Women working in the mining industry may face health and safety risks, as personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing are designed for average-sized men and, therefore, the protective function may be reduced because the items do not fit properly when worn by women.
For this reason, multisector science-based product supplier 3M’s personal safety division has designed its solution to include PPE for women, says 3M South Africa product manager Friedah Skhosana.
“As 3M, we have always listened to our customers and we continue to promote worker safety. Recently, there has been an initiative to address some of the concerns in the mining industry relating to the lack of PPE in the mining industry that fits women properly. 3M has a PPE solution available in various sizes to better accommodate the female employee,” she says.
Canadian health and safety organisation the Industrial Accident Prevention Association, in conjunction with the Ontario Women’s Directorate, published a report in 2006, titled ‘Personal Protective Equipment for Women: Addressing the Need’, which explains why ill-fitting PPE can jeopardise the health and safety of women.
The report states that, for example, should a woman with a small face wear safety goggles designed for men, there will be gaps at her temples, which could leave her exposed to flying debris reaching her eyes.
Further, if a woman wears men-sized work boots, the large shoes could cause her to trip and fall.
“In addition, men and women whose protective equipment does not fit or is uncomfortable to wear tend to avoid using it, regardless of the risk involved,” the report states.
To address this need, 3M’s coveralls are now available in smaller sizes, while it also has a range of respirators that includes smaller respirators, which fit better on the face of a small person, Skhosana explains.
“There is a change in demand patterns in the mining industry, requests for smaller PPE sizes are increasing, and our supply in this category is growing, compared with orders being placed for large items only,” she concludes.