Final answer:
Employers are required to pay for most types of required PPE under OSHA, but they are not obligated to cover the cost of non-specialized protective gear that workers might wear off the job, such as non-specialty safety footwear or prescription eyewear.
Step-by-step explanation:
OSHA mandates that employers are responsible for providing personal protective equipment (PPE) at no cost to workers for most types of required PPE. However, there are certain types of PPE that, when permissible to be worn off the job, might not be covered by this requirement. These items typically pertain to non-specialized protective gear such as non-specialty safety-toe protective footwear, non-specialty prescription safety eyewear, everyday clothing, and weather-related gear. The PPE excepted from this requirement are those that workers can freely wear off the job site without seeming out of place. For example, nonspecialty steel-toe boots could be worn outside the workplace, just as ordinary sunglasses with impact-rated lenses could. Since these items can be part of a worker's regular wardrobe, employers are not strictly required to pay for them. However, if the PPE is specialized, meaning it is not suitable for everyday use off the job site, employers must cover the cost.