Your PPE hazard assessment. Documented and defensible.
We walk your facility, identify what actually needs protecting, and produce the written certification Cal/OSHA requires — not a generic checklist. Southern California based. We travel.
What usually triggers a new assessment
- No documented assessment on fileNon-compliant now
- New equipment or processReassessment needed
- Injury or near miss involving PPEReassessment needed
- Facility or layout changeReview recommended
What is a PPE hazard assessment?
Cal/OSHA Title 8 Section 3380 requires employers to assess the workplace for hazards that call for personal protective equipment — eye, face, head, hand, foot, and other protection — and select PPE that actually addresses what's present. That assessment isn't a formality: it's the documented reasoning behind every piece of PPE your facility requires, and it's the first thing an inspector will ask to see if PPE use comes into question.
The regulation is specific about what counts. Section 3380(f)(2) requires a written certification — not just a completed assessment, but a document identifying the workplace evaluated, the person who certified it, and the date it was performed, explicitly labeled as a hazard assessment certification. Section 3380(f)(4) separately requires documented employee training on the PPE selected. Many facilities have PPE in use without ever having produced this paperwork — which means the equipment might be right, but the compliance record isn't.
Do you need a new or updated assessment?
Every employer with workplace hazards needs a documented assessment on file — this isn't an industry-specific requirement, it applies broadly. The more common question is whether your existing assessment still holds up. Supervisors are expected to periodically re-evaluate PPE selection in their work areas, not just complete an assessment once and file it away. New equipment, a process change, or a near miss involving PPE are all signals worth acting on rather than waiting for the next scheduled review.
You likely need one if…
- No written certification currently exists
- New equipment or a process change since the last review
- An injury or near miss involved PPE
- It's been years since the last documented assessment
Protection categories we evaluate
Respiratory protection and hearing conservation run under their own separate Cal/OSHA programs and aren't part of a standard PPE hazard assessment — worth flagging if your facility needs those addressed too.
Eye & face protection
Impact, chemical splash, dust, and radiant energy hazards evaluated by task and work area.
Title 8 §3382Head protection
Overhead impact, falling object, and electrical hazards assessed for hard hat requirements.
Title 8 §3380–3385Hand protection
Cut, chemical, thermal, and abrasion hazards matched to glove material and rating.
Title 8 §3380–3385Foot protection
Impact, compression, puncture, and electrical hazards evaluated for footwear requirements.
Title 8 §3380–3385Protective clothing
Chemical, thermal, and cut-resistant clothing needs assessed by process and material handled.
Title 8 §3380–3385Written certification
The document itself — workplace identified, certifier named, dated, and properly labeled.
Title 8 §3380(f)(2)You get the document, not just the walkthrough.
A hazard assessment that isn't documented to the regulation's specifics doesn't actually satisfy it — we build ours to hold up.
Facility walkthroughTask- and area-based hazard identification on site.
Written hazard assessmentDocumented findings by work area and task.
Section 3380(f)(2) certificationProperly labeled, dated, and signed.
PPE selection matrixEquipment matched to hazard, by role and area.
Training documentationSection 3380(f)(4) training records, ready to file.
Re-evaluation scheduleA plan for keeping the assessment current.
How pricing works
Cost scales with facility size and how many distinct work areas and job roles need evaluation. A single work area is a different scope than a multi-department facility with varied PPE needs. Every quote starts with a short facility overview so pricing reflects your actual footprint.
Priced per facility and work area. Can be bundled into a retainer alongside your other Cal/OSHA programs. Get a quote →
Four steps. No guessing.
Facility walkthrough
Every work area and task reviewed on site.
Hazard identification
Findings documented by area, task, and role.
PPE selection & review
Draft assessment comes back to you for sign-off first.
Certify & train
Certification finalized, training rolled out and documented.
Based in Southern California. Not limited to it.
On-site and remote support for high-hazard facilities across the region.
Outside these counties? We travel — ask when you request a quote.
PPE is one piece of a bigger compliance picture.
