PPE Requirements By Industry: Construction, Manufacturing, Utilities, And More

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Quick Answer

Every industry starts from the same rule: assess the hazards, then provide PPE that protects against them, fits, and is paid for by the employer. What changes by industry is the rulebook. Construction follows 29 CFR 1926 Subpart E, most other private workplaces follow 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I, electric utilities add 1910.269 arc flash rules, shipyards follow 1915 Subpart I, mines follow MSHA rules in 30 CFR, healthcare adds the bloodborne pathogens standard, and agriculture is mostly governed by its own rules and pesticide labels.

PPE Requirements By Industry At A Glance

Industry	Main rules	Typical PPE
Construction	29 CFR 1926 Subpart E (1926.95 to 1926.107)	Hard hats or safety helmets, safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves, safety-toe boots, hi-vis near traffic, fall protection
Manufacturing, warehousing, and general industry	29 CFR 1910 Subpart I (1910.132 to 1910.138), 1910.95 noise	Safety glasses and face shields, gloves matched to the task, safety-toe and metatarsal boots, hearing protection, head protection where objects can fall
Electric utilities	29 CFR 1910.269 and 1910.335	Class E helmets, arc-rated clothing and face protection, rubber insulating gloves, leather protectors
Shipyards	29 CFR 1915 Subpart I	Head, eye, face, hand, and foot protection, respirators, welding PPE, fall protection
Mining (metal and nonmetal)	MSHA 30 CFR 56.15000 series (surface), 57 (underground)	Hard hats, safety-toe footwear, eye protection, special protective clothing
Healthcare	29 CFR 1910.1030 bloodborne pathogens, plus 1910 Subpart I	Disposable gloves, gowns, face shields, eye protection, respirators
Agriculture	29 CFR 1928 and the EPA Worker Protection Standard	PPE listed on pesticide labels, plus hazard-based gear for equipment and livestock work
Federal government	29 CFR 1960 and Executive Order 12196	Same PPE as the private-sector standards for the work performed

The table shows where each industry's rules live. The PPE a specific job needs still comes from that job's hazard assessment. For the basics behind every program, see What Is PPE? and OSHA PPE Requirements.

The Rules Every Industry Shares

• Hazard assessment. In general industry, 29 CFR 1910.132(d) requires employers to assess the workplace for hazards and document it in a written certification naming the workplace, the person who did the assessment, and the date. Shipyards have a similar documented assessment under 1915.152.
• Fit. PPE must be selected to properly fit each worker. That requirement appears in general industry, shipyards, and, since January 2025, construction.
• Training. Workers must know when PPE is needed, what to wear, how to wear it, its limits, and how to care for it.
• Payment. Employers pay for required PPE, with narrow exceptions such as non-specialty safety-toe boots and prescription safety glasses that workers can wear off the job.
• Condition. Damaged or defective PPE cannot be used.

Construction

Construction PPE rules sit in 29 CFR 1926 Subpart E. They cover head protection (1926.100), hearing protection (1926.101), eye and face protection (1926.102), respiratory protection (1926.103), and work over or near water (1926.106), alongside the general PPE rule in 1926.95. Hi-vis for work near traffic and fall protection come from other subparts. Many owners, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under its EM 385-1-1 safety manual, add requirements beyond OSHA. Our guide to PPE required on a construction site walks through each one.

Manufacturing, Warehousing, And General Industry

Plants, warehouses, distribution centers, maintenance shops, and most other non-construction workplaces fall under 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I:

• Eye and face (1910.133): required for flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustics, chemical gases or vapors, and harmful light.
• Head (1910.135): required where objects can fall, with electrically rated helmets near exposed conductors.
• Foot (1910.136): required for falling or rolling objects, sole punctures, or electrical hazards. Footwear must meet ASTM F2413 or an equivalent.
• Hand (1910.138): required for cuts, abrasions, punctures, chemical and thermal burns, absorption of harmful substances, and temperature extremes. Gloves must be chosen based on the task, conditions, and duration.
• Hearing (1910.95): employers must make hearing protectors available at no cost to anyone exposed to an 8-hour average of 85 decibels or more and run a hearing conservation program.

Warehouses and manufacturing floors also need hi-vis where workers mix with forklifts, plus cut-resistant gloves for material handling and metatarsal protection where heavy items can drop on the top of the foot.

Electric Utilities

Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution work falls under 29 CFR 1910.269, with construction-phase work under 1926 Subpart V. The headline requirement is arc flash protection:

• Employers must estimate the incident heat energy workers could face from an electric arc.
• When that estimate is greater than 2.0 cal/cm², workers must wear arc-rated protection with an arc rating at least equal to the estimate, covering the entire body with limited exceptions.
• Clothing that could melt or ignite and keep burning is prohibited where arc or flame hazards exist.
• Heavy-duty leather work gloves weighing at least 12 oz/yd² can be used in place of arc-rated hand protection when the estimate is 14 cal/cm² or less. Rubber insulating gloves with protectors also count.

Helmets used near exposed conductors must be designed to reduce electrical shock hazards. In practice, that means Class E helmets. See helmet classes explained.

Shipyards

Ship repair, shipbuilding, and shipbreaking follow 29 CFR 1915 Subpart I. Under 1915.152, employers must assess work activity hazards, select PPE that fits, communicate their choices to workers, and document the assessment with the occupation, the date, and the name of the person who performed it. Shipyard workers face welding, grinding, confined spaces, falling objects, and work over water, so a full kit often includes head, eye, face, hand, and foot protection, respirators, hearing protection, and fall protection.

