PPE for women
When you get a bunch of women in the trades together to discuss working conditions, the conversation almost always goes to the lack of PPE that fits women. Ill-fitting PPE is a safety issue, especially in tree work where a tree branch caught in loose clothing could pull you through a chipper.
The women in the “Women in Trees Chat” have shared many resources and ideas, from companies who sell PPE specifically to women in trades, to hiring a seamstress to take measurements to help manufacturers create the range necessary, to working directly with a manufacturer. Below are some of the ideas. If you have any suggestions that aren’t on here, send them in and I’ll edit this post.
Existing companies
Boots
https://xenaworkwear.com/ - Boots sized for women
https://goclogger.com/ - fit even those with “kid-sized fee
Saloman Brand hiking boots
Helmets
Kask - down to 51cm
Protos - down to 54cm
Petzl - down to 53 cm
Chainsaw protection
https://goclogger.com/ - chainsaw protective pants in women’s cuts with somewhat customizable measurements
https://www.securitelandry.com/en/product/hiiguard-protective-chain-saw-pants/
Gloves
https://dovetailworkwear.com/ - particularly the gloves
https://womanswork.com/ - gloves (light duty)
Harbor Freight - HARDY globes
Safety vests
https://www.safetygirl.com/ - safety vests with adjustable waistlines
Socks
Darn Tough
Bridgdale
General Work wear
Epic Sports.- performance wear (shirts, etc to keep you cool)
Duluth Trading Co
Terry Bicycles - biking gear designed for women
S3 Solution Hoodie - Truewerk
General equipment
Nitecore HC35 - headlamp that has 1000 lumens and is super bright to use when it’s o’dark thirty
“Branching out”
Hire a seamstress to measure women at conferences to build a database of various measurements for manufacturers.
Create a database and a personal shopper position where women can go with their measurements and find out which companies are making clothes that fit them.
Grow our own
Work with women who design uniforms and have garment construction knowledge and create our own line.
Footnotes
https://www.fs.fed.us/treeclimbing/policy/2015_04_22NTCGweb.pdf
