Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standards are failing women across many industries, including engineering. As a result, the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) is actively advocating for safer, and more inclusive standards for women’s PPE.
Ill-fitting equipment can compromise safety, limit mobility, and reduce effectiveness on the job and in the classroom.
Despite progress toward equity and inclusion, most PPE is still designed with men in mind. According to the CSA Group, only 6% of women say their PPE is designed for them. This design gap puts women at risk across sectors where they are increasingly present; construction, manufacturing, skilled trades, and engineering workplaces.
The Scope of the Problem
- 9.3 million working-age women in Canada
- 50% say PPE does not fit properly
- 43% report PPE is uncomfortable
- 35% report a lack of women-specific PPE options (CSA Group; HPAC Magazine)
Women report physical harm, reduced mobility, and diminished confidence in their workplace safety. In the CSA survey, a steamfitter described being permanently scarred by ill-fitting PPE; a welder reported oversized gloves that made precision work nearly impossible. These aren’t isolated cases; they reflect a systemic failure.
The issue extends into engineering and skilled-trades education. Students in labs, co-ops, and practicums are too often issued PPE that doesn’t fit. Early exposure to ill-fitting gear normalizes the message that women must adapt to equipment that was not designed for their use; undermining safety, confidence, and retention from day one.
Resizing men’s gear or changing its color is a superficial fix. As Occupational Health and safety (OHS) Canada and ConstructConnect have noted, women’s PPE must be designed for diverse body types, tasks, and risk profiles. Inclusive design is not a preference, it’s occupational health, safety, and equity.
Engineers, manufacturers, safety experts, educators, and policymakers all have a role to play in creating effective change. OSPE is advancing the following actions:
- Inclusive design standards
Manufacturers should invest in research and development for gender-responsive PPE and expand size ranges, adjust grading, and redesign critical interfaces (gloves, harness points, headgear, footwear lasts).
- Mandatory PPE audits
Employers and post-secondary institutions should assess fit and function for women, report on compliance, and address gaps in procurement and inventory.
- Collaboration with standards bodies
Engineers must partner with CSA and other regulators so technical guidance reflects diverse user needs and real-world tasks.
- Public investment in innovation
Governments should fund pilots, procurement incentives, and market development for inclusive PPE, including education and early-career settings.
- Early intervention in education
Universities, colleges, and training providers must supply properly fitted PPE from day one of labs and fieldwork, reinforcing safety and equity as core professional values.
How Engineers and Institutions Can Help Now
- Audit & procure: Review current PPE stock against women-specific sizing and fit; prioritize inclusive vendors.
- Specify in contracts: Include inclusive-PPE requirements in project specs and campus purchasing.
- Listen & document: Create clear channels for students and staff to report PPE fit/safety issues and act on them.
- Share data: Track incidents, near misses, and rework tied to poor fit; use findings to improve procurement.
- Mentor & model: Normalize properly fitted PPE in classrooms, labs, and on site.
This is not a “women’s issue.” It’s a safety, retention, and equity issue. If half of Canada’s workforce and the next generation training in our classrooms lacks safe equipment, projects and people are at risk.
OSPE is committed to championing inclusive PPE standards through engineering expertise and advocacy, working with employers, educators, manufacturers, and standards bodies to protect all workers and learners.
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