Can Your Employer Force You to Work Without PPE?

If your employer is instructing you to work without the necessary PPE (personal protective equipment) that your job requires, then you may be entitled to refuse to perform that job until you are provided with the necessary equipment to do it safely. 

If your employer fails to provide the required PPE and still instructs you to perform the task, your employer may be breaching their duty to provide a safe place of work and you may be entitled to resign and claim constructive dismissal- and you may be entitled to compensation.

Some jobs naturally involve a certain level of risk, so it’s not that you can refuse to perform any job simply because you believe there’s some danger involved. But you are entitled to refuse to perform certain tasks if you genuinely believe your health/safety is at risk, particularly if your employer fails to provide the necessary PPE. 

Steps you should take: 

1. Raise the issue in writing. Tell your employer that the job/task requires certain PPE and to perform the task without it would expose you to significant health and safety risk.

2. Request that your employer fix the issue. Ask to be provided with the necessary PPE to perform the task.

3. State the consequence. Inform your employer that if you are not provided with the necessary PPE and you are forced to perform the task, you may have no choice but to consider yourself constructively dismissed. 

And if you resign and claim constructive dismissal because your employer failed to provide the necessary PPE, you may be entitled to compensation.

You should always seek proper advice before refusing to work or resigning your job.

If you must refuse to work immediately for your own safety, seek advice as soon as possible so you can be properly guided on what steps you should take next.

Additionally, if you request PPE and your employer fails to provide it, and you suffer an injury as a result, you may be entitled to compensation for the injury suffered.