Your personal protection equipment (PPE) keeps you safe. And in return, you should take care of it too.

Properly maintaining your PPE isn’t just about being neat and tidy. It will extend its usable life, allow it to function optimally, and ensure that you get all the protection you need.

The exact steps needed to keep your PPE in tip-top shape will depend on the type of safety gear you’re using. The procedure for storing a safety harness, for instance, is different than the one you should follow when putting away your hard hat.

That being said, there are some basic guidelines every worker should know and follow. Here are some of them.

Make Sure Your PPE Is Stored Properly

The way you store your PPE has a significant influence over how long it will last.

Certain environmental factors can degrade your safety gear’s materials. To prevent this, always store your PPE in a spot where it won’t be exposed to:

  • Direct sunlight
  • Chemical products
  • Humidity
  • Excess heat or cold

All PPE and protective clothing should be stored dry. If an item’s been worn in the rain or otherwise got wet, hang it to dry before putting it away.

Safety glasses should be kept in a storage case, a box, or in a locker. This will prevent them from getting scratched and scuffed, which can significantly extend their usable life.

Clean and Disinfect Your PPE

Your PPE can get covered in all sorts of stuff over the course of a workday.

Depending on the type of work you do, you might get dust, chemical liquids and powders, grease, or blood on your safety gear.

PPE is meant to protect you, but contaminated PPE is a hazard in itself. While it can be tempting to save time by just storing the dirty PPE and calling it a day, you should always cleaned and disinfected it before the end of your shift.

Launder Your Safety Apparel According to the Manufacturer’s Specifications

Keeping your protective clothing clean is essential to ensure its proper functioning. A high-visibility jacket that’s speckled in mud from yesterday’s shift won’t keep you safe and conspicuous, for instance.

But specialized safety clothing often comes with specialized washing instructions that should be followed to the letter. Just throwing it in with the rest of the wash isn’t the right approach.

Flame-resistant apparel, for example, should never be cleaned with fabric softener, since it can adhere to the material and compromise its ability to snuff out flames.

Likewise, high-visibility apparel can wear down, degrade, and cease working as intended if washed too aggressively. Hi-vis gear should only be washed with a mild detergent, ideally on a gentle cycle with cold water.

If you’re not sure how to launder your safety gear, or you’ve forgotten some of the details, check the label for instructions. If the label has faded or the instructions are unclear, consult the manufacturer.

Inspect Your PPE Before Putting It Away

You already inspected your PPE before putting it on. But you should also give it a quick check before storing it. That way, if you catch any damage or defect, you’ll have time to replace it before it’s needed again.

Take Expiration Dates Seriously

If there’s an end of use date on any of your PPE, retire it from service by that day.

Even if you take great care of your safety gear and it still looks like it’s in good shape, there’s no way to guarantee it will give you full protection and keep you safe once that date has passed.

Keep Your PPE in Top Shape

Cleaning and storing your PPE might not seem like a big deal, but it really is. It goes a long way to extending its life. More importantly, it ensures that it will continue to provide all the protection it promises.

Take care of your PPE, and it will take care of you in return.