1. (1) Employers must provide the protective equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE), used to comply with this part, at no cost to employees, except at provided by subsections (2) through (6) of this section.
2. (2) Employers are not required to pay for nonspecialty safety-toe protective footwear (including steel-toe shoes or steel-toe boots) and nonspecialty prescription safety eyewear, provided that the employer permit such items to be worn off the job site.
3. (3) Employers are not required to reimburse the employee for shoes or boots when the employer provides metatarsal guards and allow the employee, at their request, to use shoes or boots with built-in metatarsal protection.

4. (4) Employers are not required to pay for:

   1. (a) Everyday clothing, such as long-sleeve shirts, long pants, street shoes, and normal work boots; or
   2. (b) Ordinary clothing, skin creams, or other items, used solely for protection from the weather, such as winter coats, jackets, gloves, parkas, rubber boots, hats, raincoats, ordinary sunglasses, and sunscreen.
5. (5) Employers must pay for replacement PPE, except when the employee has lost or intentionally damaged the PPE.
6. (6) Employers may allow employees to use protective equipment purchased and owned by the employee if it is adequate, and employers are not required to reimburse the employee for that equipment. Employers must not require an employee to provide or pay for their own PPE, unless the PPE is excepted by subsections (2) through (6) of this section.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060, 70.54.480, and chapter 49.17 RCW. WSR 26-07-053, s 296-56-60116, filed 3/17/26, effective 4/20/26. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 15-24-102, § 296-56-60116, filed 12/1/15, effective 1/5/16; WSR 09-05-071, § 296-56-60116, filed 2/17/09, effective 4/1/09.]