PPE issues affecting female engineers

For the women working offshore: after four years on different vessels and across various projects, this is the first time I’ve received PPE trousers designed specifically for women, provided by TGS , along with a proper women’s changing room onboard. We are a minority offshore, but that doesn't mean we should settle for ill-fitting gear. Most of the PPE I’ve used over the years has been oversized - gloves or sleeves and pant legs needing to be rolled up - which can easily become a safety hazard if caught on equipment or moving parts. Having PPE made for women isn't just ideal; it should be a basic right for everyone working offshore. Equally important is having dedicated facilities. On one of the vessels I worked on, the “shared” restroom inside the Instrument Room turned out to have only a urinal - meaning it was essentially only usable by men. I had to go up or down a deck just to use a proper bathroom. These details matter. That's why it feels so meaningful to see TGS taking these steps - providing women’s PPE and ensuring a women’s changing room onboard. Inclusion and safety are not separate topics; they go hand in hand. I truly hope more companies across the offshore industry follow this example.

New PPE Research Released 🚨 With the recent publishing of BS 30417:2025 – the new British Standard on inclusive PPE, I’m delighted to share my own research findings from my time at Sheffield Hallam University, focusing on women’s experiences with PPE in the construction industry. The results highlight just how widespread the issue is: 🔹 94.1% of women and 56.6% of men reported experiencing ill-fitting PPE. 🔹 11% of men and 10% of women reported that poor fit had led to health and safety issues. These figures reinforce what so many of us in the industry have known for a long time — ill-fitting PPE is not just uncomfortable, it’s unsafe. For women especially, PPE that has been designed around a “one-size-fits-all” approach simply doesn’t provide the protection it should. Respondents shared examples of how poor PPE has affected not only their safety, but also their confidence, career progression, and sense of belonging on site. I would like to give a huge thank you to everyone who took part in the questionnaire and shared their experiences – your voices are helping to drive meaningful change across our industry. And of course, a special thank you to my dissertation supervisor Liz Laycock for her support throughout! If you’d like to know more about the research, collaborate on initiatives, or simply continue the conversation, please do get in touch 😊

The #MyBodyMyPPE Report is here—and the industry is listening! When we launched the #MyBodyMyPPE campaign we did so to spread awareness and to collect data. This was all to help in our efforts toward our goal of no woman ever having to struggle with ill-fitting, unsafe protective gear again. What started as a conversation turned into a movement—one that amplified the many voices calling for change. Today, the Equity & Safety Report is out, and the results are staggering. 📢 70% of women report not having access to properly fitting PPE. 📢 66% say ill-fitting gear impacts their ability to work safely. This isn’t just frustrating—it’s dangerous. And with attention from publications like the EHS Daily Advisor, this critical issue is beginning to get some of the attention it deserves. Their new article covers the findings of our report and why the industry must act now. But awareness isn’t enough. That’s why this report also outlines key recommendations to drive real change: ✅ Recognize the many women-owned and women focused PPE companies. ✅ Make sure distributors are bringing these products on board. ✅ Commit to providing PPE that actually fits by demanding it from distributors, or buying direct from small manufacturers. ✅ Reject the notion of "unisex" PPE. This is a moment of reckoning for the industry. Women shouldn’t have to “make do” with gear that puts them at risk. Proper PPE is not a privilege—it’s a right. The report is out. The data is clear. Now, it’s time to act. What can you do to make change in your sphere? Download the report here from nonprofit organization The Safety Rack: https://lnkd.in/esCQ69ZM 🔗 Read the article: https://lnkd.in/eUNdicWg

BS 30417: Shaping the Next Generation of PPE As a safety professional, one challenge is ensuring PPE truly protects everyone. For too long, PPE was designed around the average white male body type, leaving many workers at risk. The British Standards Institute (BSI) is taking steps to address this with its upcoming BS 30417-Provision of Inclusive PPE Guide. Here are the gaps the inclusivity in PPE aims to cover: 1️⃣ Gender: Women often get PPE that is oversized or ill-fitting: gloves too big, loose harnesses, boots too wide, baggy coveralls. 2️⃣ Body Shape & Size: PPE must accommodate all sizes: petite, plus-size, tall, short, and maternity needs. 3️⃣ Ethnicity & Race: Consider facial structure, hair type, and skin tone: o Respirators that seal properly. o Helmets for braids or afros. o Visors and gear that work in varied lighting conditions. 4️⃣ Age: Older workers may need: o More cushioning in boots and gloves. o Lighter materials to reduce strain. o Easier fastenings (Velcro, zips) for mobility limitations. 5️⃣ Disability & Accessibility: Adaptive PPE for workers with prosthetics, limited dexterity, or sensory impairments. Ensures everyone can wear PPE comfortably and safely. 6️⃣ Faith & Modesty: PPE that respects religious requirements: o Flame-resistant hijabs, turbans, or under-helm coverings. o Modest coveralls or long sleeves. o Safety footwear that accommodates cultural preferences. 7️⃣ Environmental Conditions: PPE must suit the working environment: Breathable, lightweight options for hot climates. Insulated layers for cold or wet conditions. 🔑 In short: Inclusive PPE ensures that all workers regardless of gender, body shape, ethnicity, age, disability, faith, or environment are equally protected. The upcoming BS 30417 standard will guide organisations on: ✔️ Proper selection, fitting, and adjustments. ✔️ Purchasing, maintenance, inspection, and replacement. ✔️ Documentation and feedback systems. ✔️ Raising awareness and adoption of inclusive PPE. What are your thoughts on this? Tell me how your PPE affect your safety and performance? #InclusivePPE #SafetyCulture #BS30417 #WorkplaceSafety #DiversityAndInclusion

