The new requirement for gender-inclusive PPE follows the launch of CIOB’s #PPEthatfits campaign, reports Nadine Buddoo.
The Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) has announced a new requirement which mandates the provision of women’s PPE across all registered sites in the UK.
The change follows work by the CCS in 2022 in collaboration with quantity surveyor and equality advocate Sinéad Clarkson with regards to the availability of female sanitary products and gender-inclusive PPE on construction sites.
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At the time, the CCS rejected changes to the Code of Considerate Practice relating to female PPE as it determined there were sufficient legislative protections in place.
However, following the launch of CIOB’s #PPEthatfits campaign and research published by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Yorkshire, it acknowledged there is more work to be done in this area.
National monitoring
The CCS’s Code of Considerate Practice is subject to routine monitoring by a national team of monitors.
According to the CCS Monitor Checklist 2024, which highlights specific areas monitors should consider when reviewing conformance, sites must provide “appropriate, well maintained administrative controls – machine guarding, PPE (suitable PPE available in a variety of styles/sizes [including female sizes])”.
Katy Robinson, senior project manager at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, who worked closely with the CCS to establish the new requirement, said: “I am certain that this move will encourage companies and even other accreditations to implement this change across the construction industry, and beyond.”
Robinson, also a campaign manager for NAWIC Yorkshire, added: “Even though well-fitting personal protective equipment should not be seen as best practice, it should be the minimum standard, this move from the Considerate Constructors Scheme is a big step in the right direction.”
#PPEthatfits campaign
CIOB’s #PPEthatfits campaign was launched last year. The initiative aims to address widespread inequalities in PPE across the industry.
CIOB president Sandi Rhys Jones said: “The commitment from Considerate Constructors to support mandatory provision is a wonderful example of how collaborative working, supported by facts, can result in practical outcomes that will benefit the sector as a whole.”
Philip Sayer, head of assurance and challenge at the CCS, said: “The CCS is committed to improving inclusivity and diversity in the construction industry and helping to address its skills gap.
“Improving access for women in the industry is integral to this, and we are delighted to play our part by promoting the provision of female-specific PPE on sites that sign up to our Code of Considerate Practice.”
This article first appeared on CIOB People
