Getting Workers to Wear PPE Is a Struggle for Many Employers

J. Keller Survey Reveals Sizing, Heat, and Supply Chain Issues as Key Factors

Over 90% of respondents said they often or sometimes have issues with their employees following proper personal protective equipment (PPE) protocols. This eye-opening statistic was revealed in a recent J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights study on PPE pain points.

Underlying factors that contributed to PPE noncompliance were lack of adequate sizing, heat stress, and supply chain disruptions.

Key Study Findings

34% said they had trouble buying PPE in the sizes they need

35% of respondents struggle to purchase PPE that fits their female employees

71% said they often or sometimes experienced supply chain delays in the past year

90% of respondents have trouble getting their employees to wear their PPE

The PPE Pain Points Study was distributed to over 12,000 contacts in a variety of industries including transportation, manufacturing, and construction. Most respondents (89%) were responsible for purchasing PPE and work for companies with less than 500 employees.

“While our respondents are clearly committed to prioritizing employee safety, their employees resist wearing the PPE they need because it’s hot, it makes it harder to do their job, or they just aren’t interested in doing so,” said Christy Panagakis, J. J. Keller senior customer & market insights analyst. “When PPE doesn’t fit properly, or they’re unable to get the PPE they need due to supply chain issues, that only compounds the challenges safety managers face.”

Among the open-ended comments from respondents, finding comfortable PPE for employees emerged as a common theme as well, with responses indicating the PPE needs to be comfortable enough for employees to wear all day.

For a detailed report of the study, visit JJKeller.com/ppepainpoints.

J. Keller & Center for Market Insights

The J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights is the collaborative research arm of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. The center originated in 2019 with a focus on sharing, with the public, trends and insights from an abundance of safety and compliance data gathered by J. J. Keller over decades serving more than 700,000 customers across the United States. Through historical data, new proprietary studies and partnerships with reputable, research-focused third-party organizations, the center publishes ongoing reports to spur discussion and advancements in safe, respectful workplaces, job sites and highways. To contact the J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights, contact sbaranczyk@jjkeller.com.

J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

Since we began as a family-owned company in 1953, our purpose at J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. has been to protect people and the businesses they run. Today, serving 500,000+ companies across North America, our associates are proud to make a larger impact than ever. Transportation, construction and industrial organizations of all sizes rely on our expert insights to help create safe work environments and simplify complex government regulations. They trust in our comprehensive portfolio of solutions, including cloud-based management tools, training, consulting, professional services, publications, forms, PPE and safety supplies.

Safety professionals rely on J. J. Keller’s experts, products and services to reduce risk and improve regulatory compliance, performance management, and operational efficiency. For more information, visit JJKeller.com.