Well managed PPE Programs do more than keep employees protected. They can also improve compliance, reduce waste, control costs and give health and safety managers greater visibility across their operation.
For warehouses and logistics businesses, however, managing PPE can become increasingly complicated as your teams grow, sites multiply and environments change.
Different departments will have different requirements. Employees may be ordering products independently and replacement rates inconsistent. Stock can build up in one location while another runs short. And without regular review, it can be difficult to know whether the PPE being provided is still the right choice.
That is where a PPE audit can help.
A well structured PPE audit provides an opportunity to step back, assess what is currently being provided and identify opportunities to improve safety, compliance and cost control.
In this guide, we explain how H&S managers can approach a warehouse PPE audit and the key areas to consider.
A PPE audit is a systematic review of the personal protective equipment provided and used within a workplace.
It should look beyond simply checking whether employees have access to PPE. A useful audit considers whether the equipment is:
PPE should form part of a wider approach to controlling workplace risks. HSE guidance makes clear that PPE should generally be considered after other measures in the hierarchy of controls, rather than automatically being the first solution to a hazard.
For H&S managers, therefore, an effective PPE audit is not simply a stock check. It is an opportunity to assess whether the entire PPE management process is working as it should.
Warehouse environments can change quickly.
New equipment may be introduced. Processes may change. Employee numbers can fluctuate. Seasonal workers may join the workforce. Storage layouts can be altered, and new risks may emerge as operations evolve.
At the same time, PPE itself can change. New products become available, manufacturers update ranges and employees may have different requirements from those originally considered when a PPE programme was introduced.
Regular audits help ensure your PPE provision keeps pace.
They can also uncover less obvious problems.
For example, high PPE expenditure does not necessarily mean a business is providing better protection. Excessive spend could indicate inefficient ordering, unnecessary replacement, poor product durability, inconsistent allocation or employees purchasing outside approved processes.
iSB Group's own Cost Control Audit methodology is designed to uncover these kinds of issues by examining areas including ordering, stock control, issuing, allocations, security and wastage.
The starting point for any PPE audit should be the risks employees are exposed to.
Before reviewing individual products, ask:
HSE guidance recommends considering who is exposed, what they are exposed to, how long they are exposed and the level of exposure when selecting PPE.
This is particularly important in a warehouse where different roles may face very different hazards.
For example, a forklift operator, warehouse picker, maintenance engineer and delivery driver may all work on the same site but require different forms of protection.
Your PPE programme should reflect those differences rather than assuming that one standard product or kit is appropriate for everyone.
Once you understand the risks, establish exactly what PPE is currently being provided.
Your inventory might include:
For each product, record useful information such as:
This exercise can quickly highlight inconsistencies.
For example, you may discover that several sites are buying different products for essentially the same application, or that individual departments have developed their own PPE ranges over time.
That does not automatically mean standardisation is the right answer. Different environments and tasks may justify different products. But understanding what you have is the first step towards making informed decisions.
Having PPE available is not enough. It needs to be suitable for the risk and the person using it.
HSE guidance states that PPE should be properly assessed before use and should be appropriate for the risk, fit the wearer correctly and work effectively without introducing additional risks.
During your audit, consider:
Check that the specification matches the hazards identified in your risk assessment.
Incorrect sizing or poor fit can reduce protection and may create additional risks.
Employees may need to wear several items simultaneously. Eye protection, hearing protection, head protection and respiratory protection, for example, need to work together rather than interfere with one another.
Temperature, lighting, moisture, chemicals, machinery and the physical demands of a task can all influence PPE selection.
A product that technically provides the right level of protection may still perform poorly if employees find it uncomfortable or impractical.
PPE selection should therefore consider the person wearing it as well as the hazard it is intended to protect against.
One of the most valuable parts of a PPE audit can be talking to employees.
Ask your teams:
This can reveal issues that purchasing records and risk assessments alone will not show.
It can also help identify opportunities to improve PPE selection.
HSE guidance recommends involving workers in PPE selection because this can improve understanding and use.
For larger organisations, consider running wearer trials before making significant changes to a product range.
PPE needs to remain effective throughout its working life.
Your audit should therefore examine what happens after products have been issued.
Ask:
HSE guidance places responsibilities on employers around the maintenance, storage and replacement of PPE they provide.
This is an area where better processes can potentially improve both safety and cost control.
Once you understand what PPE you have and how it is being used, look at the financial data.
Don't only look at the total annual PPE budget.
Break it down by:
This can reveal patterns that are hidden within a single annual figure.
For example, one site may have significantly higher glove consumption than another. That could indicate differences in workload, but it could also point towards unnecessary usage, poor product durability or inconsistent allocation.
