Personal protective equipment should be used to protect employees from workplace hazards when:

Using personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential in workplace safety when hazards cannot be eliminated through engineering controls or workplace practices. Engineering controls involve modifying the environment or processes to reduce or eliminate exposure to hazards, such as installing ventilation systems or safety guards. If these measures are not effective or feasible for mitigating risks, PPE is employed as a second line of defense to protect employees from potential harm.

This highlights the importance of PPE as a critical component of a comprehensive safety program. It should be considered a necessary measure when other controls are inadequate at providing a safe working environment. The other options—having a clean and organized workspace, ensuring proper training for employees, and adhering to safety regulations—are indeed important safety practices, but they do not specifically address the situation where hazards still exist that cannot be controlled through other methods. Therefore, choosing PPE in the absence of effective engineering or administrative controls is vital for safeguarding employees against workplace hazards.