Inclusive PPE in the construction industry: Sandi Rhys Jones
15th February 2024
We spoke to Sandi Rhys Jones, CIOB President, about the origins of the #PPEthatfits campaign and why it’s important to continue to push for inclusive PPE in the construction industry.
Despite the importance of properly fitting Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), current regulations are not explicit in the requirement to provide PPE that is designed to fit women properly. CCS is proud to have made a positive contribution through mandating its provision in sites that register with us in the latest update of our checklist, but we are aware there is more work to do.
How difficult has it been to source appropriately-fitting PPE for women in the past, and how has it had a detrimental impact on women’s work, wellbeing and safety within the sector?
Construction industry events and social media are awash with accounts from women who have had negative experiences with PPE and in some cases whose careers are being hamstrung by it.
And let’s be clear, this isn’t just an issue faced by women, but also some men and people for whom standard PPE isn’t compatible with body shape and size, religious headwear or other clothing for example. Nor is it a problem purely for construction. Hospitality, healthcare, emergency services and sport are all sectors where I’m aware there are issues with the provision of PPE.
Aside from the fundamental issue of safety, ill-fitting PPE also impacts on confidence. Participants in one of our round tables on the topic agreed, it can be hard enough being taken seriously as a woman on site, but it’s even harder if you look like a clown in your dad’s hand-me-down kit. It is the same for female visitors to site where PPE is mandatory, as a construction barrister commented to me at an industry event in London and an HSE inspector remarked at a dinner in Jersey. Â
Why it is taking so long to provide this basic service despite the legislative protections for inclusive PPE in the construction industry that already exist? What barriers have existed or still exist today to sourcing inclusive PPE?
Current legislation is not specific on the provision of PPE that actually fits the wearer properly but rather just the provision of PPE more generally. It’s an issue which crosses a long chain including those who design and manufacture PPE, company procurement teams and people mangers as well as frontline workers themselves. Changing standards and legislation takes time and isn’t something that can be done overnight. Sadly it’s also a case that these things often only happen when people start to shout loudly.
Could you tell us how the CIOB’s #PPEthatFits Campaign came about, and how you and the CIOB are involved in it?
By way of background, back in the late 1990s an architect at Alan Conisbee and Partners designed workwear for women and held a show at City University but little transpired.
Roll on a few years and in 2009 the issue arose again, following conversations in a dining club I set up for women friends in the industry. An informal working group was formed, including representatives from the Association of Women in Property, the Women’s Engineering Society, Women as Role Models and firms including Arup. We launched an initiative called the Purple Boots campaign which included a safety survey on properly fitting PPE. Dunlop collaborated and produced some safety footwear, but things didn’t progress much beyond this. Â
My interest in PPE was reignited last year after reading a LinkedIn post from an engineer friend voicing concerns over her daughter’s experience of not being provided with fireproof PPE that fitted until her welding course was almost completed. I decided to use my position as President of CIOB to champion the PPE issue and the #PPEthatfits campaign was born. We’ve hosted roundtables with cross industry representation, created an information resource on manufacturers and are having ongoing talks with the British Standards Institute (BSI) about guidance and collaboration.
What was your reaction seeing that CCS had also joined in by mandating inclusive PPE in female sizes on the sites that register with us?
When the decision was taken in the summer of 2023 to hold a workshop to exchange experience and knowledge around provision of PPE that fits the user properly, none of us in the CIOB Working Group expected the topic to take off in the way it did. It has been truly eye-opening to identify the scale of the need, and to see an ever-expanding network of committed individuals and companies, here and around the world.
It was a great opportunity to bring together individual women who have been tirelessly working on this issue, including Stephanie Eynon of BSI, Katherine Evans of Bold as Brass and Sophie Lydia Perkins of Atkins who has succeeded in having footwear designed for women. The work of Katy Robinson of NAWIC Yorkshire and the commitment from Considerate Constructors to support mandatory provision is a wonderful example of how collaborative working, supported by facts, can result in practical outcomes that will benefit the sector as a whole.
Do you think CCS’s new mandate to provide inclusive PPE will enhance diversity in the sector and help to improve industry access for women?
It will certainly strengthen the message about the sector becoming more welcoming to people from diverse backgrounds, but there is still a long way to go beyond the provision of PPE. Quality and safety are key elements of CIOB’s Corporate Plan, and its commitment to diversity is reflected by the appointment three years ago of a Head of EDI Transformation. There is encouraging progress with the EDI Charter and the memorandum of understanding with sister professional institutions that will improve data sharing and joint actions.
We must beware pink washing and recognise the need for more inclusive recruitment and retention practices and better working conditions for all. Â
