Some employers must have missed the memo and not realised that more than half the population are women and therefore a huge proportion are working women.
Despite heightened awareness during Covid-19, indoor /outdoor pollution and the rise in hazardous chemicals, risky jobs and particulate matter, most PPE is still designed for men.
The GMB union in the UK recently surveyed women across a range of industries and found that over 70% were regularly issued with ill-fitting PPE. Discomfort, embarrassment, unable to carry out work and crucially, a risk to their personal safety were the most common responses. From engineering, prisons/policing, factory work, cleaning, transport, health and construction - a 'one size fits all' approach puts thousands of women at risk. With a diverse workforce of all shapes and sizes and more women working in a wide range of industries, more and more unions and the TUC are calling inclusive PPE as outlined by the British Standards Institute (link below).
Taking Action
- Easy TUC guides on what employers and safety reps can do: tuc.org.uk
- A national guide on inclusive PPE from the British Standards Institute (BSI): knowledge.bsigroup.com
- An article on inclusive PPE from IOSH magazine: ioshmagazine.com
Back in Jan 2025 Hazards raised this point at the Safety, Health & Well-being Live event in Manchester.
“GMHC took the opportunity to talk to some exhibitors such as, safety wholesalers, Slingby, the British Standards Institute (BSI) and others about PPE. Trade union women and safety reps have previously mentioned to GMHC that finding PPE suitable for their physique and working environment remains a concern. The 'standard-fit' PPE in most industries could be potentially putting many women at risk. The exhibitors were highly responsive to this issue and conceded that this was something that hadn't been on their radar”.
