[Mike Simonds]

I agree. The failure to properly wear required equipment while the ball is live is a five yard live ball penalty covered under rule 1-5-6. The enforcement spot for this is what I can't find specifically within rule 10-4-4 or any other rule but I'm still looking. Therefore I have to use case book play 1.5.6 as the authority on this.

The way I remember the difference regarding the 15 versus the 5 yard penalty for equipment is:

The 15 yarder is for missing required equipment (no tail bone protector, missing knee pads, etc.) or illegal equipment (tinted eye shields, etc.) and is assessed at the succeeding spot against the head coach as an unsportsmanlike conduct foul.

The 5 yarder is assessed against the player who has all the required equipment but is not wearing it properly (mouth piece is out, chin strap is unbuckled, etc.) It is either a dead-ball delay of game penalty assessed at the succeeding spot(most preferred method of enforcement), or a live ball penalty that occurs at the snap and is enforced from the previous spot (least preferred method of enforcement), and the last one is a live ball penalty assessed from the succeeding spot (if the player is determined to undo his equipment during the play; to me this would be extremely rare).

Of course, preventive officiating is the best method for preventing these types of fouls. But being the book-worm that I am compels me to seek the answer.