Finding The Right Fit: Women's Industrial Apparel For Maximum Job Safety

The demand for industrial apparel made to fit women is growing steadily because women are entering industry work sites in greater numbers than ever before. Production of industrial apparel designed for women addresses an important concern: personal protective equipment, including clothing, has to be made to fit workers well in order to be effective.

Safety concerns top the list when it comes to designing and producing women's work wear just the same as with men's work wear. Many of the same guidelines and standards still apply and have to be geared towards women. Since safety always comes first, finding the right women's industrial apparel is a vital safety concern. While it might be tempting to just grab the same industrial products produced for men, it is necessary to find the right fit for a woman.

Getting The Right Fit For The Right Worker

Proper personal protective equipment, or PPE, and clothing need to fit well. Clothing cut to a man's body is only appropriate as safety gear for men. Since proper fit is a key component for effective PPE, everything that a person wears has to be the correct size and shape; otherwise safety gear becomes a liability.

Loose clothing is a hazard in and of itself. Any loose articles of clothing or accessories create a potential hazard; if any part of a worker's industrial apparel gets caught in the moving parts of a machine, the end result can be horrible. The risk of being pulled into a machine is real and people have lost limbs and even their lives when it happened. It is important that work wear fit well around the entire body.

On the other hand, clothing that is too tight and restrictive creates a different problem. Tight industrial apparel or restrictive industrial products will hamper a person's mobility and restrict their freedom of motion and movement. Workers cannot perform their duties safely and effectively if their work wear is getting in the way and they cannot easily get out of the way of potential hazards.

The best fit is the one that is neither too loose nor too tight. Women should always use items on the job that are cut to fit their body types.

Following Safety Standards At All Times

Regardless of the gender of the wearer, the same standards apply to all clothing and PPE. The same OSHA and ASTM standards always apply so a big part of finding the right fit for women is to make sure all work wear meets the same safety standards as men's clothing.

Flame resistant items are a good example. They are all rated based on how much energy they can absorb. So for electrical work, women have to follow the same NFPA standards and make sure to use the right PPE when working on electrical lines and powered equipment.

Road crews are another good example. Any work done outdoors, at night or in any low light working environment requires the use of high visibility industrial products. The same standards apply to both genders; ANSI guidelines cover the use of three different classes of reflective equipment. Class 1 covers workers such as parking lot attendants who require a high visibility vest. Class 2 covers job sites that are in close proximity to slow moving traffic and includes a high visibility vest and sleeves. Class 3 requires reflective equipment that outlines the entire human shape, including the torso, arms, and legs. Class 3 is used on road crews and any job site near high speed traffic.

Overall, all of the clothing used on a job site should also be rugged and durable in order to withstand the demands of the industry, including strong seams and heavy-duty threads.

PPE For The Feet

Personal protective equipment extends all the way down to the feet as well. The right footwear protects workers from a number of on the job hazards and, again, getting the right fit is essential.

Slips, trips, and falls are some of the most common accidents that occur on the job. A good pair of work shoes with a non-slip tread goes a long way in preventing many workplace falls. For tough job environments, steel toe boots provide a high degree of protection against ankle strains and sprains, crushing and impact hazards, as well as slips, trips, and falls. Other footwear options include static dissipative shoes that prevent the buildup of static electricity for use in environments where stray sparks can cause accidents and injuries.

At the end of the day, the best fit is the one that gets every worker home safe and sound.