If you’ve ever asked, “What does PPE stand for?” the answer is Personal Protective Equipment — the essential gear that keeps employees safe from hazards in the workplace. PPE includes items like helmets, gloves, respirators, and safety footwear, and it forms the last line of defence when other safety controls are not enough.
Combine this with evolving workplace diversity, and there’s more of a need than ever before for better-fitting, inclusive PPE as highlighted in British Standard 30417:2025.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at the importance of PPE in the modern workplace, key points from BS 30417:2025, and how to effectively manage your equipment.
What Does PPE Stand For and Why Personal Protective Equipment Is Essential
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers have a general duty of care to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees, and this includes the provision of suitable PPE.
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 expand on this further and stipulate that employers must:
- Provide PPE free of charge
- Conduct risk assessments
- Train and inform employees about the correct use of PPE
- Maintain and replace equipment
- Ensure correct use and supervision
PPE is often the last line of defence in the hierarchy of controls, but it can make the difference between a minor incident and a life-changing injury. That’s why employers have a legal duty to provide appropriate PPE — and ensure it fits, functions, and protects effectively.
Personal protective equipment can come in many different forms and depends on the hazards that the employees are being protected from.
Types of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) Explained
- Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) protects users from inhaling airborne contaminants, preserving respiratory health, and is a type of personal protective equipment.
- Safety glasses and safety goggles protect against eye damage, toxic sprays, splashes, and burns, and are essential for eye protection.
- Safety boots with steel toes and anti-vibration gloves protect against physical hazards, such as crushing and vibration.
- Protective clothing, including lab coats and face shields, protects skin from chemical splashes and impact hazards.
Why Inclusive PPE Matters for Safety and Compliance
Historically, PPE design has focused on a standard male body shape, leaving many workers with equipment that doesn’t fit properly or isn’t comfortable. Ill-fitting PPE can compromise safety — gloves that are too big, for instance, can increase the risk of accidents, while poorly fitting harnesses may not offer adequate fall protection.
Beyond safety, non-inclusive PPE can also:
- Exclude people from certain jobs or industries.
- Cause discomfort, reduced mobility, or secondary health risks.
- Undermine diversity and inclusion goals in the workplace.
The workforce of today is diverse in terms of gender, size, ethnicity, physical ability, and cultural needs — and PPE must reflect this diversity.
Introducing BS 30417:2025 – A New Standard for Inclusive PPE
The British Standards Institution (BSI) introduced BS 30417:2025 in September 2025 to outline how employers can ensure that PPE meets the needs of all workers. Rather than treating PPE as a generic commodity, the standard outlines a framework for ensuring it meets the needs of all workers.
Key principles of BS 30417:2025
- Inclusive design: PPE must be available in a range of sizes, fits, and styles — accounting for gender, body shape, disability, cultural attire, and more.
- End-user involvement: Workers should be consulted throughout the selection, testing, and evaluation process to ensure PPE truly meets their needs.
- Accessibility: Adaptations such as adjustable closures, assistive devices, or compatible accessories should be considered where required.
- Ongoing fit and training: PPE requirements can change over time (e.g. pregnancy, medical conditions), so regular fit checks and training are essential.
- Documentation and continuous improvement: Organisations must document selection, fitting, maintenance, and feedback to continually improve their PPE programmes.
The ultimate goal of BS 30417:2025 is to promote and support equitable safety and wellbeing in workplaces across all sectors. And employers will have to adapt and ensure they are providing inclusive PPE for their team.
What This Means for Employers and Safety Managers
The move to more inclusive PPE is not happening in isolation; the push for diverse representation is taking place across all aspects of safety and wellbeing.
The change to more inclusive PPE requires a change, but there are a lot of practical steps that BS 30417:2025 outlines for employers to follow. These can be broadly broken down into nine key areas:
- Selection and procurement
- Fitting and adjustment
- Maintenance and inspection
- Accessibility and accommodation
- Longevity and replacement
- Documentation and record-keeping
- Awareness and training
- Variations and equivalency
- Feedback and continuous improvement
As inclusive PPE options continue to expand, it will become increasingly important to maintain accurate records of which employees require specific types of PPE and to document any related consultations.
How to Manage PPE Compliance with Vatix
Adopting an inclusive PPE approach is not just about buying new equipment — it’s about managing it effectively throughout its lifecycle. That’s where technology can make a huge difference.
Within Vatix’s EHS software solution, you can use the assets module to streamline PPE management and stay compliant with the new BS 30417:2025 standard by:
- Tracking PPE inventory: Keep real-time records of what PPE you have, where it is, and its condition.
- Assigning PPE to individuals: Associate PPE with specific Suppliers, then relate everything from fitting notes to PPE failures between the two in order to track and score suppliers on quality.
- Scheduling maintenance and replacements: Set reminders for inspections, fit tests, or replacements based on usage and regulatory requirements.
- Maintaining full compliance records: Store documentation such as risk assessments, fitting notes, standard operating procedures, and training records in one central location.
- Handling PPE requests: Employees can request or return PPE via simple-to-complete forms. The relevant member of staff is automatically notified via email when a request is made and can build structured workflows to manage these requests with our pipelines feature.
By digitising your PPE programme, Vatix helps you go beyond basic compliance — enabling a proactive, inclusive, and data-driven approach to workforce safety.
Conclusion: Beyond Compliance — Towards Inclusive Safety
PPE is about more than protection — it’s about inclusion and empowerment. The new BS 30417:2025 pushes employers to move past one-size-fits-all and prioritise fit, accessibility, and end-user involvement. Meeting this standard isn’t just a purchase decision; it requires good records, regular fit checks, training, and continuous improvement.
The Vatix Assets feature makes this manageable by allowing you to track inventory, assign PPE to individuals, schedule inspections and replacements, and store compliance documentation in one place.
Ready to align with BS 30417:2025 and simplify PPE management? Book a quick demo of Vatix to see how you can manage, assign, and track PPE across your workforce.
