Women's Workwear

[lucy78green]

Also guys telling me how to mattock. That method might work for you son, but I have lady hips and boobs and a completely different centre of gravity so why don't you mosey on back to what you were doing, thank you.

yup, and hoeing, I don't have the same upper body strength as you guys, areas you can hoe or shovel scrape without blinking might require me expending huge amounts of energy to just get the thing to bite into the ground - and don't get me started on the lack of a portaloo on some sites...

[BAJR]

I think this should prove... if proof was needed... the input of Anne Teather was essential.. and the issue is a real one.... and we were right to bring it up at the meeting.

I feel this will be one of the prime issues in the initial Diggers Charter.

[kevin wooldridge]

We did get a minor breakthrough of sorts when we raised this issue with an employer in Norway.

In addition to the normal UK type PPE, employees in our Museum are issued with a 'digging suit' of hi-vis trousers and jacket. These items are bought in bulk by the University. However enough woman complained, particularly about the cut of the trousers, so that now women can go the one shop in Oslo which sells reasonable size and shape protective clothing for women. It happens to be a ships chandlers rather than a 'traditional' builders merchants and of course the clothes are a little more expensive than the builders merchants, but it does prove that a combination of people power and a little consideration of the potential alternatives can benefit everyone.

I am guessing that Britain has as many if not more ships chandlers than Norway so it may be a place to look intead of relying on builders merchants. I know for example that the chandlers we have back home in Lowestoft sells Aalesund wet weather gear which is 10 times better and stronger than anything I have seen sold in traditional UK PPE outlets....

[lucy78green]

unfortunately my local ships chandlers closed and became a sea food restaurant, which confusingly kept the name and all the paraphernalia such as the giant pulley and lifesaver ring on the outside. I will look in the phone book to see if there is another one nearby

[Dirty Boy]

I guess the moral of the story is that women should realise they don't belong in the construction industry and should get back home to look after the kids and cook the dinner for all us hardworking men.... :p


BAJR edit: Although you are being funny.... just remember its not

[Oxbeast]

What used to drive me mental was being expected to wear massive safety glasses over my specs. When I mattocked, it was like having a set of plastic castanets attached to my face.

[trowelfodder]

Compulsary boiler suits are also a huge problem as I have F cup boobs it means that in order to get a suit that fits over them it is so bulky elsewhere that it catches in the tools, and as has previously come up the crotch ends up somewhere around my knees making it almost impossible to work. Companies really dont think these things through - ill fitting clothing is dangerous.

Then we got offered polo shirts and trousers which again had similar sizing issues. Trousers were skinny fit with no hips so to get them over my hips couldnt keep them up!

Better ppe on water pipeline job where trousers had drawstring wiast but companies do need to realise that simply asking a woman do you want s,m, l or XL clothes doesnt really work. As the clothes arent cut to fit our shape we could potentially fall anywhere within the range. A little bit of fore thought such as bringing in sample sizes and letting them be tried on will easily flag up issues before getting onto site. It is not as simple as smaller hands and feet

[trowelfodder]

and whilt i do realise that dirty boy is just trying to get a rise out of people his sentiments are hardly unusual on building sites. It isnt an easy choice of proffession and as much as we would all like to think that there is a level playing field there isnt - and by the industry not properly catering for basic requirements such as ppe it is sending out a strong message of who belongs and who/what is considered to be the norm.

a woman wearing clothing that is clearly too large or illfitting to the point of comedic that then has to go out onto a building site struggles to be taken seriously and it isnt fair.

[YellowMike]

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[YellowMike]

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