75% of the UK’s NHS workers are women. But average hospital protective-wear designed for the average man

[SerendipityJane]

womensagenda.com.au/latest/75-of-the-uks-nhs-workers-are-women-but-average-hospital-protective-wear-designed-for-the-average-man/

Seventy five per cent of NHS workers in the UK are women, a figure that rises to 90 percent for nurses. And yet the personal protective equipment (PPE) currently being used across the country’s 1,257 hospitals were designed for the “size and shape of male bodies”.

The best way to tackle it is by somehow getting more balanced sex ratio in professions

Rather than designing equipment that fits women and institutions buying enough for the men and women who work in situations where it is required.

Seems sensible.

One might ask oneself why people were making that assumption, if one had any level of self awareness. Just a helpful suggestion!

And no, while balancing sex distribution across professions is in general a good thing it is not the solution to proper PPE not being provided for women.

Seems sensible.

(Puts on hat of superior objectivity, admires reflection in mirror)

One might ask oneself why people were making that assumption, if one had any level of self awareness.

I didn't wish to attribute to malice that which could be attributed to ignorance.

Most things are designed with an 'upper limit' in mind.

Doesn't mean it doesn't work for people not fulfilling that.

I don’t want more males thanks, but I realise that’s my issue.

I’m so glad you started this thread OP, it’s such a startlingly obvious piece of sexism.

I’m also curious as to why nursing is a female dominated profession, yes so many Senior nurses are male. It’s vastly unproportional.

Timeforachange, yes it does mean that it doesn’t work in this case. Too big PPE does not work!

Oh dear, G, you're really not very good at this.

I’m also curious as to why nursing is a female dominated profession, yes so many Senior nurses are male. It’s vastly unproportional.

Can't talk about the reasons why that might be, though, as it may upset those with a delicate constitution.

On the too big is fine thing, again, no, it is in many cases not fine. In the case of airbags and seatbelts in cars it gets women killed. In the case of Covid I suppose we won't have a full data set for a while, but even from the photos you can see that some female HCPs are swimming in the equipment.

@Rosiepony

PPE does seem to work regardless since the HCPs in ICUs or otherwise exposed to high viral load are not the ones dying.

It's typically HCPs outside of those areas that have. And given the disproportinate numbers of women working in healthcare, the numbers of women HCP deaths are only very slightly higher than men so male HCPs are dying in greater numbers disproportionately in comparison to women HCPs

For a number of proposed reasons.

And the total HCP deaths are not higher than other employed people or the general population anyway. And we can't tell who contracted COVID in or outside work.

I am usually on board with railing against women being fucked over by the patriachy but it's not happening here that I can see.

Ok but I thought the masks had to be tightly fitting?

Oh dear, G, you're really not very good at this.

Terrible.

I’m also curious as to why nursing is a female dominated profession, yes so many Senior nurses are male. It’s vastly unproportional.

Can't talk about the reasons why that might be, though, as it may upset those with a delicate constitution.

It depends on what constitutes a 'senior nurse'

digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/find-data-and-publications/supplementary-information/2018-supplementary-information-files/staff-numbers/staff-by-staff-group-grade-gender-and-ethnicity-september

As you can see, there's a much bigger change between bands 6 and 7 than between 5 and 6.