This is one of the most commonly forgotten pieces of paper in workplace safety — not because it's hard, but because employers don't realize it exists as a written requirement.
OSHA requires employers to assess the workplace for hazards that would call for personal protective equipment, and then to certify that assessment in writing. The PPE you hand out is supposed to flow from a documented hazard assessment — not the other way around. Many companies have the PPE and the practice but have never produced the written certification that justifies it, and that gap shows up in audits and prequalification reviews.
The written certification generally has to identify:
The workplace evaluated and who performed the assessment.
The date of the assessment.
The hazards identified and the PPE selected to address each.
It's a short document, but it's a required one — and it's the anchor that makes the rest of your PPE program defensible.