Inclusive PPE

Opened the debate

Emma Hardy highlighted the issue of personal protective equipment (PPE) not being designed with women's anatomy in mind, despite the fact that women make up half the population. She mentioned a report by Katy Robinson on PPE for women in construction which found that 59.6% of employers do not provide women-specific PPE, leading to issues such as ill-fitting equipment, increased risks of injury and health problems. Hardy emphasised that well-fitting PPE should be the minimum standard and urged the government to address this issue by revising regulations to include specific reference to the Equality Act 2010.

Government Response

The Minister acknowledged the importance of inclusive PPE design and emphasised that the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations already require consideration of ergonomic requirements and health conditions. She highlighted ongoing efforts by the British Safety Industry Federation to improve industry standards for better-designed PPE, particularly for women. The Minister also mentioned the Health and Safety Executive’s role in enforcing compliance with regulations and ensuring employers provide suitable PPE based on risk assessments. She concluded that while there is still work to be done, initiatives such as the 'Protection for Everyone' campaign are raising awareness and driving improvements.