What is Protective Clothing

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) refers to protective clothing, helmets, goggles etc... to protect the persons body or clothing from personal injury by hazards, heat, chemicals, and infection, for job-related occupational safety and health purposes and in sports.

Protective clothing can also be used to protect the working environment from pesticide application, pollution or infection from the worker.

Protective clothing is also worn for contact sports, such as ice hockey, rugby union, rugby league and American football.

In British legislation the term Personal Protective Equipment does not cover items such as Armour.

The terms 'protective gear' and 'protective clothing' are in many cases interchangeable; 'protective clothing' is applied to traditional categories of clothing, and 'gear' is a more general term and preferably means uniquely protective categories, such as pads, guards, shields, masks, etc.