Importance of PPE for women in health and safety
Many people think of PPE as being mainly hard hats, gloves and boots however PPE encompasses a wide range of equipment and clothing including overalls, knee pads, high visibility clothing and eye/ear protection amongst other items. For women working within environments where they need to wear PPE to protect themselves, there has been long term debates over the suitability of some forms of protective equipment for them.
It may be unsurprising to read that most PPE is based on the characteristics and sizing of European and American males, so what does this mean for most women?
Why is this an issue?
Due to most PPE being designed around a specific male body type, there are fundamental flaws when it comes to protecting female employees. For example:
Respiratory Protective Equipment – There tends to be great differences in the facial structures and sizes between men and women. This means that masks are not likely to fit a female face in the same way they will fit a male and therefore result in reduced protection.
Stab Proof Vests – Designed for the average male torso, these vests do not take into account the different shape of a woman’s torso and the difference in chest, waist and hip measurements to men. This ill fitting PPE can not only be uncomfortable but also will be less protective.
Work Boots – Typically, men’s’ feet tend to be longer and also wider than women’s’. This means that even by offering smaller sizes, work boots may not fit properly due to the width.
PPE for Pregnancy
The space you work in determines how you work
There seems to be even more of a problem when it comes to maternity PPE. Pregnant women have found it even more difficult to find protective equipment throughout the stages of their pregnancy. What are the key health and safety problems facing pregnant women:
- Maternity PPE options are very limited
- Employers are reluctant to buy PPE to accommodate for the different stages of pregnancy
- Many pregnant women go without the option of maternity PPE
- Many women have to alter their job roles when they are pregnant due to the lack of maternity PPE
- PPE is not tested on pregnant women so the risks to unborn babies of certain exposures is unclear
Why do women need correctly fitted PPE?
Poorly fitting PPE can prevent an individual’s ability to carry out their job to the best of their ability and also in a safe manner. Studies have shown that around 57% of women say that PPE has hampered their ability to carry out their work. Within the emergency services sector, it is even more concerning with around 95% of women finding that their PPE has hampered their work at some point or another.
How can employers combat this?
Employers have a responsibility and duty of care to ensure that all of their employees are safe at work, regardless of their gender. Employers should thoroughly research PPE for both genders and ensure for each item there are a wide range of sizes available for both genders. It is highly recommended to conduct a survey amongst female employees within the workplace to identify where the main issues lie. This research should be repeated after the implementation of PPE for women to analyse its effectiveness.
