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J. J. Keller and ISEA Release Results of Third Annual Study of PPE Pain Points

Data Reveals PPE Management Is Generally Strong, Yet Compliance Issues Persist

For immediate release (March 12, 2025)

Neenah, WI and ARLINGTON, VA - J. J. Keller & Associate, Inc., a leading provider of safety and compliance solutions, and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) recently joined forces to conduct a comprehensive study on top challenges when it comes to managing PPE procurement and proper usage. The results of the study, titled "2025 PPE Pain Points Study: Top Trends and Challenges," were released today. The public can download the study report on the J. J. Keller® website. , and members of ISEA can download the study report on the association’s website.

J. J. Keller and ISEA experts will host a free webcast titled “2025 PPE Pain Points Study: Key Insights, challenges, and solutions,” examining the greatest paint points and practical ways to address them, on April 17, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. central time. The public may register here.

Respondents qualifying to take the survey have responsibility for purchasing and/or managing PPE across a range of industries. The survey was fielded in October 2024.

Summary of Key Findings

  • PPE Management Is Generally Strong. Of those responding to the survey, 95% completely or somewhat have the time and resources needed to properly assess PPE needs, and 70% talk with their employees regularly about PPE.
  • Getting Employees to Always Wear PPE Continues to Be a Challenge. More than 75% of respondents reported that at least some of the time, they have difficulty getting employees to wear PPE.
  • Durability is the Number One Criteria When Purchasing PPE. More than one-third of respondents prioritize durability, followed by comfort, emphasizing the need for PPE that workers can and will consistently wear.
  • Challenges Occur in Finding PPE in Larger and Smaller Sizes. While 75% of respondents have not experienced problems buying PPE in the sizes they need, those who have had issues find difficulty locating larger and smaller sizes.
  • Weather Is a Consideration, but There’s More Opportunity Here. While 84% of respondents factor weather conditions into PPE purchases, there is a growing need for more education on selecting PPE optimized for extreme temperatures.
  • Women’s Sizing Are Increasingly Considered. More companies are prioritizing PPE designed for women, though nearly one-third of respondents still face challenges in finding properly fitting options.
  • Training Is a Challenge. Nearly half of respondents struggle with training employees on critical PPE usage aspects, including when PPE is necessary, how to properly wear it, and its limitations.

“With the study, we examined PPE program development, purchase, training and compliance,” said Bob Larsen, Vice President of Research & Development with J. J. Keller. “We believe that understanding this 360-degree view of PPE pain points over time is important to continuous improvement as an industry.”

“Safety professionals are committed to protecting workers, but this research shows that persistent challenges remain—especially in compliance and training,” said Cam Mackey, President and CEO of ISEA. “By leveraging these insights, safety managers, manufacturers, and industry leaders can take meaningful steps to improve PPE programs, ensuring workers have access to properly fitting, high-quality PPE and are consistently trained to use it correctly.”

Both ISEA and J. J. Keller are dedicated to promoting worker safety. Through their collaborative efforts, they aim to enhance overall safety through education and outreach.

About the J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights

The J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights is the collaborative research arm of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. The center originated in 2019 with a focus on sharing, with the public, trends and insights from an abundance of safety and compliance data gathered by J. J. Keller over decades serving more than 500,000 customers across the United States. Through historical data, new proprietary studies and partnerships with reputable, research-focused third-party organizations, the center publishes ongoing reports to spur discussion and advancements in safe, respectful workplaces, job sites and highways.

About the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA)

ISEA is the voice of the safety equipment industry. For 90 years, we have been a recognized leader in the development of ANSI-accredited safety equipment standards. We advocate on behalf of the industry for policies that improve worker safety, deliver actionable insights on the safety equipment market, develop critical skills for safety sales professionals, and provide a unique forum for collaboration, learning and growth.

About J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

Since we began as a family-owned company in 1953, our purpose at J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. has been to protect people and the businesses they run. Today, serving 500,000+ companies across North America, our associates are making a larger impact than ever. Transportation, construction, utility, healthcare, educational and industrial organizations of all sizes rely on our expert insights to create safe work environments and simplify complex government regulations. They trust our diversified portfolio of solutions – cloud-based management tools, consulting, professional services, training, forms, PPE and safety supplies – to safeguard workers, reduce risk and build operational confidence. Learn more at jjkeller.com and follow us on LinkedIn (opens a new window), X (opens a new window), and Facebook, (opens a new window)Instagram (opens a new window).

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