Wendy Gaynor-Barrett, UK Strategic Development Manager at Arco answers common queries around women’s PPE.
Wendy Gaynor-Barrett, UK Strategic Development Manager at Arco.
The past few decades have brought significant advancements in PPE both from an overall protection perspective but also from an inclusivity standpoint. PPE is not only designed with male wearers in mind anymore, yet recent surveys and media coverage show that women are still struggling to obtain the right protective equipment needed to complete their jobs safely. One survey found just 27% of women said their PPE was comfortable and non-restrictive, compared with 60% of men.
Suitable PPE is available in the marketplace, but it can be overlooked or perhaps misunderstood by purchasers. There are a number of common misconceptions about women’s fit PPE that need to be addressed in order to advance the availability and provision of suitable and safe PPE for women.
It is important for procurement teams and purchasing managers to consider the individual needs of the wearer, as the impact of poorly fitting PPE can be physical, psychological and hazardous to wearers.
It can also leave the wearer feeling unvalued, unconsidered, self-conscious about how they look and even ridiculed by colleagues, all impacting confidence and overall wellbeing.
Poorly fitting clothes, footwear and PPE are also uncomfortable, requiring the wearer to adapt or adjust PPE and workwear throughout their shift and in some cases can directly cause medical conditions. For example, plantar fasciitis can stem from poorly fitting shoes and the regular need to adjust helmets that are too big for the wearer can cause frequent headaches.
There should be no difference in purchase price for a male fit or female fit item from credible suppliers.
Fit for purpose PPE is widely available in the industry, but many people are unaware that it exists, or where they can source it from. Purchasers may need to search outside of usual supply sources or discuss available options within their supply chain to find appropriate PPE that will adequately protect the workforce.
This is a common misconception. Female sizing, like the majority of items of PPE, can regularly be purchased as a single item or in bulk, the choice is with the purchaser. As the issue of ill-fitting PPE for women became more widespread, and as workforce splits narrow, many women have highlighted the struggle to find appropriate PPE to standards-setting authorities, suppliers and even Parliament. This has resulted in most PPE suppliers expanding their ranges to include women’s protective equipment and clothing.
Like anything, some items can have longer lead times, but this isn’t the case for all women’s-fit PPE. Most suppliers and distributors will hold stock of Women’s PPE on their shelves for immediate orders. However, if there is a specific need or a large order, working closely with specialist suppliers with the capability to hold and rotate items will ensure stock is always available when needed.
There are ranges of maternity wear available in hi-vis clothing and workwear. Employers should ensure that they are up to date with market developments, either working with an expert PPE supplier or by undertaking online research to offer the correct solutions to workers.
PPE is always designed to fit the wearer, and when employers conduct risk assessments, it is vital that they ensure products are made available in all sizing to fit all body shapes and sizes. PPE such as footwear and clothing has been available and specifically designed to fit female body shapes for a number of years.
Credit: Alamy Stock
This is no longer the case. Some businesses that purchase PPE through Arco have almost 90% female workforces such as in nursing, or in food manufacturing the figure can range from 50-80% meaning a range of PPE fits are crucial in these businesses. Recently, there have been campaigns for organisations and local authorities to better protect the growing number of female workers within their employment, which will only lead to more demand.
Wearing PPE that doesn’t fit correctly can increase the physical symptoms of menopause. PPE can exacerbate heat stress, for example, particularly when the PPE is designed for men, for example, often women have to wear extra socks to ensure footwear fits closer to intended. Employers should consider that women going through the menopause may also need additional clothing items to change into at a higher frequency.
Ensuring stretchy, breathable material is part of the choice for workers is key, it is particularly beneficial if employees can trial the clothing first to ensure it is the best solution for them.
This isn’t true, the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance specifically states that businesses should: ‘select equipment that suits the worker – consider the size, fit, compatibility and weight of the PPE and the physical characteristics of the user.’ This means that employers could be culpable if poorly fitting PPE is identified as the cause of safety incident.
It’s also important to highlight that some businesses are already investing time and resources into extending their PPE and workwear offering to employees with female and inclusive products, but it can be poorly communicated. Colleague engagement and communication is key to ensure that workers know what’s available and how to access the products.
When sourcing female-fit PPE, it’s important to engage with an expert PPE distributor that can help identify the requirements across a workforce with access to an extensive supply chain to source solutions from, ensuring that there is no compromise on compliance and comfort.
Wendy added: “Dispelling the myths around women’s fit PPE is a crucial step to changing perceptions and accelerating the necessary change. PPE should always fit correctly to perform as intended and keep the wearer safe; it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that is the case.
“Arco takes a customer specific approach and works with over 600 manufactures to determine the best possible solution for any situation, helping customers by identifying and offering PPE, workwear or uniform ranges that are compliant, comfortable and provide confidence to the wearer.”
For more information on PPE designed for women, visit Arco’s website.
Love this article. PPE for women used to be absent or awful and we had to make do. But that is no longer the case and there are lots of reputable suppliers out there with great ranges. It can’t be an excuse any longer.