Can Employees Refuse to Wear PPE During Hot Weather?

by

Published: August 2026
Reading Time: 6–8 minutes
Suitable for: Employers, Managers and Employees
Topics: PPE, Heat Stress, Occupational Health, Risk Assessment

At a glance

Remember these key points:

  • PPE is often the last line of defence against workplace hazards

  • Employees should not remove required PPE simply because it is uncomfortable

  • Employers should consider alternative ways to reduce heat stress before reducing protection

  • Heatwaves may require work schedules and control measures to be reviewed

  • Protecting employees from heat and workplace hazards should go hand in hand

Why this matters

As the UK continues to experience periods of exceptionally hot weather, many employers are being challenged by the same question:

“It’s too hot to wear this PPE—can I take it off?”

It’s easy to understand why employees may feel uncomfortable wearing hard hats, gloves, high-visibility clothing, respiratory protection or other personal protective equipment (PPE) during a heatwave. However, removing PPE without considering the risks could expose workers to far greater dangers than the heat itself.

Employers have a legal duty to protect employees from both workplace hazards and the effects of excessive heat. The challenge is finding the safest balance between the two.

Can employees refuse to wear PPE?

In most cases, no.

Where PPE has been identified as a necessary control measure through a risk assessment, employees are expected to use it correctly.

Under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 2022, employees have duties to:

  • Use PPE in accordance with the training and instructions provided
  • Take reasonable care of the equipment
  • Report any loss, damage or defects

Simply feeling uncomfortable or too warm does not automatically justify removing PPE if doing so would expose the employee to a greater risk of injury or ill health.

However, that doesn’t mean employers should ignore concerns about heat.

PPE should be the last line of defence

One of the key principles of health and safety is the Hierarchy of Control.

Before relying on PPE, employers should always ask whether the hazard can be:

  • Eliminated
  • Substituted with something less hazardous
  • Controlled using engineering measures
  • Managed through safe systems of work or administrative controls

PPE should be used when the remaining risks cannot be adequately controlled by other means.

This is important because PPE protects the individual—it doesn’t remove the hazard itself.

Managing heat without removing protection

If PPE is essential, employers should look for other ways to reduce the effects of hot weather.

Practical measures may include:

  • Scheduling physically demanding work during cooler parts of the day
  • Increasing the frequency of rest breaks
  • Providing shaded or air-conditioned rest areas
  • Ensuring drinking water is readily available
  • Rotating employees between tasks where appropriate
  • Using lighter-weight PPE where it provides the same level of protection
  • Monitoring employees for signs of heat exhaustion or heatstroke

These measures allow employees to remain protected from workplace hazards while reducing the risk of heat-related illness.

When should PPE be reviewed?

Heatwaves can highlight that existing control measures are no longer the most suitable option.

For example, employers may wish to consider:

  • Whether alternative PPE offers the same protection with improved comfort
  • Whether work can be postponed until temperatures reduce
  • Whether mechanical handling equipment could replace manual tasks
  • Whether additional ventilation or cooling can be introduced
  • Whether vulnerable employees require additional support

The aim should never be to remove essential protection simply because it is uncomfortable, but to find safer ways of carrying out the work.

What does the law say?

Several pieces of legislation apply to PPE and hot weather working, including:

Employers must assess workplace risks and provide suitable PPE where it is required. Employees must use the PPE provided in accordance with the information, instruction and training they have received.

Where high temperatures create additional risks, employers should review their existing control measures and take reasonably practicable steps to protect employees from heat-related illness.

Related resources

E-learning

Need more help?

Your Harwood Health & Safety Portal contains practical guidance to help you manage PPE effectively throughout the year, including during periods of extreme weather.

Explore the related documents, e-learning courses and toolbox talks listed above to help ensure your employees understand why PPE is important, how to wear it correctly and what additional measures can be introduced when working conditions become more challenging.