PPEare

PPEare is a term used in safety studies to refer to an integrated approach to personal protective equipment (PPE) and human factors. The term combines PPE with “are” as a linguistic stand-in for awareness, resilience, and ethics, emphasizing PPE as an active participant in work practices rather than a passive barrier.

Origin and concept: PPEare arose in theoretical discussions about how PPE design, usability, and organizational culture interact to influence compliance, risk perception, and performance. It treats PPE as a socio-technical artifact that must fit user needs, workflows, and communication channels.

Core components: ergonomic fit, visibility of status (e.g., indicators of integrity), ease of donning and doffing, and compatibility with other equipment. It also encompasses training, risk communication, procurement policies, and supply-chain resilience to ensure consistent availability.

Applications: used in case-study analyses of healthcare, industrial, and laboratory settings to illustrate how PPE adoption can be improved by considering user experience and organizational support. It serves as a framework in design recommendations, policy discussions, and safety culture initiatives.

Criticisms: some critics argue that PPEare risks shifting responsibility from organizations to individuals and may oversimplify systemic supply issues. Proponents counter that the framework highlights practical factors that affect real-world PPE use.

See also: personal protective equipment, human factors, safety culture, risk communication, ergonomics.