FEATURES 23
Dr Anette Thompson , a specialist podiatrist and fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine , Royal Society of Physicians and Surgeons ( Glasgow ), has worked closely with SiSi to ensure that women get the right footwear for their work that is both fit for their feet and fit for function . She has been involved with the development and design of the footwear , being part of research and development .
The research included taking 3D laser scans of the feet of over 500 women in South Africa , across all cultures . This helped inform the design of the shoes . “ A woman ’ s foot is physiologically different ,” says Dr Thompson , “ Wearing the wrong footwear can lead to falls , injuries and accidents .”
But , a shoe is a shoe , right ?
Not really . Women ’ s feet swell during pregnancy and during menstruation , which is something that men ’ s feet don ’ t do . Wearing a shoe suited for men won ’ t accommodate these changes . Plus , women who have given birth may find that their shoe size has changed due to ligament changes in their bodies brought on by the birthing process . Women ’ s gait , posture and centre of gravity are also different , and this in turn affects the design of the shoe . These were all factors that went into the research to create a work shoe that is fit for women .
Okay , but a shirt is a shirt , and a boiler suit is a boiler suit . Right ? Wrong .
Sleeves on a men ’ s boiler suit or shirt may be too long for women . The answer then is to roll up those sleeves – but then women lose out on the protection that that the suit is supposed to provide . If the
Women and men ’ s anatomy are different – work wear should conform to that .
sleeve rolls down , it could get caught in machinery , which could then lead to injury to the wearer .
We know that plumbing involves a lot of lifting , carrying , cleaning and cutting . It may not seem like it , but the wrong clothing and footwear could impede a woman ’ s productivity and ability to do her job .
If you consider that overalls , workwear , PPE and footwear are meant to provide some kind of protection to the worker , the magnitude of the issue becomes clear . Collars are designed for men ’ s necks . Shirts and boiler suits are designed to accommodate male anatomy and don ’ t account for changes in women ’ s bodies such as pregnancy . Shirts that are shorter in length are great for men . However , for women , having a short shirt that rides up when they are doing work that involves bending , exposes skin and not just makes them feel uncomfortable but could pose a danger should hazardous material drip onto that skin .
By discounting women ’ s needs as far as workwear is concerned , we are undoing the progress that we are making through integration and diversity in plumbing . Transformation is a big theme for the industry this year , and that extends to something that seems as simple as providing women the right attire for their jobs as plumbers . As Desiree Hlubi , SiSi brand manager at BBF Group says , “ These are conversations that we should have had in the ‘ 50s and ‘ 60s . Why are we still having to talk about this in 2024 ?”
Both Dr Thompson and Hlubi are determined to provide education on women ’ s work attire to bring about change not just in the plumbing industry , but in other sectors as well . If you employ women , this is your chance to help bring about greater change and improve the safety standards you provide for your female staff . PA
November 2024 Volume 30 I Number 9 www . plumbingafrica . co . za