PPE Head to Toe

29 CFR 1926.95 · 29 CFR 1926.100 · 29 CFR 1926.102 · This talk in Spanish

Why it matters

PPE is the last line of defense, not the first. Eye and face protection in construction was the ninth most cited OSHA standard in fiscal year 2025. Today we check what everyone has, what condition it is in, and what today's tasks actually require.

Hazards

⚠ Head injuries from falling tools and materials
⚠ Eye injuries from cutting, grinding, nailing, and chemical splash
⚠ Hearing loss from saws, generators, and equipment that builds up over years
⚠ Hand injuries from blades, rebar, hot work, and chemicals
⚠ Foot injuries from dropped materials and puncture through soles
⚠ Cracked, expired, or modified PPE that fails when needed

Controls and safe practices

✓ Hard hats on where overhead work or material handling is happening. Inspect the shell and suspension.
✓ Safety glasses as a minimum for everyone; face shield over them for grinding and cutting.
✓ Hearing protection where you must raise your voice to be heard at arm’s length.
✓ Match the glove to the task: cut-resistant for blades and metal, chemical-resistant for solvents.
✓ Safety-toe boots with puncture-resistant soles on active sites.
✓ Replace PPE that is cracked, expired, or has taken an impact. It is cheaper than the injury.

What the OSHA standard says

Exact words from the official text, with a link to each paragraph.

“Employers must ensure that all personal protective equipment: (1) Is of safe design and construction for the work to be performed; and (2) Is selected to ensure that it properly fits each affected employee.”

29 CFR 1926.95(c)

“The employer must pay for replacement PPE, except when the employee has lost or intentionally damaged the PPE.”

29 CFR 1926.95(d)(5)

“Employees working in areas where there is a possible danger of head injury from impact, or from falling or flying objects, or from electrical shock and burns, shall be protected by protective helmets.”

29 CFR 1926.100(a)

“The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses eye protection that provides side protection when there is a hazard from flying objects.”

29 CFR 1926.102(a)(2)

By the numbers

Eye and Face Protection in construction (29 CFR 1926.102) was number 9 on OSHA's list of the 10 most cited standards for fiscal year 2025. (OSHA, Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards, Fiscal Year 2025)

Site check before the talk

Walk the site and tick each line. Each line comes from the text quoted above.

☐Pick PPE that is built safely for the work you are doing. (29 CFR 1926.95(c))
☐Make sure each worker's PPE fits that worker. (29 CFR 1926.95(c))
☐Replace worn out PPE at no cost to the worker, unless it was lost or damaged on purpose. (29 CFR 1926.95(d)(5))
☐Wear a hard hat where things can fall or fly, or where shock and burns can happen. (29 CFR 1926.100(a))
☐Use eye protection with side protection when objects can fly. (29 CFR 1926.102(a)(2))

Quotes checked word for word against the official eCFR text on October 5, 2026. This is a summary for a crew talk, not legal advice; the full official text governs. How we check

Crew discussion questions

What tasks today change the PPE we need beyond the basics?
Whose hard hat, glasses, or gloves are past their service life?
Where are we grinding or cutting today, and are face shields available?
Is there loud work scheduled near quieter trades?

Applicable OSHA standards

29 CFR 1926.95, 29 CFR 1926.100, 29 CFR 1926.102

Download the print-ready PDF with sign-in sheet

Free. We email you the PDF, and that is it.

GC asking for a safety plan?

We generate your site-specific safety plan in under 30 minutes, with every OSHA citation checked against our standards table, and a Spanish version for your crew.

Build your plan for $49

More toolbox talks

Talks by trade

Roofing Electrical HVAC / Mechanical General Contractor All toolbox talks

Safety documents

Site-specific safety plan, $49 JHA, $29 Written safety program, $149