Warehouse PPE (personal protective equipment) covers various items of clothing and accessories that play a vital role in preventing accidents, injuries and illnesses when working in a warehouse environment.
While working in a warehouse can be a rewarding job, it is unfortunately not without its risks to personal safety. In particular, the combination of moving machinery and heavy loads can present many hazards to those working in warehouses, as well as those visiting or inspecting them.
It is the responsibility of employers to provide PPE to protect workers, regardless of the industry they may work within and warehouses are no exception.
Employers must consult the latest HSE guidance to determine the warehouse PPE required in each case.
In the meantime, the Metreel team is here to explain 7 of the most common types of warehouse PPE that are often needed to keep workers safe.
The Most Dangerous Warehouse Hazards Which Make Warehouse PPE Essential
- Moving machinery
- Possible exposure to extreme temperatures or hazardous materials
- Loud noise
- Slips, trips and falls
- Falling objects
- Liquid aerosols, dust and fumes
- Any other risks unique to a specific warehouse
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Eyewear PPE
Eye protection is required in any warehouse environment where there is a risk of flying debris, chemical splashes, dust or harmful light exposure including UV, infrared or intense LED light. Safety eyewear must fully wrap around the eye to provide protection from all angles and should be selected based on the specific hazard rather than treated as a one-size-fits-all solution.
All eye protection used in the workplace should conform to EN 166, the European standard for personal eye protection. For welding operations, EN 169 and EN 379 apply depending on the filter type. Where prescriptive eyewear is required, safety glasses can be fitted with corrective lenses to ensure the wearer maintains adequate vision when operating machinery or driving a forklift.
Examples of eyewear PPE include:
- Chemical splash goggles
- Face shields
- Laser safety glasses
- Safety glasses
- Safety goggles
- Welding helmets
Ear PPE
Prolonged exposure to noise above 85dB causes permanent hearing damage and under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, employers are legally required to provide hearing protection when noise levels reach this threshold. For general noisy work below this level, hearing protection should still be offered.
A key consideration in warehouse environments is that ear defenders can prevent workers from hearing moving machinery, reversing vehicles or fire alarms. Any decision to require hearing protection must be accompanied by a risk assessment that accounts for these secondary hazards and may need to consider communication systems or visual warning signals as compensatory measures.
Examples of ear PPE include:
- Ear defenders
- Ear plugsÂ
Respiratory PPE
Respiratory protection is required where workers may be exposed to dust, fumes, vapours, gases or airborne particles that cannot be adequately controlled by ventilation alone. The appropriate grade of respiratory PPE depends entirely on the nature of the hazard. For instance, a disposable FFP2 mask may be sufficient for nuisance dust, while workers handling hazardous chemicals or fine particulates may require a full-face respirator or powered air purifying respirator.
All respiratory protective equipment should be selected in line with EN 149 for filtering facepieces and EN 136 for full face masks. Fit testing is required for close-fitting respirators to ensure an adequate seal, as a poorly fitted mask provides significantly less protection than its rating suggests.
Examples of respiratory PPE include:
- Disposable face masks (surgical masks, N95, FFP2, FPP3 etc.)
- Full face respirators
- Powered air purifying Respirators (PAPRs)
- Supplied air respirators (SARs)
Body PPE
Body protection in a warehouse covers a range of garments depending on the tasks being carried out. High-visibility clothing is the most universally required, ensuring workers remain visible to forklift operators and other vehicle drivers in all lighting conditions. Hi-vis garments should comply with EN ISO 20471 and be replaced when they begin to lose their reflective properties. Typically this is after approximately 25 washes.
Beyond hi-vis, body PPE may include coveralls for workers handling chemicals or flammable materials, back support belts for those carrying out regular manual handling and cold weather clothing for workers operating in temperature-controlled environments such as cold stores or freezer warehouses.
Examples of body PPE include:
- Back support belts
- Cold weather clothing
- Coveralls (chemical or flame resistant)
- High-vis clothing
- Safety harness
Care must be taken to maintain high visibility clothing, as it will lose its reflective qualities after around 25 washes. When this happens, the worker may no longer be visible in low lighting conditions including from a distance. For warehouses that have distribution centres, clear visibility is even more important when working outside or alongside moving distribution vehicles.
Head PPE
Head protection is required wherever there is a risk of injury from falling objects, overhead hazards or striking fixed structures. In warehouse environments this includes areas where goods are stored at height, where overhead cranes or hoists are in operation and anywhere racking installation or maintenance work is taking place.
Safety helmets must conform to EN 397 as a minimum standard. Where there is a risk of lateral impact, such as in some crane and construction environments, EN 12492 may apply. Helmets should be correctly sized to the wearer’s head circumference to ensure a secure fit and should be inspected regularly for cracks, dents or UV degradation, which can compromise protection without any visible external damage.
Examples of head PPE:
- Balaclava face masks
- Bump caps
- Cold weather helmets
- Electrical safety helmets
- High-heat helmets and visors
- Safety helmets
- Welding helmets
PPE for the head must conform to various safety standards and regulations, such as EN 397:2012/EN 12492:2012. The head circumference of the wearer must also be measured to ensure a secure fit.
Footwear PPE
Foot injuries in warehouses are common and often serious, arising from falling or rolling loads, moving machinery, slippery surfaces and repetitive strain. Safety footwear must be selected to address the specific hazards present in each area of the warehouse rather than applying a single standard across all roles.
