Employers across the East Midlands and beyond ask the same question every time they review their safety kit: what PPE is required by law UK-wide, and does what we already stock actually meet it? The rules haven't changed dramatically. But HSE guidance is dense, and it's written for inspectors, not procurement teams. This guide translates the legal requirements into plain product categories, so you can check your risk assessment against what you actually need to buy.
The legal basis: PPE at Work Regulations
The core law is the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations. Employers must provide suitable PPE free of charge whenever they can't control risks to health and safety another way. PPE is a last line of defence. You use it after you've already tried to eliminate or reduce the hazard at source.
The Health and Safety Executive sets out how this works in practice. Under HSE PPE requirements, equipment must suit the job, fit the wearer properly, and stay in good working order. If a task creates a genuine risk, the law expects someone to assess and manage it, not just accept it as part of the job.
None of this is new for 2026. But more businesses are reviewing supply chains and safety budgets this year. That makes it a good time to revisit PPE regulations UK-wide and check your team is still covered.
Employer PPE obligations: what the law actually asks for
Employer PPE obligations break down into a handful of practical duties. Get these right and most of the legal risk is covered.
- Carry out a risk assessment for each task or role, identifying hazards that PPE needs to address.
- Choose equipment that matches the specific hazard, not just generic "safety wear."
- Provide PPE free of charge to employees, including replacements when items wear out.
- Make sure PPE fits properly, particularly for staff who fall outside standard sizing.
- Train staff on how to use, store, and check their equipment.
- Maintain, clean, and replace PPE on a regular schedule.
Employers can't pass the cost of legally required PPE onto staff. Nor can they rely on employees supplying their own gear unless it's genuinely suitable and properly maintained. Where PPE is job-specific, it stays under the employer's control.
Mapping legal categories to product types
HSE guidance groups PPE by the part of the body it protects. Below is how each category maps to the kind of products a UK workplace typically needs to stock.
Head, eye and face protection
Any task involving falling objects, low clearances, or airborne particles calls for head or eye protection. This covers hard hats, safety glasses, and face shields depending on the hazard. Retailers stocking general workwear should point buyers toward the right category rather than a single generic product.
Hand and arm protection
Hand injuries are among the most common workplace incidents. Glove selection needs to match the actual risk, not just look "safety branded." For general handling tasks, PVC F/COATED K/WRIST RED SZ 10 gloves offer a fully coated PVC construction with a stockinette liner and an elasticated cuff. They carry EN388:2016+A1:2018 ratings, including abrasion and tear resistance. That's the kind of documented spec an employer needs on file to show due diligence.
Gloves aren't one-size-fits-all either. Buying across a size range, small through extra-large, means you can fit different hand sizes properly. That's itself part of the legal duty to make sure PPE actually fits.
Hearing protection
Where noise levels are high enough to cause long-term damage, hearing protection is a legal requirement, not an optional extra. This sits alongside noise-reduction measures at source. Assess the two together.
Respiratory protection
Dust, fumes, and airborne contaminants call for respiratory protective equipment matched to the specific substance involved. Getting the wrong mask or filter can leave a business exposed. Assess exposure levels properly before choosing equipment.
Protective clothing and hi-vis
General protective clothing covers everything from tabards and coveralls to insulated workwear for outdoor or cold-storage roles. The PR171 Premier Pocket Tabard is a straightforward option for site or warehouse staff who need a durable, easy-care layer with a large patch pocket, available in navy.
For colder conditions, the Stage II Men's Insulated Bodywarmer uses Thermo-Guard insulation and a body insulation wadding weight suited to outdoor work, with an inside pocket and a concealed zip entrance for embroidery access. The SOL'S Ladies Norman Fleece Jacket is a lighter layering option in navy, with a full-length zip and two front zip pockets. It's useful where teams need a mid-layer rather than heavy insulation.
Where fire or arc-flash hazards are present, protective clothing needs a much higher specification. The Modaflame Work HVO Multi-Norm FR Coverall from Portwest is built for that kind of higher-risk environment. It's a category apart from standard workwear.
Trousers and shorts also count as protective clothing when they're built for the job. The KX3 Women's Flexi Work Trousers come in a wide size range, which supports the legal requirement that PPE fits the individual wearer rather than a generic average. The Kestrel Black Holster Shorts add practical storage with twin holster pockets and a hammer loop, useful for trades work in warmer months.
What PPE is required by law UK-wide: does it depend on the sector?
The short answer is yes. What PPE is required by law UK-wide depends heavily on the sector and the specific tasks carried out. Construction, warehousing, food processing, and healthcare all carry different hazard profiles. The PPE Regulations don't hand employers a single fixed list. Instead, they require a risk assessment that identifies hazards specific to that workplace.
This is why generic "PPE kits" rarely satisfy the legal requirement on their own. A warehouse handling sharp materials needs different glove specifications than a food production line. An outdoor site team facing cold and wet conditions needs different clothing than office-based staff who occasionally step onto a factory floor.
Keeping PPE compliant beyond the point of purchase
Buying the right category of PPE is only the first step. Employers also need a system for cleaning, maintaining, and replacing equipment as it wears.
Simple items like the Timco 973138 Assorted Wiping Rags support general site cleaning and equipment upkeep, which indirectly helps keep PPE and work areas in usable condition. It's a small example of how compliance isn't only about the headline safety items. It's also about the everyday supplies that keep a site running safely.
Record-keeping matters too. Employers should be able to show when PPE was issued, when they replaced it, and how staff were trained to use it. HSE inspectors will ask for this kind of evidence. It's far easier to produce if you keep procurement and safety records together from the start.
Reviewing your PPE risk assessment
If it's been a while since your last review, now is a reasonable point to check your risk assessment against these categories. Ask whether current PPE still matches the tasks being carried out, whether sizing covers your whole team, and whether any equipment is overdue for replacement.
For businesses across Leicestershire and the wider East Midlands, WorkStuff UK stocks PPE and workwear across these categories, from general handling gloves to insulated outerwear and fire-retardant coveralls. Procurement teams managing ongoing team supply can also set up a B2B credit account, which makes it easier to reorder PPE regularly without repeat one-off purchases. Review your risk assessment against the categories above, then shop by category. It's a practical way to keep your PPE arrangements compliant heading into 2027.