AtkinsRéalis has introduced inclusive head protection for its workforce, allowing wearers to make adjustments to accommodate different hair types and some religious headwear.
The company worked with personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturer MSA to produce the modified hard hat – V-Gard 930.
The new design, inspired by the experience of an AtkinsRéalis employee, aims to ensure a more secure fit and full protection compared to standard issue PPE.
Laurienne Buhinja, a quantity surveyor in project and programme services at AtkinsRéalis, said: “As a black woman with braided hair, I found the conventional ‘one size fits all’ hard hat was not fit for purpose and provided less protection as a result.
“Construction workers today are not all one standard size and shape, or gender, and PPE equipment needs to reflect that.
“This is an issue for men and women with long hair, or hair styles and headgear for religious or cultural reasons which do not suit conventional hard hats, as well as many bald people who can find that standard issue headwear can rub and cause discomfort.”
Inclusive PPE
Buhinja worked with MSA to identify a hard hat from its range that addresses these challenges.
“They really listened to our needs and constraints to make it more suitable for all AtkinsRéalis colleagues,” she added.
The V-Gard 930 shell and Fas-Trac III suspension designs provide more space for braided and long hair. The hat can also adjust to fit different sized heads.
Russel Pieters, senior field sales manager for MSA, said: “The requirements for our modern workforce in industrial sectors has changed over the years and this is the latest example of where PPE has had to adapt.
“We were very supportive of Laurienne’s aims and we have worked in partnership to identify the model from our range that would fit the best and which will provide more capacity for differing hair types, as well as comfort for any AtkinsRéalis colleague.
“We’re looking forward to making the V-Gard 930 hard hat available to our customer base across the region.”
The new hard hat design is now available for all AtkinsRéalis workers who require it.
James Butler, managing director for project and programme services at AtkinsRéalis, said: “If we want to create construction sites that welcome all people, we have to remove as many barriers as we can to attract more people from all backgrounds into the sector, and make it as easy as possible for everyone to perform their work safely and comfortably.
“This initiative is a brilliant example of small changes that can have a big impact, and AtkinsRéalis has been proud to support Laurienne to turn an idea into a reality that can be rolled out on sites across the UK and Ireland.”
#PPEthatfits
In 2023, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) launched the #PPEthatfits campaign to address widespread inequalities in PPE across construction.
Through the initiative, CIOB has engaged with the British Standards Institution as part of its work to develop a new standard for inclusive PPE, which is expected to be published later this year.
For more information on the #PPEthatfits campaign and a directory of inclusive PPE suppliers, visit ppethatfits.com.
