In recent years, strides have been made towards achieving gender equality in the workplace. However, when it comes to personal protective equipment (PPE), there's still room for further improvement. Ensuring the safety of female workers is not just a matter of equality; it's a fundamental aspect of creating a safe working environment for the entire workforce.

71% of women who need PPE use equipment designed for men (1) and 17% of female health workers globally say there is no PPE in their sizes available (2). 

With such a high proportion of women working in the healthcare sectors, and an increasing number of females entering the construction, transport, and manufacturing sectors, the need for female-designed PPE has never been more prominent to ensure optimum safety for all workers.

Why is female-designed PPE so important? 

• Increased safety: a one-size-fits-all approach to PPE is inadequate. Ill-fitting equipment can compromise safety, leading to accidents or injuries. Providing ladies’ PPE, with a proper fit ensures workplace safety.
• Wearer acceptance: comfort is paramount for PPE adoption from workers, thus improving worker morale. If the PPE provided is uncomfortable or ill-fitting, then employees may remove it, exposing them to risks and hazards.
• Enhanced productivity: wearing appropriate PPE not only promotes compliance, but it also enhances performance. Providing ladies with comfortable PPE that enables them to perform tasks effectively and safely should be the standard.
• Promoting equality and inclusion: providing specialised PPE for ladies is a tangible way to demonstrate a commitment to equality and inclusion. Promoting the safety and well-being of all workers, fosters a positive and supportive work culture

Globus Female PPE offering

Globus is proud to offer inclusive PPE designed specifically with female wearers in mind. We remain committed to developing innovative solutions across our product categories to cater to a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Eye protection

If protective eyewear is ill-fitting, it can cause discomfort and eye strain. Furthermore, if eyewear is too large for the wearer, they are more likely to remove and expose themselves to hazards, compromising safety. 

Access to securely fitted eyewear, with optimum protection should be available to everyone. Riley has eyewear options with a contoured narrower fit, designed specifically for female face shapes. Our latest innovation is the Riley Stream Evo Small safety glasses.

Stream Evo Small ensures inclusive, high-performance protection for all members of the workforce. Including a contoured narrower fit design to fit a female face shape and duo-spherical lens curvature so that eyelashes do not touch the lenses.

Hand protection

Well-fitting gloves are equally as important as having the appropriate protection level, as gloves that are too large affect grip and dexterity, leading them to slip off or get caught in moving parts.

Our hand protection range is available in XS and S sizes, ensuring a perfect fit for all wearers. The Globus range includes disposable and reusable options whatever the application, so female workers are always provided with the appropriate PPE.

Respiratory protection:

Face fit testing is essential before wearing respirators. To achieve a high fit test pass rate, masks need to fit closely to the face and create a tight-fitting seal to be effective and protective, meaning for smaller female face shapes, smaller masks are required.

Globus provides a range of smaller respiratory solutions, including FFP disposable masks, and small half and full-face reusable respirators. Our FFP3 mask, Alpha S, has been part of our solution for smaller face shapes for twelve years, and is regarded as one of the best small FFP3 masks in the market.

The combination of small fitting respirators and safety glasses ensures we have solutions that offer compliance, as well as compatibility.

At Globus, we have a dedicated team of Fit2Fit-accredited RPE Technical Specialists on both Qualitative & Quantitative Methods who provide comprehensive training and support to companies. Fit testing is especially important if respiratory protection is being worn with other items of PPE to ensure compatibility, for example, safety glasses, or helmets.

Head protection:

Helmets that are too large can be an uncomfortable distraction, and if not fitted properly, will not offer the right level of protection. If helmets are likely to fall off or be removed due to discomfort, then workers are exposed to hazards.

Globus’ range of head protection is completely adjustable, allowing protection for smaller, female head shapes. Our adjustable helmets and bump caps ensure a secure, stable, and comfortable fit.

Still unsure what to consider?

If you are looking to ensure your PPE offering is suitable for the entire workforce and enhance your workplace safety, The Globus 360 Programme can help. Our tailor-made service is designed to assess the specific PPE needs of your site(s), ensuring every employee is guaranteed optimum safety.

References:

1. https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/2016-01299-Leaflet-booklet-Women%27s-PPE--One-Size-Does-Not-Fit-All-Version-26-09-2016%20%282%29.pdf
2. https://womeningh.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/WGH-Fit-for-Women-report-2021.pdf