Gear up with these personal protective equipment reports

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is required in many different occupations and jobs. This strong demand has allowed the PPE to grow larger in recent years.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to any gear or clothing that's designed to protect the wearer from injury or disease. Common examples include the steel-toed boots, gloves, hard hats, respirator, googles, safety glasses and ear plugs.

It's a little-known fact that current federal laws require employers to pay for the PPE of their employees. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces this rule, meaning that employers who fail to provide or otherwise pay for their employees' PPE could be cited or face other penalties. And because it's a requirement, there's a strong, ever-growing demand for PPE.

According to the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - Global Market Outlook (2015-2022) report by Market Reports Center, the global PPE market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.24% through 2022. To put that number into perspective, the market is currently valued at $38.53 billion. Assuming it grows at the projected CAGR, it will nearly double to $68.86 billion by 2022.

Not surprisingly, the report cites government regulations and federal laws as fueling the PPE market's growth. Also fueling its growth, however, is the increased awareness surrounding worker safety.

But there are some restraints to the global PPE market, including limited availability of raw materials and a high cost of associated with PPE. PPE must be designed using strict specifications to ensure the protection and safety of the wearer. These specifications increase the production cost of PPE, which in turn increases the price for the end consumer.

This report projects the healthcare segment to experience the fastest growth in the PPE market, due primarily to the launch of new PPE products.

The Global Respiratory Protection Equipment (RPE) Market 2015-2019 report by Big Market Research is a second comprehensive report on the PPE market, although it focuses specifically on respiratory PPE, known as RPE. As explained by the study's authors, RPE is used in many different commercial and industrial sectors to protect workers from contaminants, harmful gasses, and other respiratory hazards. Covering the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions, this report provides an in-depth look into the RPE market, including both current and projected scenarios for the market.

Some of the leading RPE vendors profiled in this report include Avon Protection Systems, Bullard Group, Honeywell International, MSA Safety, Alpha Pro Tech, Ansell, Bulwark Protective Apparel, Drägerwerk, Dynamic Safety International, Gentex, Grolls, Gurit, Intech Safety, International Enviroguard, Jayco Safety Products, Kimberly-Clark Professional, Moldex-Metric, Ocenco, RPB Safety.