Engineering English
Personal Protective Equipment
Engineering Safety · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: Clothing and devices worn by a worker to reduce exposure to a hazard when other measures cannot lower the remaining risk sufficiently.
Example in context
“Personal protective equipment is the last line of defence, so each item must fit the wearer and be inspected before every use.”
“Kişisel koruyucu donanım son savunma hattıdır; bu nedenle her ekipman kullanıcıya uymalı ve her kullanımdan önce kontrol edilmelidir.”
Where engineers use it
Personal protective equipment is selected after the risk assessment, specified in permits and procedures, and supported by fit testing, storage, maintenance and training; engineers must justify why higher-level controls could not remove the exposure.
Synonyms: PPE
Practice: can you use “Personal Protective Equipment” at work?
A team will handle hot caustic solution in an open vessel. Specify the personal protective equipment required and explain the protection each item provides.
Show a model answer
“Choose personal protective equipment only after other controls have been applied.”
“Personal Protective Equipment” in 21 languages
| English | Personal Protective Equipment |
|---|---|
| Turkish | Kişisel Koruyucu Donanım |
| French | Équipement de protection individuelle |
| German | Persönliche Schutzausrüstung |
| Spanish | Equipo de protección personal |
| Chinese | 个人防护装备 |
| Arabic | معدات الحماية الشخصية |
| Portuguese | Equipamento de proteção individual |
| Russian | Средства индивидуальной защиты |
| Japanese | 個人用保護具 |
| Italian | Dispositivi di protezione individuale |
| Vietnamese | Phương tiện bảo vệ cá nhân |
| Hindi | व्यक्तिगत सुरक्षा उपकरण |
| Thai | อุปกรณ์ป้องกันอันตรายส่วนบุคคล |
| Indonesian | Alat pelindung diri |
| Korean | 개인보호구 |
| Bengali | ব্যক্তিগত সুরক্ষা সরঞ্জাম |
| Dutch | Persoonlijke beschermingsmiddelen |
| Swedish | Personlig skyddsutrustning |
| Finnish | Henkilönsuojaimet |
| Ukrainian | Засоби індивідуального захисту |
Frequently asked questions
What does Personal Protective Equipment mean in engineering?
Clothing and devices worn by a worker to reduce exposure to a hazard when other measures cannot lower the remaining risk sufficiently. In Engineering Safety, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Personal Protective Equipment?
Personal Protective Equipment is pronounced /ˈpɜːsənəl prəˈtektɪv ɪˈkwɪpmənt/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Personal Protective Equipment used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “Personal protective equipment is the last line of defence, so each item must fit the wearer and be inspected before every use.”
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