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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Health and Safety and women in stained glass making

32 replies

WrongKindOfFeminist · 01/08/2026 11:24

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g4dvkg847o

Rules about lead exposure may mean women aren't allowed to work with lead.

Interesting conundrum.

A woman with short dark hair wearing a blue protective jacket and blue gloves, stands beside a table covered with a piece of stained glass. Behind her there are windows and lamps with red cloths over them.

Stained glass rule change may impact women's jobs

Health and safety rules on lead exposure could be changed and put jobs at risk, glaziers say.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g4dvkg847o

OP posts:
WrongKindOfFeminist · 01/08/2026 11:45

MrPrettyDamnCosmic · 01/08/2026 11:39

I wonder how long lead stays in the blood

Not so long in the blood but lead gets stored in the bones & leaches out for years so I don't think that a waiver could ever be appropriate. The answer is proper H&S to reduce the risk of exposure for everyone e.g. ventilation, respirator, alternatives to lead etc etc

Yes, but the article says the mfr in question uses every possible mitigation.

OP posts:
FlatCatYellowMat · 01/08/2026 11:41

Snap Mr Cosmic!

FlatCatYellowMat · 01/08/2026 11:39

Here's another thought though - there were big problems in covid, because PPE wasn't made to fit women properly.

And I remember my dad ranting once about extraction hoods, and them being too high for his female students (so they were exposed more than they should be.

The woman in the article is so close, I wonder if having better fitting PPE/safety equipment would get her under the line.

I wonder if the HSE is actually correct here, and what the employers should be doing is ensuring appropriate equipment rather than just not employing women (which I would think would be illegal discrimination. 'I don't want to get stuff in women's sizes, so I won't employ women' doesn't seem like a proportionate means to a legitimate end to me)

MrPrettyDamnCosmic · 01/08/2026 11:39

I wonder how long lead stays in the blood

Not so long in the blood but lead gets stored in the bones & leaches out for years so I don't think that a waiver could ever be appropriate. The answer is proper H&S to reduce the risk of exposure for everyone e.g. ventilation, respirator, alternatives to lead etc etc

FlatCatYellowMat · 01/08/2026 11:32

All pre-menopausal women considered pre-pregnant and therefore have tighter limits on lead in their blood.

I wonder how long lead stays in the blood - there are medications that are even worse for babies where they require birth control (although I have an issue with abstinence not being counted as birth control).

In this case, I feel that a waiver - that you understand this is an issue and will step back should you decide you want to have children would be appropriate.

Helleofabore · 01/08/2026 11:31

That is very interesting. I haven’t got my own kit out for years!

KnottyAuty · 01/08/2026 11:30

But how can they tell which limit applies to which employee?! This is so outing for their trans staff…