Dressed to kill Jan Peters Past President, Women’s Engineering Society Images:

Poor PPE undermines efforts to protect worker health and safety barrier to equality of employment opportunity for women “The limited availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) for women is a critical workplace health and safety issue.”

Slow progress 2007 Daphnet discussion Phone survey of major suppliers – “We know it’s an issue, it’s not a priority” 2015 Problems persist as do images Major stock photo search: first image of women & PPE 2010 survey Bad, gloves, poor low tech fabric, male fit

Women’s Engineering Society Women and Manual Trades Women in Property Arup Volunteer driven Pan network group Woman’s Hour

Voice of women Outreach Networking Celebration

Is there a real issue with PPE for women? What type of PPE is most problematic? What could be improved? Market research for safety boots Purpose of the survey

Who responded? 550 responses Only 25% associated with a women’s network Spread of ages Spread of sectors

Who buys PPE?

Must you wear PPE?

Sectors represented

How comfortable is your PPE? 41% Comfortable 45% Uncomfortable

‘Shaped for men. Pops open in places. Arms and legs too long’ ‘Safety shoes in the right size is very difficult‘ ‘Too big, too heavy’ ‘Shoes and vest fit OK but the winter jacket is huge’ ‘It doesn't tend to fit in the right places!’ A few quotes….

Ever worn ill-fitting PPE?

‘Overalls fit OK but getting safety shoes in the right size is very difficult. Either women’s are too narrow (and look awful) or the equivalent men’s are too big and don’t fit properly.’ ‘Shoes are bought to fit me, lab coat is the right size, sleeves a bit long but not a problem safety specs are prescription and so ordered specially’ ‘Gloves in particular are too big and make it difficult to handle stuff - also they fall off easily’ Some more quotes…

To what extent does ill-fitting PPE hamper your work?

‘Big clothes can be a safety hazard’ ‘Oversized gloves make it difficult to work safely or accurately’ ‘Boots not fitting correctly caused me to stumble on site’ ‘Jackets too big, sleeves too long….it reaches almost down to my knees so hard to walk up and down banks’ Found when wearing boiler suits I have had to wear a belt…body length is generally too long, so the crotch ends up around my knees affecting the way I walk. Even more quotes…

What style of safety boot?

1918, 1945, 2010, 2015

Accessing the supply routes Timing - recession Small organisations are vulnerable to the scale of the problem Lessons learned

Review PPE standards for gender inclusion New robust study and data, pan European Unions, governments, employers and women’s networks must coalesce on the issue Policy Agenda

Jan Peters

‘Warm fluffy slippers’ ‘My red patent high heel party shoes’ ‘My walking boots, which carry me many miles and are very warm and comfortable!’ ‘My work boots - comfy, warm in the winter, don't leak, make me that bit taller than normal!’ Favourite shoes.....allsorts!

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