This practical checklist covers the PPE commonly used across UK construction — from safety helmets and footwear to eye protection, gloves, hi-vis and RPE — and explains when each type may be needed.
Use it as a starting point when planning work, then record the specific PPE required in the risk assessment, method statement or COSHH assessment for the job.
At a glance
- Covers common construction PPE
- Written for UK trades and contractors
- Links PPE back to risk assessment
- Covers fit, compatibility and maintenance
- Includes a practical site checklist
PPE should protect against risks that remain after more effective control measures have been considered. HSE describes PPE as the lowest level in the hierarchy of controls and says it should be selected carefully where residual risk remains.
Construction site PPE checklist
Use this checklist to identify the types of PPE that may need to be considered. Not every item is required for every task: the final selection should follow the risk assessment, site rules and the hazards actually present.
Head protection
- Typical equipment
- Safety helmet / hard hat
- Consider where
- There is a residual risk from falling or flying objects, striking the head, overhead work or similar hazards.
- Record
- The type of head protection required and any compatibility requirements with hearing or eye protection.
HSE says that on almost all construction sites some residual risk of head injury will remain, although helmets are not legally required where no such risk exists.
Safety footwear
- Typical equipment
- Protective safety boots or shoes
- Consider where
- There are risks from dropped objects, nails or sharp materials, slips, heavy loads or site traffic.
- Record
- Required toe, sole, slip or task-specific protection where relevant.
HSE states that construction workers are expected to wear protective footwear while on site and doing heavy work.
High-visibility clothing
- Typical equipment
- Hi-vis vest, jacket or trousers
- Consider where
- Vehicles or plant operate, visibility is reduced, or site rules require it.
- Record
- The level or type required for the work environment.
HSE advises high-visibility clothing in construction locations where vehicles or plant operate, with higher standards potentially required for work such as temporary traffic management.
Eye and face protection
- Typical equipment
- Safety glasses, goggles, face shield or visor
- Consider where
- Work creates flying particles, dust, chemical splash, sparks or other eye and face hazards.
- Record
- Protection suitable for the actual hazard, rather than simply writing “safety glasses”.
HSE identifies spectacles, goggles and face shields as different options depending on hazards such as projectiles, dust and chemical splash.
Gloves and hand protection
- Typical equipment
- Task-specific gloves or gauntlets
- Consider where
- There are risks from cuts, abrasion, chemicals, heat, cold or contamination.
- Record
- The required glove type or material where the hazard demands it.
Gloves can introduce their own risk: HSE warns against wearing them around machinery such as bench drills, where they may become caught. Selection has to be task-specific.
Hearing protection
- Typical equipment
- Ear defenders or ear plugs
- Consider where
- Noise exposure cannot be adequately controlled by other means.
- Record
- When it must be worn, and that it stays compatible with helmets and other PPE.
HSE recommends selecting hearing protection for the actual task and checking compatibility with other protective equipment.
Respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
- Typical equipment
- Filtering facepiece, half-mask, full-face respirator or other suitable RPE
- Consider where
- Workers may still be exposed to harmful dusts, fumes, mists, gases or vapours after other controls.
- Record
- The specific RPE required, including face-fit testing for tight-fitting masks where applicable, plus any training requirements.
RPE should not be used automatically instead of controlling exposure at source. Where exposure cannot be adequately controlled by other means, suitable PPE or RPE may be needed in combination with the other controls.
Protective clothing
- Typical equipment
- Coveralls, task-specific protective clothing, weather protection
- Consider where
- Workers may be exposed to cuts, contamination, chemicals, heat, weather or other task-specific hazards.
- Record
- Any clothing requirements created by the particular task or site.
Fall-protection equipment
- Typical equipment
- Harnesses and associated fall-protection systems where required
- Consider where
- Work at height cannot first be avoided or adequately protected using collective measures.
- Record
- The system, anchor points, inspection and rescue arrangements where such equipment is genuinely required.
A harness is not the default answer to working at height. HSE says work at height should first be avoided where possible and otherwise planned so falls are prevented or arrested safely.
Turn the checklist into a real risk assessment
A generic PPE list is only the starting point. Graftly helps you record the hazards for the actual job, choose the controls required and specify the PPE your team needs — all from your phone.
Is PPE mandatory on construction sites?
Employers must protect workers from health and safety risks. Where a risk assessment shows that suitable PPE is needed because the risk has not been adequately controlled by other means, it must be provided — and HSE guidance is clear that it should be free of charge to the workers within scope.
That does not mean every worker needs the same equipment for every task. Construction sites commonly require items such as safety footwear, helmets and hi-vis clothing, but additional protection should follow the work being carried out and the residual risks that remain.
Site rules also matter. Construction phase arrangements should include site rules, and HSE specifically lists PPE as one of the subjects those rules may cover.
