Inclusive PPE Standard

The BSI has published BS 30417, a free new standard providing practical guidance on how to ensure PPE is inclusive and appropriate for all users. It covers selection and procurement, fit testing and adjustments, and the provision of training and information to help companies meet their legal duty to provide suitable PPE.

Reported in the IOSH Magazine, the move comes amid growing evidence of poor fit across UK workplaces. Research shows 46% of British women supplied with PPE or uniforms report they don’t fit properly. A recent Focal Data study found 36% of UK women and 45% of women globally had been issued inappropriate PPE. In policing, some officers have even resorted to buying their own kit to compensate for sub-standard provision.

Ill-fitting PPE is more than an inconvenience: it undermines safety, raises the risk of injury, reduces comfort and performance, and contributes to attrition in sectors already struggling with labour shortages.

MP Kirsteen Sullivan, who has campaigned on the issue, praised the standard as a chance to align industrial strategy with workforce needs. ‘This is the perfect opportunity to match Britain’s project to re-industrialise with the PPE needs of the expanding and diverse workforce.’

Industry voices, including campaigners and academics, described the launch as a ‘landmark moment’ for inclusive safety provision. Katy Robinson of The PPE Campaign highlighted the standard’s role in supporting diversity in construction, while Dr Debbie Janson of the University of Bath said it would help end the culture of workers having to ‘make do’ with unsafe kit.

To download the standard click here