost of certain equipment where its use is not exclusive to the workplace.	The EU counterpart of the "The rule and its basis" section: the same rule, with its boundary written down.
The equipment is in principle intended for personal use	Directive 89/656/EEC, art. 4(4) — personal protective equipment is, in principle, intended for personal use; if circumstances require it to be worn by more than one person, appropriate measures shall be taken to ensure that such use does not create any health or hygiene problem for the different users.	The "Personal use" section.

Obligation	Legal basis	How the page covers it
The employer may not charge an employee for anything done or provided under a specific statutory requirement	Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, s. 9 — no employer shall levy or permit to be levied on any employee of his any charge in respect of anything done or provided in pursuance of any specific requirement of the relevant statutory provisions.	Matches the "The rule and its basis" section: deductions, deposits or "you pay if you lose it" arrangements are prohibited.
Keeping the equipment maintained and in good repair is the employer's duty	Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, reg. 7(1) — every employer shall ensure that any personal protective equipment provided to their workers is maintained (including replaced or cleaned as appropriate) in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair; reg. 4(1) — suitable equipment is provided to workers whose risk is not adequately controlled by other means.	Matches the "Providing is more than handing over" list.

Obligation	Legal basis	How the page covers it
Protective equipment is provided at no cost to the employee	29 CFR 1910.132(h)(1) — except as provided in paragraphs (h)(2) through (h)(6), the protective equipment used to comply with this part shall be provided by the employer at no cost to employees; § 132(h)(2) — non-specialty safety-toe footwear and non-specialty prescription safety eyewear are excepted, provided the employer permits them to be worn off the job-site; § 132(h)(4)(ii)-(iii) — everyday clothing such as long-sleeve shirts, long pants and street shoes, and ordinary clothing used solely for protection from weather, are outside the scope.	The United States counterpart of the "The rule and its basis" section: the same rule, with its exceptions listed.
Even where the employee brings their own equipment, adequacy remains the employer's responsibility	29 CFR 1910.132(b) — where employees provide their own protective equipment, the employer shall be responsible to assure its adequacy, including proper maintenance and sanitation of such equipment.	Matches the "the employee buying and bringing their own" case in "The rule and its basis" section.

Who pays for personal protective equipment?

The rule and where it comes from

Providing is more than handing over

Personal use

Why the record matters

Legal basis

Legal basis — Türkiye

Legal basis — European Union

Legal basis — United Kingdom

Legal basis — United States

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Who pays for personal protective equipment?

The rule and where it comes from

Providing is more than handing over

Personal use

Why the record matters

Related answers

Legal basis

Legal basis — Türkiye

Legal basis — European Union

Legal basis — United Kingdom

Legal basis — United States

Manage this in Optifora