THE DANGERS OF ILL-FITTING PPE ❗ 🧤 👷♀️ No, we're not doing a PPE campaign so we can have PPE that is pink and fashionable, we're doing it to make ourselves SAFE. (Plus under EN ISO 20471, pink high vis is non-compliant, sorry Barbie). Our recent Women's PPE report highlighted a number of health and safety issues that have been caused by ill-fitting PPE. From restricting movement, to trip hazards and long-term medical conditions, it's clear to see that ill-fitting PPE is an issue that needs to be addressed. ❗ If you're an employer? Make sure women's PPE is available to procure, and make sure it's actually women's PPE, not just unisex in disguise. (Because remember, unisex is based on men's measurements). ❗ ❗ If you're a supplier? Choose manufacturers who have successfully developed and trialled well-fitting women's PPE. ❗ ❗ If you're a manager? Make sure that your employees feel safe and comfortable in their PPE, and address any concerns they may have. ❗ Sinéad Clarkson MRICS Sophie Doyle Rachael Dwyer-Moran Katy Robinson #WomensPPE #PPErevolution #PPEthatfits #womeninconstruction #NAWICYorkshire #Designherin

Only 4% of women report having perfectly fitting Personal Protective Equipment. The 2024 PPE Survey by the Women's Engineering Society (WES) uncovers insights into women's struggles with ill-fitting Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Some of the results: - Women often wear PPE designed for men, resulting in poor fit, discomfort, and reduced effectiveness, including items like helmets, gloves, boots, and coveralls that don't suit women's body shapes. - PPE for women is often made in stereotypically feminine colours (e.g., pink or purple), causing embarrassment and ridicule in male-dominated workplaces. - The design of PPE makes it challenging to remove them for restroom use, leading some women to drink less water to avoid the hassle, risking dehydration and other health issues. - PPE design fails to accommodate body changes during pregnancy, menopause, or menstruation, severely impacting safety and job performance. The results suggest that industries need to prioritise inclusive, well-fitting PPE to ensure the safety and dignity of all workers. The report can be found here https://lnkd.in/gxEmG7X4 #WomenInEngineering #InclusiveWorkplace #DiversityAndInclusion

ALL HANDS ON DECK, AMERICA! 🚨 It’s 2025, and women building our ships and submarines still can’t get PPE that fits! Meeting Abigail at a local high school welding class recently and talking with her brought a real awareness to me of the issue we have at hand- her hands can’t fit properly in the smallest size gloves available and she is worried being put at risk of injury. How much work could she get done more efficiently if she had properly fitting PPE protecting her hands 🧐 ✅We’re building submarines. ✅We’re building warships. 🚫BUT we’re not building gear that fits all the builders. That. Must. Change.💯 The future of America’s national defense is being built right now in our shipyards by welders, fitters, machinists, and fabricators — and women are stepping up to join the fight. 💪🇺🇸 But we are failing them at the frontline of safety: their PPE doesn’t fit. Why does this matter? Because ill-fitting PPE puts lives and careers at risk every single day. The statistics are alarming: • 📊 89% of tradeswomen report difficulty obtaining properly fitting PPE . • ⚠️ 77% have been exposed to safety hazards due to gear designed for men . • 🤕 20% have suffered injuries because their equipment didn’t fit their bodies . • 🚧 65% say badly fitting PPE hampers their ability to do their jobs effectively . Let that sink in: virtually nine in ten women in trades can’t get the right gear, and over one in five have been hurt as a result. This isn’t a minor inconvenience – it’s a serious threat to safety, productivity, and morale. This is NOT about diversity. This is about DEFENSE. This is about SAFETY. This is about getting the job DONE and getting it done RIGHT. The bottom line: Properly fitting PPE for women in trades isn’t just about inclusion – it’s about common sense and survival. It’s about unlocking the full potential of our workforce and keeping all our builders and makers safe. 🛠️🚧 Let’s gear up every last one of our workers for success. The mission to build our future – our infrastructure, our ships, our world – needs everyone on board and protected. Who’s with me on this? 💪✨ This is how we will win. This is how we will rebuild America. This is how we will secure our future. Let’s protect the hands that build America’s fleet! #BuildAmerica #AllHandsOnDeck #WomenInTrades #PPE #ShipyardStrong #MaritimeWorkforce #OneSizeDoesNotFitAll #SubmarineIndustrialBase #AmericanWorkforce #WeldingWomen #Tradeswomen #AmericanManufacturing #WorkforceDevelopment #MadeInAmerica #SupportOurBuilders #NationalDefense #SafeGearStrongFleet #LetsBeTheChange

