Right fit, right protection

Imagine an athlete stepping into a game without the right gear — risky right? Helmets, pads and the proper shoes aren’t just accessories, they’re essential to keep them safe. The workplace is no different. 

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is designed to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. But PPE isn’t one-size-fits-all and cannot do its job if it doesn’t fit properly. 

One of the challenges workers face in finding proper personal equipment is that it often isn’t designed with diverse body types in mind – leaving underrepresented groups like women in construction, smaller workers or those with disabilities at an increased risk. A study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reported that 41% of women reported their PPE fit poorly, highlighting a systemic issue that impacts workers beyond gender. 

It’s not hard to see why. A worker in oversized gloves may struggle to move their hands properly, presenting caught-in hazards while operating machinery. Larger construction workers might find their harnesses are too tight, limiting range of motion which goes beyond discomfort and can take their focus away from safety and discourage its use. The bottom line: PPE that doesn’t fit isn’t just inconvenient – it puts workers at risk. 

That’s why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a final rule to revise the current personal protective equipment standard in construction. Unlike the general industry standard, the construction industry standard did not clearly state that PPE must adequately fit each affected employee. The revision requires that equipment fit each affected employee properly to protect them from occupational hazards.

Access to PPE that fits has long been a critical safety and health issue in the construction industry. For decades, most protective equipment has been designed with the average-sized man in mind, leaving everyone else struggling with gear that doesn’t fit or protect them adequately.

Our new rule is critical to addressing this issue by ensuring that PPE is designed to protect ALL workers. When PPE fits properly, it not only provides the protection workers deserve but also encourages them to confidently use it, ensuring they can do their job safely. 

Learn more about the personal protective equipment standard in construction.

Tim Irving is the acting director of the directorate of construction for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 

Editor’s Note: This blog has been updated to reflect information on the current construction industry standard.