Machinery Safety Information

Hazard Assessment Overview

OSHA requires that employers perform a hazard assessment of their manufacturing facility, to determine if hazards to employees may be present. Based on the results of the hazard assessment, OSHA will then require Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

The actual PPE required varies for each and every factory. It is determined by the employer, based on their assessment of the hazards within the worksite. The requirement to determine the necessary PPE and to enforce the use of PPE falls entirely on the employers. As stated by OSHA:

OSHA Title 29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1)
The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). If such hazards are present, or likely to be present, the employer shall:
i)        Select, and have each affected employee use, the types of PPE that will protect the affected employee from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment;
ii)        Communicate selection decisions to each affected employee; and,
iii)         Select PPE that properly fits each affected employee.

See the emphasis above. This hazard assessment is a requirement. It must be done, under OSHA regulations.

A Written Document Must be Completed

OSHA requires that a written document be generated to "prove" the hazard assessment was properly done:

OSHA Title 29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2)
The employer shall verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification that identifies the workplace evaluated; the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed; the date(s) of the hazard assessment; and, which identifies the document as a certification of hazard assessment.

OSHA requires several things from the written hazard assessment:

It must be written.

The name of the person who certifies the hazzard assessment but be written on the document.

The document must be dated.

The document must identify iteself as the certification of hazard assessment.

Further Resources

The actual OSHA's regulations on PPE can be found at 1910.132 - 138 at the following link: OSHA Regulations

The ANSI standard that covers general PPE is ANSI/NFPA 70E -- Personal Protective Equipment. This is an excellent reference.

OSHA gives a standard procedure for performing this hazard assessment within Title 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I: Appendix B. To link to the Table of Contents for all 1910 OSHA Regulations, click here.


For a 1-day Hazzards Assessment Training, held at your facility, see OSHA Hazard Assessment Training