Safety Products 4UBasket0

PPE signs: where mandatory PPE notices go

By Jason Misters. Published 22 October 2026.

Put mandatory PPE signs at the entrance to the area where the equipment is required, and show only what your risk assessment actually calls for. PPE is a last resort after other controls, so a sign should sit alongside provision, training and supervision, not instead of them.

What the law says about PPE

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 require employers to provide suitable PPE, free of charge, where risks cannot be adequately controlled in other ways. HSE describes PPE as the last resort after you have tried to remove or reduce the hazard.

Where to put the signs

  • At the entrance to the area, so people put equipment on before they go in.
  • On or beside the machine or process, for a hazard that applies only there.
  • Use one multi-symbol board at a main entrance rather than many separate signs, where several items are needed together.
  • Show only the PPE that is really required. A board listing everything teaches people to ignore it.

Signs support workplace controls. They do not replace a suitable and sufficient risk assessment.

Before you fit the sign

  • Make sure the PPE is provided, in the right sizes, and easy to get hold of.
  • Check that people have been trained to use it and know why it is needed.
  • Check that someone enforces the rule, otherwise the sign loses credibility.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays for PPE?

Where PPE is needed to control a risk at work, the employer must provide it free of charge to employees. The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 cover this.

How big should a PPE entrance sign be?

A single notice of 150 × 200 mm reads at roughly seven metres. A larger board of 450 × 600 mm suits a main entrance and reads at over twenty metres.

Signs mentioned in this guide

Sources and further reading

This guide is general information for workplaces in Great Britain, not legal advice. Signs support workplace controls; they do not replace a suitable and sufficient risk assessment.