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Access to properly fitting personal protective equipment for female construction workers
Lynn C Onyebeke1, Demetrios M Papazaharias2, Alice Freund3
1Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
American Journal of Industrial Medicine
|June 28, 2016
Summary
Female construction workers face challenges finding properly fitting personal protective equipment (PPE). Most available PPE is designed for men, leading to fit issues and safety concerns for women in the industry.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Industrial Hygiene
- Construction Safety
Background:
- Existing literature indicates personal protective equipment (PPE) in construction is predominantly designed for male anthropometry.
- This study addresses the gap in understanding PPE accessibility and fit for female construction workers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the availability and adequacy of properly fitting personal protective equipment (PPE) for female construction workers.
- To identify specific challenges and themes related to PPE fit and safety culture experienced by women in the construction trades.
Main Methods:
- Conducted semi-structured focus group interviews with 23 female union carpenters, laborers, and ironworkers.
- Employed thematic framework analysis to code transcriptions and identify major themes regarding PPE fit and safety.
Main Results:
- A majority of participants reported significant fit problems with various types of PPE, including gloves, harnesses, safety vests, work boots, and outerwear.
- Commonly, provided PPE was too large, leading to safety hazards. Themes of self-purchasing PPE and an indifferent safety culture also emerged.
- Participants had an average of 15.1 years of experience in construction.
Conclusions:
- Female construction workers consistently encounter difficulties in obtaining and utilizing PPE that fits correctly.
- The lack of adequately fitting PPE poses safety risks and highlights a need for gender-specific equipment design and provision in the construction industry.
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