The Last Resort

PPE sits at the bottom of the hierarchy of controls for specific reasons, and understanding them changes how it is managed.

Why it is weakest

• It protects only the wearer, not anyone else exposed.
• It works only while worn correctly — a moment without it is a moment fully exposed.
• It depends on a chain of human actions: selected correctly, issued, fitted, inspected, maintained, replaced, worn every time.
• It does nothing about the hazard, which remains fully present.
• It can introduce new hazards — heat stress, restricted vision, reduced dexterity, entanglement, impaired communication.
• Failure is often silent: degraded gloves, a saturated filter and a poorly sealing mask all feel exactly like working protection.

What "last resort" does not mean

It does not mean PPE is unimportant or optional. It means PPE must not be the first answer, and that its use should always be accompanied by a documented reason why higher controls are not reasonably practicable, plus a plan to reduce reliance on it. A risk assessment that reaches PPE in one step has usually skipped the thinking.

Issuing gloves is a decision that someone will be exposed to the hazard every day for years. It should be made with that in mind.