CMU School of Drama


Monday, April 27, 2020

The need for unique women’s PPE

May 2020 | Safety+Health Magazine: The number of women working in construction, welding, manufacturing and other industrial trades continues to grow. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make up 9.1% of the U.S. construction workforce. Per a 2016 Deloitte study, women represent 29% of the manufacturing workforce. As the percentages increase, the demand for unique personal protective equipment for women continues to grow as well.

1 comment:

Alexa Janoschka said...

YES! THANK YOU! I think I wrote about this subject a while back. It is incredibly important that equipment for women is being made! I tried to buy a pair of work boots (and I wanted to invest in a solid brand that was going to last) so I went to Carhart and wanted to see their options (I also think the look and feel of the boot are also important, yes girls do care more about how things look) I went in hoping that they would have what I was looking for but I was sadly disappointed. I went to a few other stores and was met with the same disappointment. The men’s section had a great selection! But the women’s section was sparse (and also very very boring… like you couldn’t make the 2 - men's section had 12 selections - options any less appealing to look at??). I then hoped that I could find a size in the men's shoes that were small enough but again they weren’t. It is not only uncomfortable to wear PPE that doesn’t fit right, BUT IT IS DANGEROUS! If you want to know how my shoe shopping experience ended I bought a pair of timberlands (one they weren’t ugly as a cow's behind, and two the have a good reputation for lasting) I was interested in buying boots with steel toe and a better-insulated sole (for shock protection) but again those shoes aren’t in the market for women! Women have different bodies than men, women are doing the same dangerous work as men and should be able to be properly protected!