Mining

Mines are regulated by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), not OSHA. In metal and nonmetal mines, MSHA's surface rules require:

• Hard hats where falling objects may create a hazard (30 CFR 56.15002).
• Protective footwear where a hazard could cause foot injury (56.15003).
• Safety glasses, goggles, or face shields where a hazard could injure unprotected eyes (56.15004).
• Special protective equipment and clothing for process, chemical, radiological, or mechanical hazards (56.15006).

Unlike most OSHA rules, these MSHA requirements apply to all persons in the hazard area, including visitors and contractors. Underground mines follow matching rules in Part 57, and coal mines have their own parts.

Healthcare

Hospitals, clinics, labs, and first responders follow the general PPE rules plus the bloodborne pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030. When workers have occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials, employers must provide appropriate PPE at no cost, such as gloves, gowns, lab coats, face shields or masks, and eye protection. The PPE only counts as appropriate if it keeps blood and other infectious materials from reaching the worker's clothes, skin, eyes, or mouth during normal use.

Agriculture

Agriculture is the big exception. Under 29 CFR 1928.21, most general industry standards, including the Subpart I PPE rules, do not apply to agricultural operations. A few do, such as hazard communication and logging. The main PPE driver on farms is the EPA Worker Protection Standard, which requires the personal protective equipment listed on pesticide labels. Equipment, livestock, and grain handling hazards still call for eye, hand, hearing, and foot protection as good practice.

Government Agencies And Contractors

• Federal agencies: under Section 19 of the OSH Act, Executive Order 12196, and 29 CFR 1960, each agency must run a safety program consistent with OSHA standards. Federal workers doing construction, maintenance, or utility work need the same PPE as private-sector crews.
• State and local employees: covered by OSHA-approved State Plans in states that have them. In other states, coverage depends on state law.
• Contractors: federal contracts often add requirements. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects follow EM 385-1-1, which many contractors find stricter than OSHA.

How To Set PPE Requirements For Your Industry

1. Identify the rulebook. Construction, general industry, maritime, mining, agriculture, or a specialty standard such as 1910.269.
2. Add owner and contract rules. Agency manuals and general contractor rules often go further than OSHA.
3. Do the hazard assessment task by task and put it in writing.
4. Pick PPE by standard: ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 helmets, Z87.1 eyewear, ASTM F2413 footwear, ANSI/ISEA 105 gloves, and NRR-rated hearing protection.
5. Fit, train, and document.
6. Review when the work changes. New tasks, equipment, or sites mean a new assessment.

PPE By Industry Key Facts

1926 Subpart E: construction PPE rules.

1910 Subpart I: PPE rules for manufacturing, warehousing, and most general industry.

2.0 cal/cm²: the estimated incident energy above which utility workers need arc-rated protection under 1910.269.

85 decibels: the 8-hour average that triggers free hearing protection under 1910.95.

All persons: MSHA hard hat, footwear, and eye rules apply to everyone in the hazard area, not just employees.

PPE From BDG Safety

Head protection. Studson SHK-1 vented Type II helmet | Hardknock Resolve full brim Type II helmet | Hardknock Resolve Type II helmet, USACE | Pyramex SL T2 Type II helmet

Eye and face. Studson Watchman clear Z87 safety glasses | Pyramex PMXSPEC anti-fog safety glasses | Radians CS01 chemical splash goggle | Radians DPG22-C face shield

Hearing. Radians DPG63 NRR 33 foam earplugs | Pyramex Passive Pro earmuff

Hands. Pyramex GL620C A4 cut nitrile glove | Pyramex GL3006CKF A5 cut driver | PIP 5 mil disposable nitrile glove | PIP arc-rated goatskin driver glove

Arc flash. PIP Pyrad 40 cal/cm² arc flash kit | PIP Pyrad AR/FR jacket, 40 cal/cm²

Feet and visibility. Tingley Badger steel toe boot | Tingley Sigma metatarsal boot | Radians SV8 Class 2 safety vest

Related PPE Resources

What is PPE? The basics, the hierarchy of controls, and who pays.

OSHA PPE requirements. The regulations behind every PPE program.

What PPE is required on a construction site? Construction requirements in detail.

Understanding ANSI standards. What the markings on PPE mean.

Frequently Asked Questions About PPE By Industry

Q: Are PPE requirements the same in every industry?

A: The core duties are the same: assess hazards, provide PPE that fits, train, and pay for it. The specific rules differ. Construction, general industry, shipyards, mines, and agriculture each have their own regulations.

Q: What PPE is required in a warehouse?

A: It depends on the hazard assessment. Common warehouse PPE includes safety-toe footwear, cut-resistant gloves, safety glasses, hi-vis around forklifts, and hearing protection in loud areas.

Q: Do OSHA PPE rules apply to farms?

A: Mostly not. Under 29 CFR 1928.21, most general industry standards, including the PPE rules in Subpart I, do not apply to agricultural operations. Pesticide label PPE under the EPA Worker Protection Standard does apply.

Q: When do utility workers need arc-rated clothing?

A: Under 29 CFR 1910.269, when the estimated incident energy exceeds 2.0 cal/cm². The clothing's arc rating must be at least equal to the estimate.

Outfit Your Crew For Your Industry

BDG Safety helps safety managers, contractors, and contracting officers build PPE programs around the rules their industry follows. Call (619) 992-7621 or email info@bulldoggroup.net. BDG Safety is a Navy-veteran-founded, certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that supplies Type II safety helmets and PPE to contractors, agencies, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Real people who know the gear, no phone menus. Open a B2B account or see how to buy.

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