OSHA’s Final Rule: Fitting PPE Standards into Your Construction Business

Does your business help ensure the safety and well-being of your hardworking employees with size-accommodating PPE clothing and gear? For decades, some businesses in the construction industry have underestimated the value of supplying properly fitting PPE to their employees. Many of these businesses adhered to industry rules and regulations regarding safety and PPE clothing, but “proper fit” was and is often overlooked. Poorly fitting gloves or a loose harness pose work risks. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) aims to reduce problems like these.

Smaller and thinner people, some of whom are women, have trouble working in oversized gear such as gloves, long coveralls and vests. Larger or taller people are inhibited wearing tight or short body suits or harnesses. OSHA revised the PPE standards on January 13, 2025. Now, businesses in the construction industry are mandated to fully comply with the newly established Final Rule. So how does this impact your construction business?

Staying compliant with the rule

The OSHA ruling from the Department of Labor states, “Properly fitting PPE is a critical element of an effective occupational safety and health program. PPE must fit properly to provide appropriate protection to employees from workplace hazards. Improperly fitting PPE may fail to provide any protection to an employee, reduce the effectiveness of protection, present additional hazards, or discourage employees from using such equipment in the workplace.”¹ Take time and carefully examine the intricate details of the Final Rule, which include a summary, impacted industries and enforcement.

Ensuring that your workers are outfitted with correctly sized PPE should be an essential part of your employee-centric safety practices. Investing in well-fitting workwear provides them additional safety and comfort. Employees who wear PPE items that don’t fit well might remove them, which may compromise their safety. This could lead to workplace accidents. Their discomfort and frustration may hinder their morale and reduce productivity. With the institution of this new OSHA standard, construction companies have an obligation to ensure their PPE is fully compliant and their employees are better protected on the job.

It’s more important than ever to partner with a provider who understands the nuances of PPE fit and functionality. Cintas helps construction businesses create tailored safety programs that not only meet regulatory standards, but also help ensure employee comfort, morale and on-the-job safety.

Safety in the workplace

In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ National Census of Fatal Occupation Injuries in 2023, the construction industry had the most fatalities (1,075) among all industry sectors in 2023, its highest total since 2011. Falls, slips, and trips accounted for 39.2% of all construction fatalities (421), with transportation incidents accounting for another 22.3% of fatalities (240).

OSHA estimates the Final Rule will prevent 29 worker deaths and 5,842 lost-workday injuries each year. But employers who are making necessary PPE improvements to their safety programs are finding the term “properly fitting PPE” to be confusing.

If you are facing sizing challenges on your team, Cintas can work with you to determine a PPE program to address your needs.

Aligning PPE standards to your team

Based on guidelines from OSHA, “All personal protective equipment should be safely designed and constructed and should be maintained in a clean and reliable fashion. It should fit comfortably, encouraging worker use.” This is where an experienced PPE and workwear provider like Cintas can assist with compliance, sizes, fabric and quantities to help you fulfill your PPE supply and maintenance-care requirements.

When you begin to update or overhaul your PPE product line, speak to or survey your team about their individual needs and PPE concerns. Topics you could address include:

• Accommodating each employee’s body type for best fit
• PPE restrictions, pinching and rubbing during movement
• Loose, tight, short and long PPE clothing or outerwear
• Snug or loose gear, such as goggles, hard hats, shoes and gloves

OSHA enforcement

In what ways will OSHA ensure compliance with the Final Rule? The Administration declares, “OSHA will continue to enforce the requirement for properly fitting PPE in construction the same as it has been across industries, relying on enforcement guidance the agency has already created for those industries. In addition to OSHA guidance, consensus standards and manufacturer’s instructions can help employers determine the proper fit of their workers’ PPE to meet the requirement of the rule.”

Failure to follow the Final Rule will result in increased civil penalties (set in January 2025) by the Department of Labor. For serious and other-than-serious violations, companies will pay $16,550 per violation. For willful or repeated violations, companies will face $165,514 per violation.²

The right service for improved job safety

Providing properly sized PPE is critical to establishing workplace well-being among your employees. For your workers – such as construction crews – who are exposed to occupational hazards, they need PPE that suits them well. You can help them find their fit when properly equipped with Cintas PPE and workwear.

Learn more about how a managed PPE and workwear program can benefit your business. Contact Cintas today.