PPE not designed effectively for female healthcare workers
A report published in medical journal Anaesthesia, from the Association of Anaesthetists, found many “human factor issues” of working with personal protective equipment during and following the covid-19 pandemic.
A survey of over 400 NHS clinicians carried out by researchers from Loughborough University and the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trusts found that masks, visors, gloves and glasses were creating more problems for female staff members than male. Professor Sue Hignett from Loughborough Design School, who led the study, commented: “Even with the intense demands on clinical staff during this period we received responses from over 400 clinicians, and importantly from 292 women (72%), which is representative of 70% of the NHS workforce.
“Women reported significantly more difficulty with communication than men when wearing surgical masks and visors. They told us, ‘Apparently masks for smaller faces don’t exist’. We also found significant differences for women in the fit of safety goggles, including over prescription glasses.
“Other issues for both women and men included problems in operating clinical equipment due to double gloves, such as sutures and central line insertion, as well as using touch screens to record information and change drug doses.”
In particular, the report identified that PPE needs to be designed for differences between women and men, needs to support seeing, hearing and talking, needs to be included in task design to minimise loss of dexterity with gloves, for example; and that it should be recognised that it can cause injury to wearers.
