PPE Mistakes: 10 Errors to Avoid When Buying Personal Protective Equipment

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) rarely fails because of poor quality, but because it wasn't suitable for the type of risk, didn't fit the worker, wasn't compatible with the rest of the equipment, or had been stored in poor conditions for months. Choosing PPE incorrectly can create a false sense of security and lead to unnecessary risks in industry.

In this guide, we've compiled the 10 most common mistakes when selecting, using and maintaining personal protective equipment, organised into three phases: purchase, use and maintenance. For each one, we tell you how to avoid it and where to go deeper. If you already know what you need, you can go directly to our workwear and protective equipment catalogue.

BEFORE BUYING – SELECTION ERRORS

Misinformation about the specific risks you'll be exposed to, combined with a lack of workplace assessment, are usually the main errors before buying PPE. However, in today's industry there's also the threat of confusing similar standards. That's why we've listed and explained the most common selection errors:

Error 1: Buying without first assessing the risk

PPE is selected based on the job's risk, not the catalogue. Prevention regulations start with risk assessment: first you identify what hazard exists (impacts, chemicals, noise, falls, heat, electricity...) and its level; then you select the PPE that covers it. Buying "some goggles" or "some gloves" without this step is the root of most other errors.

How to avoid it: request or consult the workplace risk assessment and buy based on it.

Error 2: Confusing similar standards

This is the most technical and most costly error. Some real examples:

• Construction helmet (EN 397) and bump cap (EN 812): the cap does not protect against falling objects and should never replace a helmet.

• Safety glasses and face shield: they cover different risks; in welding, depending on the process, glasses may not be sufficient.

• Antistatic footwear (ESD) and insulating footwear: they don't solve the same problem.

• Particle filter and gas filter: a P-type filter does not retain gases or vapours.

• Generic flame-resistant clothing and welder's clothing (EN ISO 11611): the former doesn't necessarily cover molten metal splashes.

How to avoid it: check that the marking standard matches the specific risk, not just that the product "has a standard".

Error 3: Not verifying the CE marking and PPE category

All PPE must carry CE marking in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/425. Category III PPE – for serious or irreversible risks, such as hearing protection, respiratory protection or fall protection – also requires a notified body, identified by a four-digit number next to the CE. An identical-looking product without that real certification doesn't provide the same level of protection.

How to avoid it: check the marking, the notified body number where applicable, and the manufacturer's declaration of conformity.

Error 4: Ignoring size and fit

An oversized glove loses sensitivity, a mask that doesn't seal won't filter, and a poorly fitted harness won't distribute the load in a fall. Additionally, uncomfortable PPE tends not to be worn. Comfort isn't a luxury: it's what determines whether the worker wears it all shift.

How to avoid it: request various sizes, test the equipment with the rest of the PPE on, and in respiratory protection, check the facial seal.

Error 5: Not checking compatibility between equipment

PPE is usually used in combination, and not all pieces fit together:

• A hearing protector attached to a helmet must be certified for this (EN 352-3).

• Goggles can break the seal of a mask.

• A complete fall protection system (harness, lanyard, energy absorber, anchor point) must be coherent as a whole.

• A safety line certified for one user doesn't automatically work for several.

How to avoid it: when buying new PPE, ask yourself what other equipment it will be used with at the same time.

If you want to learn about fall protection systems and safety lines products, visit our specialist category.

Error 6: Deciding based on price alone

Price matters, especially for large equipment purchases, but cheap PPE that breaks sooner, that nobody wants to wear, or that doesn't cover the actual risk ends up costing more. Compare the cost per actual use, not the unit price.

How to avoid it: request technical specifications, compare standards and protection levels, and only then compare prices.

PPE: THE MOST COMMON ERRORS DURING USE

Error 7: Providing PPE without training or instructions

Regulations require informing and training workers on the correct use of PPE. A harness given without knowing how to adjust it, or filters without knowing when to change them, become an added risk. Manufacturers must provide an information leaflet in the language of the country of use: read it and share it.

How to avoid it: accompany each delivery with brief practical training and keep the leaflet accessible.

Error 8: Over-protecting or under-protecting

More is not always better. In hearing protection, for example, a protector with excessive attenuation isolates the worker from their surroundings and prevents them from hearing alarms or communicating. In clothing, too many layers increase thermal stress. And the opposite error, falling short, is obvious.

How to avoid it: match the protection level to the measured risk, not to the maximum available.

AFTER BUYING – MAINTENANCE ERRORS

Error 9: Forgetting expiry dates and storage conditions

Many PPE items have limited shelf life and specific storage requirements:

• Respiratory filters degrade even if unused if poorly stored or opened.

• Earplugs and other PPE carry manufacturing or expiry dates.

• Harnesses and fall protection components require inspection before each use and regular reviews.

How to avoid it: note the purchase date, respect storage conditions and remove any PPE showing signs of wear, cuts or deformation.

Error 10: Failing to maintain or replace in time

Technical clothing loses properties with washing and must follow the manufacturer's instructions (for example, the maximum number of cycles). Footwear wears out, soles crack and visors scratch. PPE that no longer serves its function should be removed, even if it "still works".

How to avoid it: define replacement criteria by PPE type and review them regularly.

QUICK CHECKLIST BEFORE BUYING

DO YOU NEED HELP CHOOSING?

If you're equipping a complete team or unsure between two models, our team can guide you according to your job and the risk you need to cover.

Contact us and we'll advise you (or email us: info@sekureco.eu)

SEKURECO: EVERY RISK, ITS GUIDE AND CATALOGUE

If your question is about a specific type of PPE, these guides and categories will help you choose better:

• Working at height: Fall Protection category · Working at height: we explain the differences between EN 361, EN 355 and EN 795

• Respiratory protection: respiratory protection filters · Filters for organic vapours: Type A and AX explained

• Hearing protection: hearing protectors · How to choose the right hearing protection? Buying guide

• Eye and face protection: safety glasses · What standard regulates safety glasses? Complete EN 166 guide

• Safety footwear: work footwear · The definitive guide to safety footwear: classification, standards and technical protection

• Welding: flame-resistant welding clothing · Welding clothing: What a welder should wear according to EN ISO 11611

• Electrical work: Electrician category · PPE for electrical work: What equipment an electrician needs according to risk

BUY WITH CRITERIA, PROTECT WITH ASSURANCE

Choosing PPE correctly is half the protection; using and maintaining it correctly is the other half. At Sekureco you'll find certified equipment for every risk, with advice to get it right first time.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What's the first thing I should do before buying PPE?

Identify the job's risk based on the risk assessment. PPE is selected for that specific risk, not the other way around.

2. How do I know if PPE is really certified?

It must carry CE marking and a reference to the corresponding standard. For Category III PPE, also the four-digit number of the notified body.

3. Does more expensive PPE provide better protection?

Not necessarily. What matters is that it covers the actual risk, is certified for it and fits the worker. Expensive, poorly chosen PPE protects less than suitable equipment.

4. When should PPE be replaced?

When it expires, shows wear, cuts or deformations, or has suffered an impact or fall, according to the manufacturer's instructions. For some PPE, such as filters, replacement is also needed due to saturation.

5. Can I mix PPE from different manufacturers?

Often yes, but compatibility must be checked, especially for equipment that works as a system (fall protection) or that couples together (hearing protection with helmet).

6. Who should train the worker in PPE use?

The employer must inform and train the worker, and the manufacturer must provide the product information leaflet, technical datasheets, user manuals and CE certifications.