Designing PPE for Real People at Work

PPEfitforwork

The BBC website has been highlighting a cause close to our hearts at jSD – how to design clothing for real people at work. Clothes that are fit for purpose and fit all shapes and sizes.

PPE ‘designed for women’ needed on frontline

PPE is no different – one size does not fit all. No-one is uniform.

Clothing at work is always a tricky exercise, for example, deciding when and how to acknowledge gender differences. Commodity PPE ignores gender. The BBC quotes a Department of Health statement: “PPE is designed to be unisex and offer protection for both genders, although some products are available in different sizes to enable fit to both small and larger frames.”

PPE includes gloves, masks, gowns, coverall and face shields – all can be worn for up to 12 hours at a time; in high stress environments. But the norm for any item is two sizes at best.

Longer term the involvement of companies like jSD in supplying PPE to frontline health staff, as well as brand clients, must have a positive impact on wearer well-being for these dedicated workers caring for us all.

B E S P O K E U N I F O R M S . C U S T O M U N I F O R M S . S U S T A I N A B L E U N I F O R M S . E T H I C A L U N I F O R M S .