MINISTERS have been urged to update health and safety laws to ensure all workers are issued properly fitting PPE.
The call follows new research that revealed women across the UK feel unsafe, embarrassed, and scared at work because they are forced to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) designed for men’s bodies.
A survey of hundreds of GMB members shows more than 70% suffer from ill-fitting PPE. 24% of respondents said they felt unsafe to work, 18% reported that they couldn’t carry out their job, and 58% said they were uncomfortable. Furthermore, 22% noted that they felt embarrassed, while 4% felt scared.
One female custody officer said her ‘low rise pants that don’t work for a lot of women’s body shapes’ led to ‘prisoners making sexual comments about being able to see my underwear’.
A woman textile workers said ‘the problem is not just discomfort; it is a safety violation that increases risk. Oversized gloves create an entanglement hazard with machinery, and respirators that don’t seal properly expose me to hazardous wood dust and chemicals, threatening my long-term health’.
GMB said it encourages all bosses to adopt the new British Standard on inclusive protective equipment.
