Construction and design behemoth Skanska USA has opted to create a full line of "Personal Protective Equipment" (PPE) designed to meet the particular needs of a rising cohort of women in the construction workforce. The equipment is being developed for these workers in order to "ensure their safety and provide an inclusive environment that promotes their wellbeing and success," according to the Skanska website. 

As a starting point, Skanska has initially redesigned their construction safety vests and is aiming to reconsider additional items in the near future. 

The move comes as the number of women in the construction industry surges. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures cited by Skanska, the number of women in construction roles has seen double digit growth in recent years, with the proportion of women in the construction workforce currently at 9.9%. 

In a blog post announcing the designs earlier this year, Skanska USA Vice President of Environmental, Health, and Safety, Northeast Region Jarrett Milligan writes, "With construction anticipated to grow by 3% this year and almost two million new jobs expected by 2021, we know that women will help fill these critical roles."

Milligan adds, "During my career, I have had to order and hand female employees PPE that is designed and manufactured for men. Gloves fit long fingers and large palms; vests are made for taller and wider frames." 

Milligan added, "In New York, 25 women from jobsites and our office tried on the [new] vests and gloves and provided feedback. I also took the PPE to our Seattle and Boston offices for my female colleagues to try on and share their thoughts. Additionally, we will gain further feedback from our national EHS leadership team as we continue to improve our PPE standard."

A pair of vest mock-ups that embody these considerations emerged from these research efforts. A few of the improvements include a more tailored fit for the vests to prevent excess material around the waist from becoming caught on construction materials on-site, a Polyster mesh back that makes the vest more breathable in warm climates, and front pockets that zip to "secure and hold field accessories." The new vest prototypes also include a large interior pocket for storing sketchbooks, tablets, and other digital devices.

Next, the group aims to re-assess its construction helmets. Milligan writes, "Skanska is also piloting new construction helmets on many of our projects that, unlike the traditional hard hat, provides added protection to the front, side and rear of a person’s head and has a chin strap to ensure it remains in place in the case of a fall. I am excited about the launch of this initiative, and it has been enjoyable working with my colleagues across the U.S. to develop and redesign PPE that keeps them safe."

In a series of collected testimonials from female construction employees published by Skanska, Samantha Rozycki, a Field Engineer with the company, writes, " Having appropriate fitting PPE allows me to feel more comfortable in the field. It shows that Skanska acknowledges this gap in outfitting its employees and is moving in the right direction to make the construction industry a place where everyone can work comfortably."