Gender bias in PPE

Calls for personal protective equipment (PPE) to be designed for female workers are long standing, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as the workplace regulator has recently acknowledged ill-fitting PPE as an issue.

In 2016 a TUC survey report found that 57% of women who took part found that their PPE sometimes or significantly hampered their work. 

Statistics such as this cannot be ignored and organisations need to ensure that workers feel secure, protected and at ease while performing their duties.  If organisations fail to have regard for the needs of individuals in compliance with their legal obligations, the HSE will take steps including enforcement action, if necessary.

PPE might be the last line of defence in the hierarchy of hazard controls but the regulations governing them state that it must be suitably selected for each worker taking into account ergonomic requirements, ensuring that it is capable of fitting the wearer correctly and, so far as is reasonably practicable, it does not increase the overall risk. 

It is claimed by various campaigns for equality in PPE that PPE is usually marketed as gender-neutral. However, in fact the vast majority of it has been designed around a male body, and therefore neither fits nor protects women And that’s before maternity PPE is factored into the equation. 

PPE that does not fit correctly can not only cause discomfort but it can fail to protect women as well as contribute to an increased risk of an accident. The problems range from ill-fitting safety clothing and footwear that create a trip hazard, risk entanglement or restrict the wearer to the point their work is hindered, to gloves that reduce grip and masks that obscure the wearer’s vision. If PPE does not fit, is uncomfortable or inappropriate, this brings with it the risk that women will not use it and this could lead to far more serious consequences in the workplace.

This is particularly relevant for the construction industry, which is seeing an increasingly diverse workforce. More attention is being drawn to a lack of inclusive PPE for women in construction and the impact this can have on health and safety.

According to research in 2023 undertaken by the National Association of Women in Construction Yorkshire Region (NAWIC Yorkshire), 59.6% of employers in the construction industry do not provide women-specific PPE.

Organisations need to be conscious of the wider implications this issue can lead to. Not only can PPE-related issues lead to decreased performance and productivity, but it can also negatively impact on the individual worker’s wellbeing by eroding their enthusiasm, confidence and even career potential. 

The NAWIC Yorkshire 2023 research also highlighted that 42% of women had experiences with PPE which had negatively impacted their careers. This ranged from PPE making workers feel unprofessional, making the site work more difficult and uncomfortable and even making users not want to work in the construction industry.

So what can duty holders do?

To ensure compliance, duty holders may have to seek out a range of alternative suppliers or change their procurement practices to ensure a wider selection of suitably inclusive equipment. This means avoiding suppliers who do not provide a range of sizes and seeking to ensure their suppliers have properly assessed the appropriateness of their equipment for everyone.

Duty holders must also ensure that where there is a need for separate PPE for men and women, the same range of sizes for women as for men should be provided.

Regardless of whether the PPE is gender neutral or specific, it is also important to ensure that women try on different types and sizes of PPE before it is issued to ensure that it is the best fit. Ways to report back on the suitability of PPE also need to be put in place so that this can be monitored and adapted accordingly.

Where applicable, organisations’ safety professionals can also do more to educate their teams and work with employees to understand what is suitable so the right kit is ordered.

Manufacturers and suppliers must also pay their part in providing a full range of PPE for men and women at a similar cost.

It seems the time has come for organisations to ensure that well-fitting PPE becomes the minimum standard, rather than being seen as best practice.