Similarly, a product with a higher purchase price may ultimately represent better value if it lasts significantly longer.
This is why PPE decisions should consider whole-life cost, rather than simply the initial purchase price. iSB Group's cost-control approach specifically focuses on reducing overall and long-term PPE and workwear costs without compromising safety or quality.
PPE waste can come from several sources.
During your audit, look for:
Don't assume that reducing waste means simply giving employees less PPE.
The better question is: why is the waste occurring in the first place?
For example, if employees are using several pairs of gloves during a shift because the gloves quickly deteriorate, switching to a more durable product may reduce both consumption and cost.
iSB has previously highlighted how selecting a higher-quality glove can significantly reduce consumption and waste in the right application.
Your audit should also examine how PPE gets from supplier to employee.
Consider:
A complicated ordering process can create its own problems.
If employees cannot easily obtain approved PPE when they need it, they may look for alternative routes.
iSB's Control-iT system, for example, uses online ordering and guided buying to give employees self-service access to approved products while allowing businesses to retain greater control over purchasing and spend.
For multi-site operations, visibility is particularly important.
An effective audit should also confirm that your PPE programme is supported by appropriate information, instruction and training.
Where PPE is required, UK employers have duties around providing suitable PPE and ensuring workers have sufficient information, instruction and training on its use. The 2022 amendments extended relevant PPE duties to limb (b) workers.
Check that:
Your audit should identify gaps rather than simply confirm that paperwork exists.
The final stage of the audit is arguably the most important.
There's little value in identifying ten problems if none of them are addressed.
Create an action plan that separates findings into categories such as:
Immediate safety actions — issues that could expose employees to unnecessary risk should be prioritised.
Compliance actions : Address gaps in training, documentation, product suitability or PPE management.
Cost-control opportunities : Look for opportunities to reduce unnecessary spend without compromising protection.
Operational improvements: Consider changes to ordering, stock management, allocation or supplier processes.
Longer-term improvements: These might include product standardisation, sustainable alternatives, technology or changes to the overall PPE supply model.
Give each action an owner and target date, then review progress regularly.
There is no single frequency that will be right for every warehouse.
The appropriate approach will depend on factors such as the size and complexity of your operation, the risks involved, workforce changes and how frequently working practices change.
A formal review should also be considered when there is a significant change to:
In addition, ongoing monitoring should form part of your normal PPE management process.
Don't wait for an accident, failed inspection or major overspend to tell you that something needs attention.
As a starting point, H&S managers can use the following checklist:
A PPE audit should not be viewed as a one-off compliance exercise.
For H&S managers, it can provide a much broader picture of how effectively PPE is being selected, supplied, used and managed across the business.
The right process can help you identify opportunities to:
For businesses operating across multiple warehouses or depots, having clear processes and reliable data becomes even more important.
At iSB Group, we work with organisations across the UK logistics, warehousing and distribution sector to help them manage PPE, workwear and safety equipment more effectively. Our Cost Control Audit takes a strategic look at areas including product usage, spend, ordering, stock control, allocations, wastage and compliance, with the aim of identifying opportunities for long-term improvement.
If you know your PPE costs are rising, your sites are managing PPE differently, or you simply don't have a clear picture of where your PPE spend is going, an audit can be a useful place to start.
The objective shouldn't be to spend less on safety. It should be to make sure every pound spent on PPE is delivering the protection, performance and value your operation needs.
iSB Group can help you review your current PPE provision, identify areas for improvement and develop a more controlled, cost-effective approach to PPE management.
Talk to the iSB Group team about your PPE requirements and find out how a Cost Control Audit could benefit your business.
A PPE audit is a structured review of the PPE provided and used within a workplace. It considers areas including risk, product suitability, usage, condition, maintenance, training, stock, purchasing and cost.
A PPE audit can help businesses identify gaps in protection and compliance while also uncovering opportunities to improve procurement, reduce waste and control costs.
The appropriate frequency depends on the workplace and its risks. PPE should also be reviewed when there are significant changes to processes, equipment, employees, working environments or risk assessments.
A warehouse PPE audit should consider workplace risks, product suitability, employee usage, PPE condition, maintenance, stock levels, purchasing processes, spend, training and compliance.
Potentially. An audit can identify unnecessary expenditure, inefficient processes, excessive consumption, waste and opportunities to improve whole-life value. However, cost reduction should never come at the expense of appropriate protection or compliance.
Responsibility will vary by organisation, but H&S managers should typically work with relevant operational, procurement and employee representatives. For complex or multi-site operations, specialist external support can also provide an independent assessment.
This article provides general information and should not be treated as a substitute for a suitable and sufficient risk assessment or specialist health and safety advice. Always refer to current HSE guidance and applicable legislation when determining PPE requirements for your workplace.