Women in Boat Building CIC (WIBB) have published the findings from their 2025 survey ‘PPE for Women in Boatyards’ in a new report, which they are encouraging all boatyards to read.
The results of the survey and the additional information shared at Southampton Boat Show have been compiled into a report which will aims to raise the awareness in yards about the PPE challenge women can face on a daily basis.
“Since we started the WIBB Community, conversations about PPE have been a regular thing. People find it hard to get PPE that fits their size and body-shape – it’s a seemingly small but really important element of working life which we are asking yards, suppliers and manufacturers to focus on improving for the women working hands-on in the marine industry. Mostly, women are making do – getting on with the job and the yards will be clueless about their challenges. This report has some shocking facts and figures – but nothing we were surprised by”, explained WIBB founder Belinda Joslin.
The report is available to read at www.womeninboatbuilding.com/ppe-report.html Findings included recurrent problems with ill-fitting gloves, masks and workwear, affecting respondents’ ability to do their job and compromising safety, thanks to lack of provision in PPE design for women’s bodies and smaller frames.
In the UK, women working in the UK marine industry can now expect access to better-fitting personal protective equipment (PPE) after the launch of BS 30417 for the Provision of Inclusive PPE, unveiled by the UK’s national standards body, the British Standards Institution (BSI).
“The Women in Boat Building PPE survey results clearly demonstrate a need for yards to provide more inclusive PPE so we are delighted that BS30417 has given an official framework that will ensure safer working environments for women working hands-on in the UK”, explained Belinda.