What is PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)?
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is any equipment and protective clothing designed to ensure the safety of workers in various working conditions. Examples of PPE include helmets, harnesses, gloves, safety footwear, masks, protective goggles, workwear and equipment for working at height.
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What does an SOI review involve?
The PPE inspection consists of a thorough check of the technical condition and quality of individual elements of protective clothing, personal protective equipment, and other protective devices. The aim is to ensure their full functionality and thereby guarantee the safety of employees.
During the SOI review, specialists carry out an assessment of:
- Condition – checking whether the equipment shows no signs of wear, damage or defects.
- Compliance with standards – checking whether PPE complies with applicable safety standards, legal regulations and the manufacturer's requirements.
- Cleaning and maintenance – assessing whether the IAS require maintenance, cleaning, replacement of parts or components.
- Correct fit and functionality – assessing whether the equipment is properly fitted to the person using it and whether it is ready for use in working conditions.
How often do PPE inspections need to be carried out?
The frequency of PPE inspections depends on the type of equipment used and the working conditions. As a rule, inspections should be carried out:
- At least once a year – for most personal protective equipment.
- More often, if the SOI is heavily used – in the case of equipment exposed to frequent wear and tear, damage or operating in harsh conditions (e.g. fall protection equipment).
- After every repair – if the equipment has undergone repair or maintenance, it should be rechecked before being used again.
It is worth noting that in certain industries (e.g. when working at height), health and safety regulations may require PPE inspections to be carried out at specified intervals.
Who is authorised to carry out PPE inspections?
Under the law, PPE inspections may only be carried out by persons with appropriate qualifications and experience. Persons carrying out the inspection should:
- Have the appropriate qualifications – e.g. certificates or training in the use and inspection of personal protective equipment.
- To know regulations and legal standards – must be well acquainted with current safety standards, regulations concerning the use and maintenance of PPE.
- To be practitioners – these people must have experience of working with PMS to be able to properly assess the technical condition of the equipment.
Why is it worth having an SOI inspection?
Regular PPE inspections are essential to ensure workplace safety, especially in industries where workers are exposed to the risk of accidents, such as working at height, construction or general industry. By maintaining your PPE in proper working order, you ensure not only safety, but also compliance with legal regulations. Our specialists possess the appropriate qualifications, experience and knowledge to carry out a comprehensive inspection and maintenance of your equipment, offering full documentation and a service report.
Legal regulations concerning SOI
In Poland, issues related to the use and inspection of RPE are governed by several key legal acts:
- Labour Code (Article 237 §1) – the employer is obliged to provide employees with appropriate personal protective equipment and to carry out its maintenance and inspections.
- Regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy dated 21 December 2005 on essential requirements for personal protective equipment – contains detailed regulations concerning the use of PPE at work.
- RRegulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2016/425 of 9 March 2016 on personal protective equipment and repealing Council Directive 89/686/EEC.
- BS EN standards – define quality standards for various types of PPE (e.g. EN 365 regarding personal protective equipment for work at height).
