Conventional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is traditionally designed with the male anatomy in mind, as industries that required PPE on the job were largely male-dominated. However, this is changing with more women taking up careers in the construction, mining and engineering industries, to name a few. As more women enter high-risk workplaces, the PPE available to them is less than ideal, which highlights a critical need for safety gear that takes into account the anatomical gender differences for both safety and comfort. However, as female-specific PPE is a fairly new concept in the market, awareness, and as a result, the general uptake of female-specific PPE, unfortunately, remains low.
Anatomical considerations
In order to meet the needs of women working in the industry, Sisi Safety Wear has introduced a range of fall arrest systems specifically designed for women who work at heights. The Sisi Fall Arrest System is the first of its kind on the continent and is unique in its consideration of the female form through the development of an adjustable and elasticated chest strap. This is significant because, for women, the risk of injury does not end when the fall is stopped.
When placed below the bust area, the polyester webbing typically found in general harnesses can cause secondary injury to the female wearer. As the chest strap rides up and over the bust with force at the end of a fall, breast injuries and even lacerations are common injuries that female workers face. Furthermore, this could also lead to strangulation while the female worker waits to be rescued. By replacing the chest strap’s polyester webbing with an elasticated webbing that stretches in the event of a fall, the pressure on the bust area and the risk of secondary injury are significantly reduced.
Further contributing to female comfort and safety is the adjustability of the chest strap. Women with larger bust areas often complain that wearing chest straps that sit under the bust, serves only to further accentuate their physical assets, which is less than ideal in a largely male workforce. The comfortability and dignity of female workers need to be preserved, and an adjustable chest strap is therefore the perfect solution. The adjustable chest strap allows well-endowed women to position it in an area that is most comfortable for them which enhances their confidence, focus on site, and ultimately their productivity.
Equal but different
The belief that women should have access to PPE, which has been designed to fit the female anatomy and not that of their male counterparts, has led to a growing supply of female-specific PPE. Standard safety harnesses feature permanently attached, single or double leg shock-absorbing lanyards with snap or scaffolding hooks. Whereas specialised female-fitting ranges include two belted harnesses with permanently attached double legs, shock-absorbing lanyards with snap or scaffolding hooks and adjustable shoulder straps.
With these types of solutions becoming more and more available for women working at heights, Sisi encourages female workers to demand safety gear that is comfortable, and considerate and that provides the confidence to undertake any task. Female safety gear should be readily available on-site, in order to cater for all workers’ safety needs.
Equality in workplace safety
As more women tackle the challenges of a career in industries that were once dominated by men, physical safety when working at heights shouldn’t be a concern for them. They should not have to compromise on their safety by having no choice but to wear PPE designed for men. Instead, all women working at heights need to be aware that they do have the option of wearing female-specific PPE. Furthermore, they should insist on having their specific anatomical needs met with PPE that takes into consideration the differing physical risks for men and women in fall injuries. Supplying PPE that is tailored for the female form is the only way to ensure that women are safe, comfortable and productive in their chosen fields.
By Vanessa Ronald, Senior Brand Manager, BBF Safety
