Women given ill-fitting PPE during crisis

Professionals union Prospect has highlighted the problem of poorly fitting PPE for women, which has become apparent during the coronavirus pandemic, which it describes as “appalling”.

Properly fitting PPE is essential both for comfort and effectiveness, but its latest survey found that women are still being overlooked when it comes to appropriate PPE.

The survey of 1,175 Prospect members found more than one in five (22%) women reported ill-fitting eye protection, compared to 14% of men, and 16% of women had problems with poorly fitting respiratory equipment, compared to just 7% of men. Almost half (49%) of female respondents said their PPE trousers fit poorly, compared to around 17% of men, and around 45% said their overalls fit poorly, compared to just 15% of men.

The union called for an immediate end to the “era of one-size-fits-all”.

The survey results can be found on the Prospect website.