Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the Offshore Industry

Hot work, high-pressure lines, heavy equipment, decks made slick by sea spray—offshore platforms and vessels serve up more ways to get hurt in one shift than most land jobs see in a year. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is the final barrier when engineering controls and safety procedures can’t eliminate the threat. Yet crew members still show up on deck with expired respirator filters, cracked face shields, or rain parkas standing in for flame-resistant gear.

Below is a practical guide—grounded in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and American Petroleum Institute (API) requirements—on what PPE is needed offshore, how it protects workers, and who is responsible for providing it.

Core Types of PPE Every Offshore Worker Needs

PPE generally falls under one of eight primary categories based on the type of protection it offers: head, hearing, face and eye, respiratory, hand and foot, body, drowning, and hypothermia. Working offshore in variable weather conditions, wet environments, and around complex equipment and volatile substances, every single type of PPE is critical.

Head Protection: Hard Hats & Bump Caps

• What It Is: Head protection may come in the form of high-density helmets for open decks and lighter “bump caps” for tight engine spaces.
• Why It Matters: With hard hats, the hard shell disperses impact from falling or swinging objects, while the liner insulates against accidental electrical current (up to 20,000 V, depending on the class). Bump caps prevent lesser impacts and scalp lacerations when crawling under pipe racks on drilling rigs or inside turbine nacelles in offshore wind installations.

Eye & Face Protection: Safety Glasses, Goggles & Face Shields

• What It Is: Safety glasses, goggles, and face shields protect offshore workers from serious eye and face injuries in various environments.
• Why It Matters: Polycarbonate lenses protect against flying metal chips, grit, hydraulic fluid, and ultraviolet welding flash. Depending on the task being performed, workers may need side or full-face shields with anti-fog coatings to maintain clear vision in damp offshore environments.

Hearing Protection: Earplugs & Earmuffs

• What It Is: Disposable earplugs or over-the-head earmuffs offer protection against loud noises that can cause permanent hearing damage.
• Why It Matters: On an offshore rig, diesel engines, pumps, and helicopter rotors can hit noise levels that damage hearing in minutes. Consistent use of hearing protection prevents gradual, irreversible hearing loss.

Respiratory Protection: Masks & Respirators

• What It Is: From simple disposable masks for paint or sanding and half-mask respirators with cartridges for solvents, to full air tanks (SCBA) for rescue work, respiratory protection is critical in many aspects of offshore work.
• Why It Matters: Respiratory protection keeps workers safe from silica dust, paint vapors, and deadly gases or chemicals. One breath of high-concentration hydrogen sulfide, for example, can knock a worker out cold.

Body Protection: Flame-Resistant & High-Visibility Gear

• What It Is: Flame-resistant coveralls offer protection against fires and heat, while high-visibility vests and other clothing make workers visible in low-light conditions.
• Why It Matters: Unlike ordinary cotton, flame-resistant fabrics self-extinguish when the ignition source is removed. They create an insulating char layer that acts as a shield to protect the wearer from heat and severe burns. High-visibility gear can help workers avoid crane, forklift, and other machinery accidents, as well as help in a man-overboard incident.

Fall Protection: Full-Body Harnesses & Lanyards

• What It Is: Full-body harnesses wrap around the shoulders, chest, and thighs, attaching to an energy-absorbing lanyard or retractable line that clips to an anchor point and prevents a worker from falling violently to the ground.
• Why It Matters: Offshore workers may be at risk of slipping from derrick ladders, turbine towers, gangways, or other heights—not only onto decks many feet below, but possibly into the ocean, where drowning and hypothermia are real risks. Proper fall protection can eliminate these hazards.

Hand Protection: Cut & Impact Resistant Gloves

• What It Is: Engineered with Kevlar®, Dyneema®, or steel-mesh fibers, these gloves are designed to resist knife-edge and puncture hazards.
• Why It Matters: When handling winches, ropes, slip joints, or shackle pins, gloves provide critical protection for offshore workers. Proper sizing preserves dexterity while preventing lacerations and hand crush injuries. Gloves can also protect against cold and damp conditions.

Foot Protection: Heavy-Duty Insulated Boots

• What It Is: Designed on oil- and slip-resistant soles, these heavy-duty boots contain steel or composite toe caps plus a rigid guard over the top of the foot.
• Why It Matters: Some level of foot protection is necessary for every type of offshore worker, not only against slippery decks but from dropped objects that could break toes or crush feet.

Drowning Protection: Personal Flotation & Man-Overboard Rescue Devices

• What It Is: Auto-inflating personal flotation devices (PFDs) and lifebuoys can help address man-overboard incidents if they occur.
• Why It Matters: On a drillship or fixed platform, surrounded by water, crew members need a lifeline. A PFD that inflates upon contact with water can keep an unconscious worker’s head above water until help arrives. Integrated lights and AIS beacons can also aid in rescue efforts.

Hypothermia Protection: Survival & Anti-Exposure Suits

• What It Is: Thick neoprene or insulated dry suits with built-in boots and gloves.
• Why It Matters: Survival and anti-exposure suits can extend cold-water survival from minutes to hours, which is critical for workers on platforms and vessels operating in cooler waters. In an emergency evacuation or if a crew member falls overboard, hypothermia protection can make all the difference.

Gas & Atmosphere Monitors: Personal H₂S / O₂ Detectors

• What It Is: This clip-on monitor samples the air continuously and blasts an alarm when hydrogen sulfide rises or oxygen drops.
• Why It Matters: An early warning gives offshore workers precious time to don a respirator or evacuate before toxic gas knocks them out.

Who Pays for Offshore PPE?

OSHA’s PPE standard (29 CFR 1910.132) is blunt: employers must provide and pay for any PPE required by a hazard assessment, with few exceptions (e.g., everyday steel-toe boots). Offshore, SEMS II programs and USCG marine-safety rules echo that mandate. If your employer demands that you buy your own flame-resistant coveralls or supply your own H₂S monitor, they’re likely violating federal law—and jeopardizing everyone on the deck.

Worker Rights & Employer Liability

Under the Jones Act, OCSLA, and general maritime law, crew members who are injured because a company supplied faulty or inadequate PPE can seek financial compensation and other benefits to help them rebuild and move on.

Depending on the case, this may include:

• Maintenance and cure for immediate medical needs
• Lost wages and future earnings
• Damages for pain and suffering
• Punitive damages if the employer’s misconduct was willful or reckless

Safety Is a Culture, Not a Checkbox

PPE is the last barrier—not the only one. Engineering controls, job safety analyses, and stop work authority programs come first. But when the spark flies or the line parts, that hard hat, coverall, or properly fitted harness is the difference between a near-miss and a medevac. Owners who gamble with sub-par gear gamble with people’s lives. That’s why, when a shortcut turns lethal, Arnold & Itkin holds them accountable—no matter what.

To learn more about offshore PPE and your rights if injured, call (888) 346-5024.