PPE, RCRA, TRI, AQMD permits, and stormwater don't run on the same calendar. Someone still has to track it all.
One assessment, done
- PPE hazard assessment & certification
- Fixed scope, fixed price
- Good fit for a first-time or catch-up assessment
Compliance-as-a-Service
- Monthly rate, no surprise invoices
- PPE reviewed and re-certified on schedule
- RCRA, TRI, AQMD, and stormwater folded in
- Direct line to an EHS professional
Ongoing EHS partner
- Acts as your outsourced EHS department
- PPE training, audit prep, incident follow-up
- Scoped to your facility's full regulatory footprint
Common questions on PPE hazard assessments
What is a PPE hazard assessment?
A documented evaluation of each work area and task to identify hazards that require personal protective equipment — eye, face, head, hand, foot, and other protection — and to select the PPE that addresses those hazards. Under Title 8 Section 3380, the assessment is the basis for every PPE decision you make afterward.
Is a PPE hazard assessment legally required?
Yes. Section 3380(f)(1) requires California employers to assess the workplace for hazards requiring PPE, and Section 3380(f)(2) requires a written certification — naming the workplace evaluated, the person who certified it, and the date. An informal or undocumented assessment doesn't satisfy the requirement.
What triggers a new or updated assessment?
New equipment or processes, a facility layout change, an injury or near miss involving PPE, or simply no documented assessment currently on file. Supervisors are also expected to periodically re-evaluate PPE selection, even without a specific trigger event.
What happens if I don't have one on file?
An inspector asking for your certification and not finding one is a straightforward citation — the requirement exists specifically so it can be produced on request. Beyond the citation risk, it usually means PPE selection was never formally verified against actual workplace hazards.
Does Plaid Safety serve companies outside Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and Riverside?
Southern California is home base, but we travel for the right project. Reach out regardless of location.
Ready to get your PPE assessment documented?
Send us a description of your facility and operations. We'll tell you what a proper assessment involves and what it costs.
Your PPE hazard assessment. Documented and defensible.
We walk your facility, identify what actually needs protecting, and produce the written certification Cal/OSHA requires — not a generic checklist. Southern California based. We travel.
What usually triggers a new assessment
- No documented assessment on fileNon-compliant now
- New equipment or processReassessment needed
- Injury or near miss involving PPEReassessment needed
- Facility or layout changeReview recommended
What is a PPE hazard assessment?
Cal/OSHA Title 8 Section 3380 requires employers to assess the workplace for hazards that call for personal protective equipment — eye, face, head, hand, foot, and other protection — and select PPE that actually addresses what's present. That assessment isn't a formality: it's the documented reasoning behind every piece of PPE your facility requires, and it's the first thing an inspector will ask to see if PPE use comes into question.
The regulation is specific about what counts. Section 3380(f)(2) requires a written certification — not just a completed assessment, but a document identifying the workplace evaluated, the person who certified it, and the date it was performed, explicitly labeled as a hazard assessment certification. Section 3380(f)(4) separately requires documented employee training on the PPE selected. Many facilities have PPE in use without ever having produced this paperwork — which means the equipment might be right, but the compliance record isn't.
Do you need a new or updated assessment?
Every employer with workplace hazards needs a documented assessment on file — this isn't an industry-specific requirement, it applies broadly. The more common question is whether your existing assessment still holds up. Supervisors are expected to periodically re-evaluate PPE selection in their work areas, not just complete an assessment once and file it away. New equipment, a process change, or a near miss involving PPE are all signals worth acting on rather than waiting for the next scheduled review.
You likely need one if…
- No written certification currently exists
- New equipment or a process change since the last review
- An injury or near miss involved PPE
- It's been years since the last documented assessment
Protection categories we evaluate
Respiratory protection and hearing conservation run under their own separate Cal/OSHA programs and aren't part of a standard PPE hazard assessment — worth flagging if your facility needs those addressed too.
