• Employers must conduct a walk-through survey of the workplace to identify safety hazards and determine what PPE is needed.
• Employers must document in writing the results of the hazard assessment.
• OSHA’s Hazard Assessment requirements at 1910.132(d) do not cover electrical or respiratory protective equipment; those are referenced in other sections of the 1910.

Employers must assess the workplace to determine whether hazards are present that require the use of eye, face, head, foot, hand, or personal fall protection.

OSHA requires employers to conduct a walk-through survey of the workplace to identify potential hazards. These may include:

• Sources of motion,
• High-temperature hazards,
• Chemical exposures,
• Harmful dusts or light radiation,
• Falling objects or the potential for dropped objects,
• Sharp, rolling, or pinching hazards that could cause cuts, punctures, or crushing injuries,
• Workplace layout and the proximity of other employees, and
• Electrical hazards.

Following the survey, employers should analyze the identified hazards to support the selection of appropriate PPE. The analysis should consider the likelihood and severity of potential injuries as well as the possibility of exposure to multiple hazards at the same time.

What documentation is required for a hazard assessment?

Employers must verify that the assessment has been completed through a written certification that includes:

• The workplace evaluated,
• The person certifying that the assessment was performed,
• The date of the assessment, and
• A statement identifying the document as a certification of hazard assessment.

If hazards requiring PPE are identified, employers must select appropriate equipment and communicate those selection decisions to affected employees.

Are there exceptions to the hazard assessment requirement?

The hazard assessment requirements in 1910.132(d) do not apply to respiratory protection (1910.134) or electrical protective equipment (1910.137). Employers should refer to those standards for requirements related to hazard evaluation, equipment selection, and employee protection.