General, plain-language information — this is not legal advice. For your specific situation, consult CNESST.
It's a question we get a lot: is it the worker or the employer who has to pay for the high-visibility coat, the insulated coverall, or the safety vest? In Quebec, the answer is clear — and a lot of workers don't know their rights.
What the law says
The Act respecting occupational health and safety (LSST) states, in section 51 (paragraph 11), that the employer must provide the worker, free of charge, with all the personal protective equipment determined by regulation, and ensure the worker uses it as part of their job.
In practice: if your job requires a high-visibility garment, a compliant insulated coat, or any other regulated PPE, the bill goes to the employer, not to you. This obligation applies from the moment you're hired, regardless of your status: permanent employee, temporary, intern, student, or volunteer.
What it covers
The equipment covered includes protective clothing required by the regulations and standards applicable to the job, such as high-visibility clothing meeting the CSA Z96 standard on construction sites and industrial sites. The employer must also inform workers of the risks the PPE is meant to control and how to maintain it.
The employer can organize this however they want: a contract with a supplier, an in-house store, an equipment bank. But the outcome must be the same — compliant PPE, provided at no cost.
PPE that doesn't fit is PPE that doesn't protect
Providing equipment is one thing. Providing properly fitted equipment is what actually matters. Protective clothing that's too big or cut for a men's build creates very real risks: reflective stripes that end up out of position, fabric that catches on machinery, reduced mobility, and workers who alter or stop wearing their equipment because it gets in the way of their job.
That's exactly why LOAM exists: personal protective equipment designed for women's body shapes, certified to CSA Z96-22 and ANSI/ISEA 107-2020, designed by a mining engineer who wears it on the job.
What about the worker's responsibilities?
The law goes both ways: workers must take the necessary steps to protect their own health and safety, and must use the protective equipment provided. Refusing to wear PPE can lead to disciplinary action. If your equipment doesn't fit or compromises your safety, the right move is to report it to your employer or your health and safety committee — ill-fitting PPE isn't compliant PPE.
In summary
The employer must provide the required PPE free of charge, ensure it's being used, and inform workers on how to maintain it. Workers must wear it and report any equipment that doesn't fit properly. And PPE that's actually adapted to your body isn't a luxury: it's a matter of compliance and safety.
Are you an employer? We offer programs to equip your teams with certified PPE that fits every body type. Are you a worker? Check out our collection of high-visibility PPE for women.
Sources: CNESST — Personal protective equipment; Act respecting occupational health and safety (LSST), s. 51.
