The Department of Transportation (DOT) mandates specific personal protective equipment (PPE) for paving operations to ensure worker safety and regulatory compliance. This includes high-visibility apparel, safety footwear, and respiratory protection where applicable. [1]

High-Visibility Apparel: During daylight hours, employees working near moving vehicles must wear high-visibility safety vests, shirts, or jackets in fluorescent yellow-green, fluorescent orange-red, or fluorescent red. These garments must be worn as outer layers. During hours of darkness, employees must wear high-visibility safety vests, shirts, or jackets that meet ANSI/ISEA 107-1999 Class 2 specifications, providing 360 degrees of visibility. [3] [3]

Safety Footwear: Employees must wear shoes that meet foot protection requirements. Protective footwear should be sturdy with nonskid soles. Steel-toed or non-metallic safety-toed footwear is required to resist impact where there is a crushing hazard. In areas with puncture risks, shoes with flexible metal soles or inner shoes should be used. Appropriate chemical-resistant boots should be worn when working in areas with chemical or corrosive exposures. [1] [6] [6] [6] [6]

Respiratory Protection: Respiratory protection is required when there is a potential for inhalation of hazardous substances. A written respiratory protection program compliant with 29 CFR 1910.134 must be in place, including medical evaluations, fit testing, and air quality monitoring. Employees must be trained on the written program and the proper use and care of respirators. [2] [4] [4] [4]

General PPE Requirements: Employers must conduct a hazard assessment to identify and control physical and health hazards before using PPE. Engineering and administrative controls should be applied before relying on PPE. Employees must be trained on the use and limitations of PPE, and supervisors must enforce its use. PPE should be regularly inspected and maintained, with worn or damaged PPE replaced promptly. [5] [5] [5] [5] [5] [5]