Could you be fired for lack of PPE?

Ethan,

Looking at your other questions, it appears you are focusing on a career as a Heavy Equipment Operator. Without your PPE, you cannot work. Safety is one of the most important aspects of construction work. Companies have safety officers, and regular safety training. When someone gets hurt, there are big investigations. It requires the company to spend a lot of time answering questions and filling out forms. The company has to pay for the employee's hospital bills. The company can get sued. That costs a lot more time and money.

I work in an employment office, and I have heard of all different reasons people get fired. Most states are "at will" employment, meaning the company can fire you any time they want, with or without a reason, so long as it is not for an unlawful reason (discriminatory, based on race, religion, sex, etc.) However, if you are in a union, the union will have a say in what happens in such a situation. But, speaking from experience, it is much better to simply always have your PPE with you than to have to face disciplinary proceedings.

Working is much like school. You have developed a routine to make sure you always have your books, homework, gym clothes, etc. You will do the same thing with work. Routines are necessary because when we leave for work in the morning, we are sometimes not too awake, or, we have our minds on other things. With a routine, you will always have your lunch and PPE!

I've only experienced situations where PPE was issued to employees and they were fired for choosing not to where the PPE they were issued. So I guess the answer is yes, but there are A LOT of variables in this situation. My recommendation is to learn 29 CFR 1910 or 29 CFR 1926 depending on the industry.