A recent survey by the UK Women’s Engineering Society (WES) shows that women are still not finding proper PPE that fits, resulting in increased risk in the workplace and lack of equity.

The WES conducted its first PPE survey in 2009 and little has changed since then, reported Safety and Health Practitioner. The WES says that PPE is still based on male body types with 60% of men reporting comfortable or perfect fitting PPE, and only 26% of women saying the same.

The results reveal that women are wearing items that don’t fit, risking their health and safety, or potentially not being able to do their jobs. Some respondents noted in the survey that climbing harnesses, lifejackets or air systems they use do not work for their bodies increasing risk to life.

Key findings

The study reports that 42% of women said PPE is often too big to fit correctly resulting in women making modifications against regulation, such as tucking too-long pants into boots.

A key finding of the survey is the lack of maternity PPE, with 61% of pregnant women not being provided with correct items allowing them to work safely.

Some respondents said they had to give up working in certain areas such as workshops due to a lack of properly fitting gloves, hats or eye protection.

More than half of the women who raised concerns to management reported nothing changed, compared to just 9% who said their concerns were fully addressed.

Other responses said employers did not acknowledge their concerns, acknowledged their concerns but did nothing, or, in some cases, ridiculed women for raising these concerns.

While this particular survey was conducted in the UK, studies have been done in the US with similar results.

Further reading

Last year, The 19^th News, a publication focused on issues related to women, offered a look into how women in the trades feel about PPE. It’s an interesting article and well worth a read, with some personal stories and information on how to improve.

Xan Folmer, a union steward for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 640 in Phoenix, told The 19^th that women on her committee are aware of many issues with helmets, gloves and fall harnesses. The union is in talks with the National Electrical Contractors Association to see if they can include in their contracts more specific requirements around providing PPE that fits them, reported The 19th.

One particular PPE of concern are fall harnesses, Folmer told The 19^th. It’s one example of PPE that can’t just be shrunk down in size, but needs to account for differences in women’s and men’s bodies, she said.

Read the full article here: https://19thnews.org/2023/08/women-in-construction-industry-ppe-clothing-designed-for-men

Source

1. https://www.shponline.co.uk/inclusive-ppe/ppe-for-women-does-not-fit-2024-wes-survey-results-says