AtkinsRéalis Adopts More Inclusive PPE Head Protection Design Across Jobsites

Montreal-based design agency AtkinsRéalis says it’s piloting a brand new arduous hat design for its workers that may be adjusted to suit a wider vary of head shapes and hairstyles, together with spiritual headwear.

An AtkinsRéalis spokesperson informed ENR that the arduous hat design was made out there this month for groups throughout the UK and Eire as the corporate seems to be to drive inclusivity on jobsites and supply workers the sources they should safely do their work. Such efforts have additionally resulted in improved entry to sanitary disposal amenities throughout jobsites, the corporate mentioned.

Private safety gear (PPE) producer MSA produced the helmet with a rubber-reinforced ABS shell, for elevated safety towards lateral deformation, and suspension tech inside that adjusts to the wearer.
Photograph courtesy of AtkinsRéalis

“If we wish to create building websites that welcome all individuals, we have now to take away as many boundaries as we will to draw extra individuals from all backgrounds into the sector, and make it as straightforward as doable for everybody to carry out their work safely and comfortably,” mentioned James Butler, AtkinsRéalis managing director for undertaking and program companies, in a July 7 assertion. “This initiative is an excellent instance of small adjustments that may have a big effect.” 

Amount surveyor Laurienne Buhinja had enter within the new arduous hat’s design.
Photograph courtesy of AtkinsRéalis 

“As a black lady with braided hair, I discovered the traditional ‘one-size-fits-all’ arduous hat was not match for goal and offered much less safety consequently,” mentioned AtkinsRéalis amount surveyor Laurienne Buhinja, who helped drive the arduous hat’s design. “This is a matter for women and men with lengthy hair, or hair kinds and headgear for spiritual or cultural causes which don’t swimsuit typical arduous hats, in addition to many bald individuals who can discover that commonplace difficulty headwear can rub and trigger discomfort.” 

She added, “Development employees at present are usually not all one commonplace measurement and form, or gender, and PPE gear must mirror that.”

The arduous hat pilot comes on the heels of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s revision to the construction personal protective equipment standard (29 CFR 1926.95(c)) final 12 months, which requires firms to not solely present PPE however to make sure it suits.

The change aligns the development commonplace with the usual already in place for a number of different industries, mentioned then-Assistant Secretary for Occupational Security and Well being Doug Parker final 12 months.

“I’ve talked to employees in building, significantly ladies, who’ve spoken of private protecting gear that didn’t match or was merely unavailable on the jobsite of their measurement,” Parker mentioned. “PPE should match correctly to work.”