One size fits all doesn’t fit anyone! The Parliamentary launch of the world’s first Inclusive PPE standard was a significant milestone. A number of years ago, a few of us kept talking about it. Me - new to the industry couldn’t get my head round why women were ultimately less safe and potentially at risk of secondary injury when using unisex PPE. Look at the image of Rowshi Hussain - a Geo-environmental engineer who spends her days on site. This ‘small’ jacket - category 3 required for the working environment was given to her early in her career. An extreme example but not uncommon. I met women who were experiencing this in their day jobs and men too! And Sandi Rhys Jones OBE, FCIOB who was on a mission to get something done! Cue the BSI, who then said - we can do something about this. This standard isn’t just for construction. The launch heard from the front line services such as the fire brigade, NHS, and in spin off discussions will help defence, etc. and not only in the UK. This has just highlighted that PPE needs to fit everyone in a way that keeps them safe while enables them to do their job properly. Blindly issuing ‘unisex��� doesn’t achieve this regardless of gender, ability or physical need. Well done to Sara Gibbs and Natalie Wilson for leading this. And the industry champions Katie Kelleher Katy Robinson MCIOB Katherine Evans amongst others who have kept the campaign visible. #safety #construction #PPEthatfits

This is an issue that appears on a fairly regular basis. Ill fitting offshore PPE for women (and in many cases men as well). Contrary to some of the comments in this Energy Voice article this is not a about 'fashion'. Offshore workers in the North Sea, one of the most safety conscious workplaces in the world, should expect to be given the right tools to do the job and that includes PPE. Employers who fail to deliver on this are failing their workforce and especially when it comes to female workers. DeepWind PPE supplier members all cater for women's sizes starting at extra small (size 8) so it is not a lack of available workwear, this is more about company culture when it comes to outfitting their workforce. This can be changed overnight if these employers adopt a different approach to supplying PPE to employees. There is no place for a 'one size fits all' or an 'off the peg' approach when dealing with the female workforce. I'm not sure if this an offshore oil and gas industry issue or a general one that extends to the offshore wind industry (comments?). I suspect a general one. As part of our Offshore Wind Sector deal the industry is tasked with increasing the percentage of females in the workforce with target for 30% by 2030 (currently 22% in Scotland) but with a stretch target of 40%. DeepWind advocates the 40% as the industry target in Scotland. As we look towards a huge increase in the offshore wind workforce over the next decade attracting females into the industry is a sheer must. Stories like this demonstrating an outdated approach to offshore workforce health and safety practices are not a good advert for our industry. https://lnkd.in/dTFUvxek #offshorewind #floatingwind #scotwind #energytransition #offshoreenergy #scotland #womeninenergy #womeninengineering #oilandgas

I've been seeing this photo make the rounds on social media lately, so let's talk for a moment on the photo of the construction worker wearing pink PPE because he forgot his standard gear. I couldn’t help but reflect on how this impacts the broader conversation about gender, inclusion, and the treatment of workers. The idea of using pink as a form of "shaming" someone into remembering their safety equipment feels problematic, especially when we consider how it affects women in male-populated industries like construction. While the intent might be to make a point about responsibility (or to highlight a rookie worker, as I've personally seen on jobsites), it’s important to remember that this approach can unintentionally reinforce stereotypes that marginalize women and further separate them from the rest of the workforce. For women, pink PPE often represents a forced gender distinction that we didn��t choose. In a field where we already face challenges to be taken seriously, having to wear gear that is overtly feminized or doesn’t fit properly only adds to that divide. Women don’t want to stand out for wearing different colors or "special" gear—we want PPE that fits our bodies and supports our safety without highlighting our gender. The focus should be on ensuring everyone has the right gear, not making women feel like they’re exceptions. Additionally, the normalization of pink as the “other” color for workers who stand out in some way reinforces the idea that women, minorities, or "outsiders" don’t belong in certain spaces. In essence, it can marginalize us by signaling that we are different or less capable because we are wearing something that marks us as separate. If we want a truly inclusive workforce, we need to focus on ensuring that all PPE is properly designed to fit everyone, regardless of gender, and that no one is made to feel lesser for their appearance or their role. At the end of the day, the goal should be safety, equality, and respect for everyone on the job site. Using gendered colors or making workers stand out for reasons unrelated to their skills or performance only serves to reinforce unnecessary barriers. We deserve to be seen for our work, not for the color of our gear. #workplacesafety #psychologicalsafety #equity