As a minimum, safety footwear should conform to EN ISO 20345, which covers toecap impact and compression resistance. Steel or composite toecap boots protect against falling objects, slip-resistant soles reduce the risk of trips and falls on wet or contaminated surfaces and anti-static footwear may be required where flammable or explosive materials are stored. Metatarsal guards provide additional protection for workers regularly handling very heavy loads.
Examples of footwear PPE:
- Chemical resistant boots
- Insulated boots
- Metatarsal guards
- Safety shoes
- Slip-resistant boots
- Static dissipative shoes
- Steel toe cap boots
- Waterproof boots
- Welding boots
Hand PPE
In a warehouse environment, hand injuries are common due to repetitive tasks and harsh environmental conditions. Hand injuries can range from cuts and abrasions caused by handling sharp-edged packaging to burns, vibration damage and skin conditions from prolonged use of chemicals or power tools. The correct glove selection depends entirely on the task. For instance, a glove that protects against cuts may offer no protection against chemical exposure and vice versa.
Gloves should be selected and tested in line with the relevant EN standards for their intended use: EN 388 covers mechanical risks such as abrasion, cutting and tearing, EN 374 covers chemical and microbiological risks and EN 511 covers protection against cold. Employers should specify the correct glove type for each task as part of their PPE risk assessment rather than issuing a single general-purpose glove across all roles.
Examples of hand PPE include:
- Cold weather gloves
- Cut resistant gloves
- Disposable gloves
- Electrical resistant gloves
- Heat resistant gloves
- Impact resistant gloves
- Vibration resistant gloves
- Welding gloves
As with other types of warehouse PPE, there is a wide variety of safety gloves that can be worn by warehouse workers. All gloves have a different level of abrasion protection, as well as various other properties geared for specific environments and usage applications.
Warehouse PPE FAQs
Still have some questions about PPE for warehouses? We’ve answered some of the most popular queries below.
What PPE Is Required In A Warehouse?
Warehouses typically require a core set of PPE depending on the tasks being carried out. This includes safety footwear (steel or composite toecap), high-visibility vests or jackets, hard hats in areas with overhead work or moving plant, gloves suited to manual handling and safety glasses where there is a risk of flying debris. Hearing protection may also be required in noisy environments. Employers must assess each area of the warehouse and provide appropriate PPE at no cost to the worker.
Is PPE A Legal Requirement In Warehouses?
Yes. Under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, employers are legally required to provide suitable PPE wherever there is a risk to health and safety that cannot be adequately controlled by other means. PPE should be treated as a last line of defence, used alongside engineering controls and safe systems of work. Failure to provide appropriate PPE can result in enforcement action from the Health and Safety Executive.
What Footwear Is Required For Warehouse Work?
Safety footwear is one of the most important items of PPE in a warehouse environment. Steel or composite toecap boots protect against falling or rolling objects, while slip-resistant soles reduce the risk of trips and falls on wet or uneven surfaces. Anti-static footwear may be required in environments where flammable materials are stored. Footwear should meet the EN ISO 20345 standard as a minimum and be inspected regularly for wear or damage.
Do Warehouse Workers Need To Wear High Visibility Clothing?
High-visibility clothing is required wherever pedestrians share space with moving vehicles such as forklifts, pallet trucks, or delivery vehicles. It significantly reduces the risk of workers being struck in areas of low light or heavy activity. Hi-vis vests and jackets should comply with EN ISO 20471 and the appropriate class of garment should be selected based on the level of risk. It is the employer’s responsibility to assess which areas of the warehouse require hi-vis to be worn.
What Gloves Should Warehouse Workers Use?
The right gloves for warehouse workers depend on the specific task. Cut-resistant gloves are suited to handling sharp-edged materials or packaging, while general-purpose handling gloves provide grip and protect against abrasion during manual handling. Anti-vibration gloves may be needed for workers using power tools or machinery. Gloves should meet the relevant EN standards for their intended use and be replaced when damaged or worn. Employers should specify the correct glove type as part of their PPE risk assessment.
What PPE Is Needed When Working At Height In A Warehouse?
Working at height in a warehouse, such as on mezzanine floors, racking access platforms, or pickers, requires fall protection equipment in addition to standard warehouse PPE. This may include safety harnesses, lanyards and inertia reels where fall arrest systems are in use, along with hard hats to protect against falling objects. Equipment must comply with EN 361 (full body harnesses) and EN 355 (energy absorbers) and be inspected before each use in line with EN 365.
How Often Should Warehouse PPE Be Inspected?
PPE should be inspected before each use and formally examined at regular intervals in line with the manufacturer’s guidance and relevant standards. Under EN 365, fall protection equipment must be inspected by a competent person at least annually, with records kept for each item. Safety footwear, gloves and hi-vis clothing should be visually checked for damage, deterioration or excessive wear. Any PPE that fails inspection must be withdrawn from use immediately and replaced.
Metreel – Manual Handling Equipment For Safer Warehouses
Now that your workers have been kitted out with some of our most recommended items of PPE for warehouse environments, it’s time to equip them with the right material handling solutions. With manual handling injuries being some of the most common injury types within a warehouse setting, there’s never been a better time to protect your team.
Metreel is a leading UK manufacturer and installer of manual handling equipment including Jib Cranes, Workstation Cranes, Track Systems, Gantry Cranes, Monorails and Hoists, Balancers & Winches.
Click on any of the above product categories to learn more about how material handling equipment can make your workplace safer while improving productivity for your business.
Or, head over to our product brochure page to discover our full range of industrial solutions.
If you’re ready to place an order or have any questions, please give us a call on 0115 647 0451 or email us at [email protected].