How to Determine Your Workplace PPE Requirements: A Risk-Based Guide
Written and reviewed by the Hunters Workwear & Safety team · Updated July 2026
Quick answer: under Australian WHS law, PPE is your last line of defence, not your first. Work down the hierarchy of controls — eliminate, substitute, engineer, administer — and only then use PPE to manage whatever risk is left. To decide exactly what a task needs, run a task-based risk assessment, match each surviving hazard to certified AS/NZS gear, and confirm the fit and training. Here is the repeatable method.
Start with the law: PPE is your last line of defence
Before you hand out a single pair of safety glasses, understand where PPE sits. Safe Work regulators require you to apply the hierarchy of controls, and PPE is deliberately at the bottom: it protects one worker, only while it is worn correctly, and does nothing to remove the hazard itself. Work through the higher-order controls first:
- Eliminate — remove the hazard entirely.
- Substitute — swap it for something safer.
- Engineering controls — isolate people from the hazard (guarding, ventilation, barriers).
- Administrative controls — change how people work (training, job rotation, signage).
- PPE — manage the risk that remains once the controls above have done their job.
Step 1: Run a task-based risk assessment
You do not choose gear for “a warehouse” — you choose it for a task. For each one, follow the three steps in Safe Work Australia’s risk management code of practice:
- Identify the hazards — walk the job. Airborne dust, sharp edges, chemical splash, extreme heat or cold, falling objects, moving plant, noise?
- Assess the risk — weigh likelihood against severity (a 5×5 matrix is the standard tool).
- Select the control — match the residual risk to the right level of protection. Grinding metal throws sparks and fragments at speed, so safety glasses alone are not enough — that task needs a face shield over them.
Step 2: Match the hazard to the right gear
Different tasks put different parts of the body in the firing line. Use this as a starting checklist:
| Body area | Trigger hazard | Typical gear (and standard) |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Falling or swinging objects | Hard hats to AS/NZS 1801 |
| Eyes & face | Impact, dust, chemical splash, grinding | Safety glasses, goggles and face shields to AS/NZS 1337.1 |
| Hearing | Noise above 85 dB(A) | Earmuffs or earplugs to AS/NZS 1270 |
| Lungs | Dust, fumes, vapours | Respirators to AS/NZS 1715 and 1716 |
| Hands | Cuts, abrasion, chemicals | Cut- or chemical-rated gloves — the SDS names the material |
| Body | Traffic and plant; hot or electrical work | Hi-vis to AS/NZS 4602.1; flame-resistant workwear |
| Feet | Crushing, piercing, slips | Safety boots to AS 2210.3; slip-resistant soles for kitchens and clinics |
A quick field test for noise: if two people standing a metre apart have to raise their voices to be heard, the area is likely above 85 dB(A) and hearing protection is required. For the detail behind two of these categories, see our hi-vis compliance guide and safety boot buying guide.
Step 3: Check the documentation you already have
You do not have to work this out from scratch. Three sources usually give you the answer:
- Safety Data Sheets (SDS) — Section 8 lists the exact glove material (nitrile, latex or neoprene) and respiratory protection for a chemical.
- Manufacturer manuals — machinery manuals specify the operator PPE for that equipment.
- Safe Work Australia Codes of Practice — free, government-issued and task-specific, covering everything from welding to managing electrical risk.
The golden rule: fit, compliance mark and training
The right gear does nothing if it is the wrong size or worn incorrectly. Two non-negotiables:
- The AS/NZS compliance mark. Certified PPE is tested to a defined standard — if the marking is not there, treat it as unrated.
- Training and maintenance. Workers need to know how to fit, clean, store and inspect their gear, and when to retire it. A cracked lens, a flattened earmuff seal or a faded hi-vis shirt no longer protects to the standard it was bought at.
Shop PPE by category
Certified gear, dispatched Australia-wide from our Wodonga warehouse:
- Head protection, safety eyewear and hearing protection
- Respiratory protection and safety gloves
- Hi-vis workwear, flame-resistant workwear and safety boots
- First aid and eyewash, plus the full PPE range
We can also add your logo in-house with embroidery or screen printing without compromising certified protection areas.
Frequently asked questions
Is PPE enough on its own?
No. It is the lowest control in the hierarchy — it manages the residual risk after you have tried to eliminate, substitute, engineer and administer the hazard away.
How do I know PPE is compliant?
Look for the AS/NZS marking and standard number on the product and its packaging. Every item we sell lists its certification on the product page.
Who pays for PPE?
Under WHS law the duty to provide a safe workplace sits with the employer, and that includes supplying and maintaining the required PPE.
This is a quick helping guide — general information to get you started, not a substitute for your own assessment. Your workplace risk assessment, the relevant Safe Work Australia Code of Practice and any site-specific rules determine the final PPE requirement. Not sure what a task needs? Call (02) 6056 6685 or request a quote — we supply certified PPE Australia-wide from Wodonga, Victoria.