PPE Inspection Checklist

What this checklist is for

A PPE inspection checklist helps a team confirm that personal protective equipment is available, suitable, clean, and not visibly damaged. The form should be tied to real hazards, not treated as a generic shopping list.

PPE often fails at the practical level: scratched eyewear, missing gloves, worn soles, damaged hard hats, wrong chemical glove type, or hearing protection stored too far from the noisy task. A quick inspection catches those issues before the job starts.

Suggested checklist items

• Eye and face protection is clean, not scratched beyond safe use, and suitable for the task.
• Gloves match the hazard and show no holes, chemical damage, tears, or severe wear.
• Foot protection, head protection, and high-visibility clothing are in usable condition.
• Hearing protection is available where noise controls require it.
• Respiratory protection, if used, follows the employer's respiratory protection program.
• PPE storage keeps equipment dry, clean, and easy to find.
• Employees know when PPE is required for the listed task.

How to use this form

Use the sheet as a pre-task prompt and record. The most useful forms are specific enough to guide the worker but short enough to complete during a normal shift. Keep the completed record with maintenance, inspection, or supervisor files according to your company's procedure.

• List the work area or task first, then inspect the PPE required for that hazard.
• Check availability, condition, fit, cleanliness, and storage.
• Record missing or damaged items and who will replace them.
• Do not use the form as a substitute for hazard assessment or employee training.

Recommended frequency

Before use, during area walkthroughs, and after exposure or damage.

Frequency should increase when equipment is shared, conditions change quickly, or a finding repeats. A small business can start with one routine form and then split it into area-specific forms once patterns become obvious.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Listing PPE by item instead of by hazard or task.
• Stocking PPE that employees cannot find when work begins.
• Not replacing scratched eyewear or chemical-damaged gloves.
• Using PPE as the only control instead of also addressing the hazard.

Who should use it

Supervisors, safety coordinators, warehouse leads, and employees using PPE.

Supervisors should review completed forms for repeated defects, missing signatures, and findings that are marked but not corrected. A checklist becomes more valuable when it triggers follow-up instead of only filling a folder.

Source notes

The links below point to public safety resources used to shape the checklist topic. Requirements may vary by industry, state plan, equipment, and task. Review official sources and qualified guidance for your exact workplace.

• OSHA Personal Protective Equipment

FAQ