Every worker has it in them to get the right gear, establish the proper storage, and somehow still show up to the job without it. It’s not laziness, it’s not callousness—it simply means that, as of now, protective equipment has not yet been integrated into a proper routine. The good news? Making PPE habits is no different than making any other habit. Once they’re set, they stick.
Yet creating a routine that truly sticks takes some intentionality at the onset, but fosters rewards beyond safe working. Workers with reinforced PPE routines feel more confident on site and work more efficiently through their day without having to mentally double-check if they missed anything or need to leave what they’re doing to return to where they got their PPE just to find their gloves.
Start With the Right Gear, Not Just Any Gear
One of the best ways that PPE routines fail is poor equipment fit and comfort level. Uncomfortable gear puts people in the position of needing to justify how much safety they truly need versus putting on something that irritates them. It’s that simple.
Prior to establishing a routine, it’s worth taking the time to find the proper equipment that fits body needs, job requirements, and situational applications. Gloves that allow for movement instead of making hands feel mangled, ear protection that doesn’t become painfully wedged after an hour, and shoes that are less heavy than overwhelming—these things matter more than people like to admit. Gear that fits properly is gear that stays on.
This also applies to eyewear. Workers who need vision correction often end up either wearing regular glasses under ill-fitting safety glasses or going without protection entirely because the combination is too uncomfortable. A much better solution is purpose-built safety glasses prescription options, which combine corrective lenses with proper protective frames in a single pair. Comfortable, purpose-built eyewear removes the excuse not to wear it.
Make It Impossible to Forget
The most successful PPE routines are not built upon will power. They are constructed upon systems. And the simplest system is making gear unmissable before work begins.
A designated PPE station at the inception of any work environment is one of the easiest tools a worker or employer can provide. Whether it’s a hook at the door of the workshop, a shelf at the bottom of a construction site stairwell, or a small organizer in the back of a work vehicle, it denotes importance: the worker’s gear should be in their line of sight first thing and then again when they are just steps away from beginning work.
Some workers attach their checklist for PPE to their subsequent routine. Pairing a gear check with something unavoidable—a car ignition, time clock login, or work boot application—anchors the habit to something already solidified in their routine. It doesn’t take long before the two seem like one action rather than two separate items.
Keep It Maintained and Ready to Use
PPE routines falter when workers go to grab an item and it’s broken, expired or out of sorts. Maintenance matters for safety but also for ensuring routines go off without a hitch.
A quick time investment at the end of the week only requires about ten minutes for all gear to be assessed for usable life conditions. Gloves are re-assessed, ear protections are cleaned, hard hats are assessed for cracks and anything past usability is replaced. Workers who’ve reported this consistent investment receive gear that’s always ready to go; this means there’s never any internal justification for not putting gear on.
It’s also critical to keep some stock of replaceable items. Spare ear plugs, back up gloves of varying weights depending on assignments, a second set of anything useful that’s easily lost. There’s no reason to run out mid-job or needing to forfeit protection because a worker doesn’t have enough gear on hand when all it takes is forward-thinking effort to avoid this pitfall.
Get the Team On Board
Workplace culture plays an enormous factor in personal habits and PPE is no different. When everyone on a job site approaches it with protective equipment as part of normal, non-negotiable safety procedures, it becomes much easier for each individual to maintain their own construct.
This doesn’t require programs or constant reminders; rather, visible behaviors from seasoned professionals make all the difference. When the oldest person on site puts their gear on without fanfare, everyone else toes the line. Normalizing PPE as part of what getting ready for work requires is one of the easiest things a team can do together. However, employers must support this by ensuring gear is always accessible, always available and always good quality; workers are much less likely to retain solidified PPE habits when the condition of what they’re provided isn’t worth wearing.
Build In Variability By Task Requirement
Not every task requires the same level of protection and inflexible application reduces effective routine maintenance. When workers feel like they’re preparing for a major undertaking when all they need is ten minutes of coverup, they start skipping steps.
Instead, recognize which tasks require which gear and have that accessible per scenario—whether it’s arranged by importance or quick jobs need lightweight coverage and heavier work requires all exposure covered by more serious equipment makes getting used to it less dramatic—and more successful!
The Routine That Sticks
Successful routines aren’t built by rules—rather, they’re constructed in such a way that the easiest response is also the best response. Good gear that fits well, has its proper storage location, is well-maintained and supported through those around you is the only way to create success!
Safety does not have to be an interruption in a working day; when constructed properly it can be implemented as part of how any working day begins—and that’s exactly where it should be!
