Who pays for PPE? OSHA's employer-payment rule
It surprises some employers, but OSHA's rule is clear: with a short list of exceptions, the employer must pay for the personal protective equipment required to comply with OSHA standards. Deducting PPE from a worker's pay, or making them buy required gear, is generally a violation.
What the employer must pay for
Hard hats, most safety glasses and face shields, respirators, hearing protection, most gloves, hi-vis, fall-arrest harnesses and lanyards, and specialized footwear where the standard requires it — the employer pays, and pays for replacements when they wear out through normal use.
The narrow exceptions
The main exceptions are ordinary safety-toe footwear and prescription safety eyewear that the worker is allowed to wear off the job, everyday clothing, and weather gear. If PPE can go home and be used personally, the payment rule often doesn't apply — but the hazard assessment still does.
Assess, issue, record
PPE starts with a written hazard assessment that shows why each item is needed. Recording what you assessed, what you issued and the training you gave closes the loop and answers the question OSHA asks: was the right PPE provided, at no cost, and were workers trained to use it?
Questions, answered
Does my employer have to pay for my work boots?
Not always. Ordinary safety-toe footwear that can be worn off the job is a common exception to OSHA's employer-payment rule. Specialized footwear required by a specific standard, though, is generally employer-paid.
Can an employer deduct PPE costs from pay?
For PPE that OSHA requires the employer to provide, no — deducting it from wages or requiring workers to buy it is generally a violation of the payment rule.
Track PPE issue and training
Complys records the PPE you've issued, the hazard assessment behind it, and worker training — free for 90 days.
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