U.S. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Hand Protection), By End-use (Manufacturing, Construction), And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030

Report Overview

The U.S. PPE market size was estimated at USD 23.65 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7% from 2022 to 2030. Increasing awareness regarding worker safety on the workshop floor is expected to augment demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) during the forecast period. Demand for PPE in the country increased significantly during COVID-19 owing to its ability to protect the wearer from the virus. Furthermore, restrictions on imports boosted domestic production of PPE. In the U.S., stringent laws such as Families First Coronavirus Response Act were implemented for protecting public health workers and curb the spread of COVID-19.

The government of the U.S. has been actively involved in legislating worker health & safety laws. The U.S. Department of Labor has legislated Mine Safety and Health Act 1977 exclusively for the safety and health of the workers employed in mines. The act is supervised through Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) since its jurisdiction is not covered under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). These favorable regulations are estimated to drive the U.S. PPE market during the forecast period.

According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), use of the personal protective equipment is expected to grow in end-use industries including chemical, construction, pharmaceutical, and healthcare. The increasing number of blue-collar professionals across numerous industrial sectors is expected to fuel the U.S. PPE demand.

Constant innovations, such as the introduction of lighter and more comfortable industrial protective clothing made of high-quality fabric, are expected to fuel the market expansion. Market growth is expected to be aided by the demand for PPE that combines safety with better aesthetics and technical innovation.

Companies have prioritized worker safety and established security guidelines to reduce workplace hazards, which is boosting the market growth. The COVID-19 outbreak had a positive impact on the U.S. PPE market growth in 2020. PPE use was one of the strategies implemented by the governments of various nations to mitigate the spread of the disease. PPE used for preventing COVID-19 infection includes medical masks, gloves, goggles, and aprons.

Products Insights

The hand protection product segment dominated the market and accounted for 36.7% of the revenue share in 2021. Gloves are used to provide protection from cuts, abrasions, burns, and chemicals. Risks linked with toxic materials, handling warm objects, and heavy-duty equipment are likely to drive demand for protective gloves in the construction, food processing, oil & gas, healthcare, and metal fabrication industries.

Protective clothing such as chemical defending, cleanroom clothing, heat & flame protection, and mechanical protective clothing, is the second-largest product segment. Rising accidents, deaths, and injuries are driving demand for protective clothing, supported by their characteristics such as high performance, better quality, high wear, and tear, etc.

The protective footwear segment is expected to witness a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period owing to rising fatalities in the workplace and high product demand. Protective footwear is required to protect employees against foot injuries caused by chainsaws, electric shock, electrical conductivity, metatarsal impact, sole puncture, static discharge, and toe impact in workplaces.

Air Purifying Respirators (APRs) are used against particulates such as fumes or smoke to protect employees against vapors and gases that are at atmospheric concentrations. They use canisters, cartridges, and filters to remove the gas contaminants, vapor, and particulate matter from the air. In addition, APR provides protection against asbestos.

End-Use Insights

The U.S. healthcare PPE market dominated the end-use segment, and accounted for a 34.9% share of the total revenue in 2021, owing to rising demand for hand protection, respiratory protection, and protective clothing in the healthcare industry. Need for the protective clothing, specifically coveralls, and gowns, has augmented across the world, due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

The oil & gas industry is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period. The oil & gas industry is expected to grow at a steady rate owing to the upstream and downstream activities. Rapid technological advancements in the oil & gas industry are expected to boost demand for the U.S. PPE market during the forecast period.

In the food manufacturing industry, products are at high risk of getting contaminated by the unhygienic conditions of the premises and workers. The food industry includes various processes such as mixing, cutting, cleaning, and warehousing which drives demand for PPE in the U.S. market. Strengthening of the food industry rules and regulations is driving demand for personal protective equipment, designed for workers.

Respiratory protection is required in the construction sector for use in activities that involve working on quartz-based materials such as grinders and jackhammers. Exposure levels involving this equipment often exceed the occupational exposure limits for the quartz. The growing construction industry in the U.S. coupled with the rising adoption of PPE is anticipated to drive market growth.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The U.S. PPE market is competitive in nature due to the presence of multinationals operating in the industry. U.S. personal protective equipment manufacturers adopt several strategies including acquisition, collaboration, new product development, and geographical expansion to enhance their market penetration in various end-use industries such as healthcare, construction, manufacturing, mining, and others.

Strict regulations and greater awareness of the significance of protecting people at work have boosted demand for some forms of PPE in recent years. In addition, rising management executive concerns toward employee health and safety coupled with rising COVID-19 cases led to an increase in demand for personal protective equipment in the U.S. market. Some of the prominent players in the U.S. PPE market include:

• Honeywell International Inc.

• Lakeland Industries Inc.

• DuPont

• 3M

• Ansell Ltd.

• Avon Rubber plc

• Alpha Pro Tech Limited

• Uvex Safety Group

• Mine Safety Appliances (MSA) Company

• Radians, Inc. 

U.S. PPE Market Report Scope

U.S. PPE Market Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at a country level and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the U.S. personal protective equipment market report based on the product and end-use:

• Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2022 - 2030)

  • Head Protection

  • Eye Protection

  • Face Protection

  • Hearing Protection

  • Protective Clothing

    • Heat & flame protection

    • Chemical defending

    • Clean room clothing

    • Mechanical protective clothing

    • Limited general use

    • Others

  • Respiratory Protection

    • Air-purifying respirator

    • Supplied air respirators

  • Protective Footwear

    • Leather

    • Rubber

    • PVC

    • Polyurethane

    • Others

  • Fall Protection

    • Soft Goods

    • Hard Goods

    • Others

  • Hand Protection

    • Disposable

    • Durable

  • Others

• End-Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2022 - 2030)

  • Construction

  • Manufacturing

  • Oil & Gas

  • Chemicals

  • Food

  • Pharmaceuticals

  • Healthcare

  • Transportation

  • Mining

  • Others