Final rule clarifies 'per-employee' violations on PPE, training

Jan 23, 2009

OSHA issued a final rule Dec. 12 on employer responsibility for providing workers with personal protective equipment and training.

The agency said the rule, which went into effect Jan. 12, makes it "unmistakably clear" that each covered employee must receive PPE and training, and that each instance of noncompliance may be considered a separate violation subject to a separate penalty.

OSHA said the action does not add any new compliance obligations, and was taken in response to recent decisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission that questioned differences in wording among various OSHA PPE and training provisions. Acting OSHA administrator Thomas M. Stohler described the rule as a "technical correction."