AILEEN’S UNIFORM ATLAS
The Pulse is pleased to present Aileen’s Uniform Atlas, a recurring feature written by Aileen Out.
Out is the owner of Prettybusiness, a news blog in the Netherlands that focuses exclusively on work clothing.
The number of women in tech is rising globally. In the early 2000s, they made up only 9% of this workforce, but today that figure has increased to 35 percent. These women need to be well-protected while working. However, their needs are often overlooked when purchasing protective equipment.
Lack of Consideration for Women
If you asked people on the street whether women should be just as well protected at work as men, everyone would emphatically say yes. Also, employers are legally obliged to protect their employees. Yet in practice, this is not always the case.
Recent research conducted in England and Ireland shows that the problem primarily lies with company purchasing departments. While 82% of respondents in these companies believe there should be more focus on PPE for women, only 1% of buyers actually plan to take this group into account.
Costs and Consequences
The consequences of inadequate protection are often underestimated or simply not understood. Many employers still believe that a woman can simply wear a small men’s size. However, as far back as the 1970s and 80s, the U.S. military demonstrated through anthropometric data that it is unsafe for women to wear men’s workwear. Not only do hips and bust measurements differ, but even the shape of the hands, fingers, and head varies significantly.
But, as is often the case, it all comes down to money. Purchasing products for a minority group is simply more expensive than a unisex model that everyone is supposed to fit into. What’s often not mentioned is that unisex is actually designed for men, as the fit is straight. Doesn’t it fit? Then you just have to choose a larger size. That it then fits too loosely at the shoulders and waist, increasing the risk of getting caught on something, is something you’ll have to accept. The costs for PPE are paid now, but the costs for accidents will come later.
Plenty of Solutions
Fortunately, more and more startups are focusing on protective gear for women. And this goes beyond just proper fit. For example, the Canadian company The Dirty Seahorse developed a coverall with an inner pocket for storing menstrual products. In the same country, Covergalls designed a coverall with a flap at the back so women can easily use the restroom.
Pregnant women are also considered. Based in Portland (US), Dovetail Workwear sells overalls that grow with you during pregnancy. And for those who prefer to wear work pants or shirts during those nine months, you can turn to the Swedish brand Blåkläder or the Canadian company Covergalls.
It’s like women’s suffrage. Women have just as much right to it as men; we just have to fight for it together. Only then will we make progress.