PPE comes after controlling the hazard
PPE protects the individual wearer and depends on being selected, fitted and used correctly. Controls higher in the hierarchy of controls aim to remove the hazard or reduce exposure before relying on personal equipment:
- 1Eliminate the hazard where possible
- 2Substitute for something safer
- 3Use engineering controls
- 4Use safe systems and administrative controls
- 5Use PPE for the risk that remains
A dust mask is not a substitute for controlling dust at source. Gloves do not make an unsafe chemical process safe. A harness does not remove the need to prevent falls where collective protection can be used.
How to choose suitable PPE
Start with the hazard
Identify what the worker is exposed to and what injury or ill health could result.
Consider exposure
Consider who is exposed, how much, how often and for how long.
Choose equipment for the task
Avoid generic descriptions such as “gloves” or “mask” where a more specific requirement is needed.
Check the fit
PPE must suit the individual worker. Size, fit, weight and physical characteristics matter.
Check compatibility
If several PPE items are worn together, make sure one does not make another ineffective — for example safety glasses disturbing the seal of RPE.
Train the worker
Explain why the equipment is needed, when to wear it, how to use it and its limitations.
Inspect, maintain and replace it
Damaged, contaminated or worn PPE may no longer provide the intended protection.
HSE highlights fit, compatibility, worker involvement, instruction, maintenance and storage when selecting PPE.
Where should PPE requirements be recorded?
The PPE required for a task should follow from the assessment of the actual risk. In practice that means PPE requirements may appear across several pieces of site documentation.
Risk assessment
Records the hazard, existing controls and any PPE required for the residual risk.
Method statement / RAMS
Explains when and how the PPE forms part of the safe working method.
COSHH assessment
Specifies suitable PPE or RPE where hazardous substances are involved and exposure cannot be adequately controlled by other means.
Site rules / induction
Communicates baseline requirements that apply across the site, such as protective footwear or high-visibility clothing.
Avoid writing only “PPE must be worn”. Good documentation explains what equipment is required and why. If you are starting from scratch, the risk assessment template and method statement template both include space for the controls and PPE a job needs. Where hazardous substances are involved, use the COSHH assessment template instead, and if you are not sure how the two documents fit together, start with What is RAMS?
Common PPE mistakes on construction sites
Treating PPE as the first control
Control the hazard itself before relying on equipment worn by the worker.
Writing “PPE” without specifying what
The requirement should be meaningful enough for someone on site to know what protection is needed.
Ignoring compatibility
Glasses, respirators, helmets and hearing protection may interfere with one another.
Using damaged equipment
PPE needs to be inspected, maintained and replaced when necessary.
One-size-fits-all selection
Poorly fitting PPE may be uncomfortable or ineffective.
Not briefing the team
Workers need to know why PPE is required, when it must be used and how to use it correctly.
Most of these come down to briefing. A short toolbox talk before work starts is usually enough to cover what PPE is needed and why.
A simple PPE check before work starts
- Have the hazards been assessed?
- Can the hazard be removed or better controlled first?
- Is PPE still required for the residual risk?
- Is the PPE suitable for that specific hazard?
- Does it fit the worker?
- Is it compatible with other PPE?
- Is it clean and in good condition?
- Does the worker know when and how to use it?
- Is the requirement recorded in the relevant job documentation?
From PPE checklist to site-ready paperwork
A PPE checklist helps you remember what to consider. The risk assessment is where you decide what the actual job requires.
Graftly keeps risk assessments, RAMS, method statements and COSHH records together, so the controls and PPE for a job do not end up scattered across different files. If you are comparing options, the guide to RAMS software for UK trades covers what to look for.
Related site safety documents
Frequently asked questions
What PPE is required on a construction site?
There is no universal list for every construction task. PPE should follow the risk assessment and any site rules. Common items include protective footwear, safety helmets, hi-vis clothing, eye protection and gloves, with task-specific PPE added where required.
Do construction workers have to wear safety boots?
HSE guidance says construction workers are expected to wear protective footwear while on site and doing heavy work. The footwear selected should match the hazards present.
Are hard hats compulsory on construction sites?
Where there is no residual risk of head injury, head protection is not legally required. In practice HSE says that on almost all construction sites there are situations where a head-injury risk remains, in which case suitable head protection should be provided and worn.
When is hi-vis clothing required?
Site rules may require it, and HSE advises that high-visibility clothing should be worn in construction locations where vehicles or plant are operating.
Is PPE the first control measure to use?
No. PPE should normally be used for risks that remain after more effective controls such as elimination, substitution and engineering controls have been considered.
Does an employer have to pay for PPE?
Where PPE is required for work, employers must provide it to workers within scope free of charge.
Can I just write “PPE required” in a risk assessment?
It is more useful to identify the actual protection needed for the hazard — for example suitable eye protection for flying debris or appropriate RPE for a particular exposure — so the worker knows what the control requires.
What is the difference between PPE and RPE?
PPE is the wider category of personal protective equipment. RPE is respiratory protective equipment specifically intended to protect the wearer from harmful substances in the air.
Should PPE requirements be included in RAMS?
Where PPE forms part of the controls for the work, the relevant risk assessment and method statement should make clear what is required and when it should be used.