Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most of the transport network in London.

When was women's specific PPE introduced into Transport for London?

Back in 2015, Transport for London launched it's first range of safety clothing designed specifically for women, as part of it's commitment to supporting an increasingly diverse workforce.

Transport for London undertook a trial, the results of which indicated that women had previously resorted to pinning or rolling up high visibility trousers to get a decent fit, and that poorly fitted PPE posed a trip hazard.

(Why is this an issue? According to EN ISO 20471, the reflective strips on high visibility clothing need to sit on certain parts of the body, to be most effective. If users are rolling up high-visibility trousers, then reflective strips will be covered up, and therefore the trousers will be less reflective, and the risk of a user not being seen by traffic or other site users is increased).

What women's specific PPE is offered?

Transport for London offers a wide range of high-visibility jackets, trousers, gloves, adjustable eye protection, and safety boots. 

In addition to this, Transport for London also offers a tailoring service, ensuring female staff have access to better fitted PPE.

What were the benefits of implementing women's PPE?

Transport for London found that the female workforce felt more comfortable and had no unnecessary distractions from the job at hand when wearing well-fitting women's PPE.

Want to read more? Check out the link below:

https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2015/december/tfl-reveals-its-first-ever-women-s-safety-clothing-range