Have You Tailored Your PPE Requirements To Suit Your Female Workforce?

Investing in the appropriate workwear body warmers and other personal protective equipment (PPE) is a must for all industries if the work involved dictates it… but it’s important for businesses to ensure that all clothing is right for each individual member of staff.

It may be that it’s not enough to just buy a job lot of different items and hand them out to your employees – you also need to take into account body size and shape, as well. If PPE doesn’t fit, then it won’t be doing the job it’s supposed to do – so make sure you seek feedback from your staff about whether or not the clothing is right.

Recent research from the TUC found that 29 per cent of women felt that the PPE they were provided with was specifically designed for females, with 57 per cent saying that their equipment sometimes or significantly got in the way of the job they were trying to do.

Under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, you need to make sure that your PPE is properly assessed before it’s even used to make sure it’s fit for purpose. You also need to provide instructions on how to use it safely, that you maintain and store it properly and that your workers use it correctly as well.

If clothing doesn’t fit, it can’t protect people from the hazards they may face at work and it’s important to note that equipment specifically designed for men may not work well for women. So bear this in mind when next shopping for new PPE.