Women in Construction Still Lack Proper-Fitting Gear Despite OSHA's Proposed Rule

Even though the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed a revision to the standard rule on the size of PPE, a recent survey indicates that women working in construction still do not have access to gear that fits them properly. According to their findings, 85% of women still have difficulty getting PPE that fits them properly.

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Recent Survey on Women's PPE in Construction

Based on the poll that was conducted recently among women working in the construction business, there is a lack of gender-appropriate personal protection equipment and safety equipment that is friendly to pregnant women on construction sites. Over 100 female construction firm owners, executives, and decision-makers were questioned by researchers from Lumber, an organization specializing in construction industry personnel management. Accordingly, women's sizes of PPE, including safety harnesses and hard helmets, were not easily accessible to 67% of respondents, and 85% of respondents could not obtain maternity-friendly safety equipment.

As mentioned, OSHA published a proposed rule in July to amend its standard on PPE in construction (1926.95). The objective of this rule is to guarantee that all PPE selected is suitable for each employee affected by the standard. The deadline for comments was reportedly September 18.

On the other hand, Robin Marth, an editor at EHS and a subject-matter expert for J. J. Keller, claimed that some of the safety hazards that can arise from improperly fitting PPE include loose-fitting clothing being entangled in machinery and poor grip caused by gloves that are larger than what is required, both of which can create accidents. 

As per Autumn Strickler, the Safety Administrator at Bowen Engineering, women have been forced to endure the reduce it and pink it mindset of PPE manufacturers far too frequently if any product is available. When it comes to safety and making your staff feel valued, having personal protective equipment that is properly fitted is of the utmost importance.

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Danger of Loose PPE on Women

Amy Roosa, the founder of The Safety Rack, a social media site that evaluates PPE for women working in trades, stated that it is common for women working in construction to be required to wear gear that does not fit properly. When this occurs, protection equipment such as a bright safety vest might transform into a danger of injury, which can introduce new risks. Hardaway Construction, situated in Nashville, Tennessee, has a project manager named Amanda Guadarrama. She stated that she had been through the exact same kind of occurrence. She added that a vest that was too big for her caught on something and abruptly jerked her back.

According to Jessica Bunting, research practice director for the Centre for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), an informal survey of 174 tradeswomen revealed that 77% had been exposed to a hazard unnecessarily due to improperly fitting PPE. Among the most significant dangers were falls, inhalation, and eye exposure. When eyeglasses or breathing gear do not fit properly, debris or chemicals are more likely to enter the eyes and airways.

Paige Martonik, the safety manager at DPR Construction, headquartered in Reston, Virginia, presented the same example as Roose and Guadarrama: a vest that was too loose and accidentally caught on a door. Martonik noted that she would never return to a looser or less customized vest since it has made her job more accessible and raised her confidence.

Thus, Roosa, Guadarrama, and Martonik have been forced to wear either too loose or too baggy clothing, which can cause new and more significant hazards. Gloves or other loose garments can become entangled in heavy, rotating machine parts, placing the worker's body in a more precarious position. They can also catch on doorknobs or hamper mobility.

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