Eye & face protection
Impact, chemical splash, dust, and radiant energy hazards evaluated by task and work area.
Title 8 §3382Head protection
Overhead impact, falling object, and electrical hazards assessed for hard hat requirements.
Title 8 §3380–3385Hand protection
Cut, chemical, thermal, and abrasion hazards matched to glove material and rating.
Title 8 §3380–3385Foot protection
Impact, compression, puncture, and electrical hazards evaluated for footwear requirements.
Title 8 §3380–3385Protective clothing
Chemical, thermal, and cut-resistant clothing needs assessed by process and material handled.
Title 8 §3380–3385Written certification
The document itself — workplace identified, certifier named, dated, and properly labeled.
Title 8 §3380(f)(2)You get the document, not just the walkthrough.
A hazard assessment that isn't documented to the regulation's specifics doesn't actually satisfy it — we build ours to hold up.
Facility walkthroughTask- and area-based hazard identification on site.
Written hazard assessmentDocumented findings by work area and task.
Section 3380(f)(2) certificationProperly labeled, dated, and signed.
PPE selection matrixEquipment matched to hazard, by role and area.
Training documentationSection 3380(f)(4) training records, ready to file.
Re-evaluation scheduleA plan for keeping the assessment current.
How pricing works
Cost scales with facility size and how many distinct work areas and job roles need evaluation. A single work area is a different scope than a multi-department facility with varied PPE needs. Every quote starts with a short facility overview so pricing reflects your actual footprint.
Priced per facility and work area. Can be bundled into a retainer alongside your other Cal/OSHA programs. Get a quote →
Four steps. No guessing.
Facility walkthrough
Every work area and task reviewed on site.
Hazard identification
Findings documented by area, task, and role.
PPE selection & review
Draft assessment comes back to you for sign-off first.
Certify & train
Certification finalized, training rolled out and documented.
Based in Southern California. Not limited to it.
On-site and remote support for high-hazard facilities across the region.
Outside these counties? We travel — ask when you request a quote.
PPE is one piece of a bigger compliance picture.
PPE, RCRA, TRI, AQMD permits, and stormwater don't run on the same calendar. Someone still has to track it all.
One assessment, done
- PPE hazard assessment & certification
- Fixed scope, fixed price
- Good fit for a first-time or catch-up assessment
Compliance-as-a-Service
- Monthly rate, no surprise invoices
- PPE reviewed and re-certified on schedule
- RCRA, TRI, AQMD, and stormwater folded in
- Direct line to an EHS professional
Ongoing EHS partner
- Acts as your outsourced EHS department
- PPE training, audit prep, incident follow-up
- Scoped to your facility's full regulatory footprint
Common questions on PPE hazard assessments
What is a PPE hazard assessment?
A documented evaluation of each work area and task to identify hazards that require personal protective equipment — eye, face, head, hand, foot, and other protection — and to select the PPE that addresses those hazards. Under Title 8 Section 3380, the assessment is the basis for every PPE decision you make afterward.
Is a PPE hazard assessment legally required?
Yes. Section 3380(f)(1) requires California employers to assess the workplace for hazards requiring PPE, and Section 3380(f)(2) requires a written certification — naming the workplace evaluated, the person who certified it, and the date. An informal or undocumented assessment doesn't satisfy the requirement.
What triggers a new or updated assessment?
New equipment or processes, a facility layout change, an injury or near miss involving PPE, or simply no documented assessment currently on file. Supervisors are also expected to periodically re-evaluate PPE selection, even without a specific trigger event.
What happens if I don't have one on file?
An inspector asking for your certification and not finding one is a straightforward citation — the requirement exists specifically so it can be produced on request. Beyond the citation risk, it usually means PPE selection was never formally verified against actual workplace hazards.
Does Plaid Safety serve companies outside Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and Riverside?
Southern California is home base, but we travel for the right project. Reach out regardless of location.
Ready to get your PPE assessment documented?
Send us a description of your facility and operations. We'll tell you what a proper assessment involves and what it costs.