personal protective equipment

noun

variants or less commonly personal protection equipment

: protective devices, garments, or coverings (such as respirators, helmets, face shields, boots, or gloves) that are worn especially by workers to minimize exposure to hazards that may cause injury or illness

Additional funds of $1,000 from the federal grant are also available to help train firefighters up to the National Firefighter Protection Association standard. … Equipment to be purchased includes 74 complete sets of personal protective equipment which include boots, gloves, helmets, pants, coats, hoods and traffic safety vests.

—Will James et al.

Part of the grant will be used for training in the use of personal protective equipment, for use by officers in the event of a chemical- or oil-related incident.

—Rich Hewitt

While the global plastic waste problem has long been out of control, Covid-19 has intensified our use of single-use plastics, pushing the issue to new heights. The waste includes test kits and personal protection equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves, the vast majority of which comes from hospitals, rather than individual use.

—Victoria Burrows

—abbreviation PPE

Examples of personal protective equipment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For governments, this means ordering vaccine supplies and stocking up on personal protective equipment. —Katherine Hignett, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024

Although dozens of cows were sick, and their owner expected that number to climb, none of the farm’s workers wore personal protective equipment and vehicles from off site were let in and out with nary a hint of concern. —Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2024

State public health officials recommended personal protective equipment for those who are working with animals or materials that may be infected with the bird flu virus, like face shields or safety goggles for eye protection, N95 masks and gloves. —Nollyanne Delacruz, The Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2024

There is also the use of gowns and gloves, when necessary, to make sure that if one patient has a transmittable condition, that pathway is interrupted by health care workers wearing the right PPE, or personal protective equipment. —Discover Magazine, 2 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

personal protective equipment

noun

variants also personal protection equipment

: protective devices, garments, or coverings (such as respirators, face shields, or gloves) that are worn especially by workers to minimize exposure to hazards that may cause injury or illness

Personal protective equipment should be simple to remove after use without contaminating the user. … It should be disposable whenever possible and disposed of appropriately, immediately after removal.

—T. M. Cook, Anaesthesia

In the attempt to prevent the spread of a viral infection to and from healthcare workers, the health community generally relies on the efficacy of personal protective equipment (PPE): gloves, masks, respirators, goggles, face shields, and gowns.

—Ivo Boškoski et al., Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

—abbreviation PPE