Why PPE Isn’t Just a Cost of Doing Business

PPE Is Job Specific

Let’s start with a bold but important truth: PPE is NOT just a cost of doing business. This is a misconception that many adjusters have. Hearing this statement affects contractors, estimators, and even some safety program administrators, but it’s worth correcting.

The use of PPE goes far beyond a simple line item in Xactimate. It’s not a fixed utility like electricity or a recurring expense like office rent. Instead, PPE is an operational necessity that must be determined based on the hazards of a specific job.

Here’s the process. A competent or qualified person must:

1. Assess the job site.
2. Identify specific hazards.
3. Match PPE to the level of risk.
4. Complete a Hazard Assessment.
   

That’s what makes it job specific. If you’re using the same PPE for every project without evaluating the environment, you’re doing it wrong, and potentially endangering your crew.

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Why This Distinction Matters

Adjusters may treat PPE as a cost of doing business in order to deny payment. But contractors should not let getting paid for a task determine if they will do it. This would lead to poor purchasing decisions, improper protection, and less profitable projects. It also sends the wrong message to your team: that PPE is generic and interchangeable. But it’s not.

Proper PPE is customized based on the presence of specific risks, which can range from airborne contaminants to biohazards, slip, trip and fall hazards to potential allergens and sharp materials. That means the type and cost of the PPE will fluctuate to reflect real-world job conditions, and not arbitrary cost-cutting decisions.

Adjusters that lump PPE into general overhead either underestimate the risk or just are misinformed as to what “cost of doing business” is. Both scenarios are problematic.

Suits, Respirators, Gloves, Oh My!

Now let’s talk specifics.

Just thinking about the number of PPE options out there can be overwhelming – and that’s the point. It’s not just about having PPE. It’s about having the right PPE.

Coveralls:

You’ve got options from manufacturers like Lakeland, Tyvek, and Kimberly-Clark. But even within those brands, there are dozens of variations – suits rated for chemical splash, particulate protection, or full-body hazardous containment. Then there’s sizing: M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL… All with different price points.

Research and stock coveralls that will protect your techs from the various risks they will face. If you remediate fire damage or asbestos projects, look for PPE that provides full body protection from microparticles. If you restore water damaged projects that may be contaminated, research the permeation ratings for the coveralls.

Respirators:

Full-face or half-face? Reusable or disposable? And let’s not forget about cartridges: P100, organic vapor, acid gas, formaldehyde – each color-coded, each specialized for a different hazard. If you don’t know the air quality and chemical exposure risk, how can you possibly assign the right respirator?

Also, employees must research what OSHA says regarding what respiratory protection may be necessary, what the permissible exposure limits for your respirators are, what facial hair is allowed, etc. 

Gloves:

You may need cut-resistant gloves for demolition, chemical-resistant gloves for decontamination, or extra-thick nitrile gloves for mold remediation. Each type offers different protection levels and, again, a different ppe cost. Some PPE is included in the WRT (or HMR) PPE line items. Look at the material components to know if you need to be charging for additional PPE.

Footwear & Eye Protection:

From steel-toe boots to anti-slip chemical-resistant soles, or from simple safety glasses to sealed goggles with splash protection, PPE is your frontline defense, and it must be customized. OSHA has standards on what foot protection is permissible on a work site.

Feeling overwhelmed by the options? Check our course calendar for the next IICRC HST class to learn how to choose the right PPE for every jobsite.

Real-World Scenarios: One Job, Many Hazards

Let’s say you get a call for a fire restoration project. Sounds simple enough, until you hear the backstory.

The property owner had a breakdown, potentially used drugs, and then set the home on fire after a domestic crisis. Now you’re not just cleaning up particles of incomplete combustion, but walking into a site with:

• Potential biohazards (bloodborne pathogens),
  
• Contaminants from chemical exposure or potential carcinogens from particles of incomplete combustion,
  
• Possible tear gas or other law enforcement residue,
  
• Maybe even sharps or drug paraphernalia left behind.
  

So what PPE do you need? Definitely not the standard PPE.

This job requires multiple levels of protection, all determined by the hazards on-site. But some things to consider are, having respirators suited for the potential risk on site, having gloves that protect against puncture and chemical infiltration and having coveralls rated for both chemical and biological risks.

And here’s the key: You won’t be able to determine what PPE is necessary until you are onsite.

That’s the definition of job-specific. And that’s why PPE isn’t just a general business cost.

The Danger of the “One-Size-Fits-All” Mentality

When companies treat PPE as a fixed overhead cost, it leads to real consequences:

• Under-protection: Using the wrong PPE for the potential hazards found onsite.
  
• Using PPE without compensation: Using PPE but not billing accurately might include using a formula to calculate what was used instead of billing for what was actually used. Or not providing the adjuster with justification for the PPE that was used.
  
• Compliance issues: Failing to meet OSHA standards.
  
• Injury risk: Workers getting sick or hurt because the PPE wasn’t job appropriate.
  

If you’re serious about safety and compliance, you can’t afford to treat PPE generically.

What the Regulations Say

OSHA requires that employers perform a hazard assessment before assigning PPE. You’re legally obligated to identify the potential dangers and then provide equipment specifically suited to those risks.

The idea that PPE is simply a fixed cost of doing business isn’t just inaccurate; it can lead to compliance issues and put your team at risk.

Once again, the ppe business meaning is clear: hazard-specific gear, chosen after evaluation, not before.

So, What Should You Do Instead?

1. Build PPE costs into your job estimates. It is a job specific cost, not overhead. Use the correct Xactimate line items when billing for your PPE.
   
2. Educate your team on why PPE is project-specific.
   
3. Audit your PPE inventory regularly to ensure it matches current jobsite hazards.
   
4. Document your hazard assessments for OSHA compliance.
   

Conclusion: PPE Is Risk-Responsive, Not Routine

PPE protects lives. That’s not something to take lightly—or treat generically. The more we understand the nuance of what PPE is and how it should be deployed, the better decisions we’ll make for our teams, our budgets, and our compliance efforts.

So the next time someone asks, “Is PPE just a cost of doing business?”—you’ll know how to answer.

It’s not. It’s a calculated safety decision, made job by job.

Keep your team safe and your company OSHA compliant with the Safety Management System on ReetsTV.