FEATURE


increase employee safety, wellbeing and diversity as well as clearly demonstrate your commitment to social responsibility and equality.


• Better confidence –Well-fitting PPE can also make the user feel more confident at work, with higher self-esteem as they perceive themselves as looking more professional.


WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?


Under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations (Amendment) 2022, employers must provide suitable PPE to employees exposed to health or safety risks at work. Note the words ‘suitable PPE’. The regulations state that PPE is not suitable unless it takes account of ergonomic requirements and the wearer’s health. It must also be capable of fitting the wearer correctly, after adjustments, if necessary, within its designed range.


CAMPAIGNS AND PROGRESS


Much attention to PPE inequality has been generated by the campaigning work of NAWIC Yorkshire and Bold as Brass, a support network and community for women in mining, engineering and construction.


Both groups have worked closely with the #PPEthatfits campaign, coordinated by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). It has also created a directory of manufacturers and brands that make inclusive PPE.


Another step forward has been taken by the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS), an accreditation organisation aiming to raise industry standards. The CCS has made provision of women’s PPE a fundamental part of the Code of Considerate Practice. Routine on-site checks help enforce the code, as non-compliance lowers published performance scores.


MSA SAFETY AND PPE DIVERSITY


MSA Safety’s V-Gard family of hard hats, fitted with Fas-Trac III wheel ratchet suspension, are amongst the


In an MSA blind test, 92% of participants preferred V-Gard with Fas-Trac III to their current helmet, due to better comfort, retention, stability and customised fitting.


For further inclusivity, some V-Gard models incorporating full-face visors or over-spectacles are designed to fit with users’ own corrective eyewear. According to statista.com (2024), 59% of people in the UK wear glasses.


At MSA Safety, we believe everyone deserves comfortable, well-fitting PPE. It’s about respect, equity and the path toward a safer, more inclusive world. This aligns perfectly with our long-stated company mission, unchanged since 1918: “That men and women may work in safety and that they, their families and their communities may live in health throughout the world.”


For further information, including how you could trial some of the V-Gard family models for free, visit the MSA website.


https://gb.msasafety.com/head-protection?utm_campaign=vgard-900&utm_medium=paid-other&utm_source=tomorrow-health-&-safety https://gb.msasafety.com/head-protection


products selected for the CIOB’s #PPEthatfits directory. These industrial helmets provide a customised fit, ensuring all wearers benefit equally from the V-Gard hard hats’ protection, comfort, quality and style.


MSA’s Fas-Trac III suspension allows quick, secure and customised adjustment, helping the V-Gard hard hat stay balanced, stable and in place – even when the wearer inverts their head or shakes it. Wearers can select their preferred height and change the horizontal positioning at any time for better sun protection or upward view.


V-Gard and Fas-Trac III adjustability cater for a wide range of head sizes and hairstyles, including dreadlocks, braids, afro styles and ponytails, with no hair pulling or discomfort. The Fas-Trac III foam sweatband covers the suspension headband and the user’s forehead for added comfort.


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