Painting contractor Bagnalls has commissioned workwear specifically designed for its female employees.
Bagnalls has seen an increase in the number of young women becoming a part of the painting and decorating industry, with women making up a third of its recent apprentice intake.
During development of its new range of workwear, Bagnalls realised that no one else had considered the needs of a female-specific bib and brace overalls for painting and decorating. So the team decided to create a bespoke Bagnalls version.
Bagnalls worked with its supplier to design new workwear to combat the issues that one-size-fits-all clothing creates. Becky Slater, head of safety, health, environment and quality at the company, realised that many other female colleagues were dealing with the same issues that she faced on a daily basis.
鈥淭here鈥檚 not a huge choice for women when it comes to PPE and workwear in the painting and decorating industry 鈥� and the choices we do have are usually limited to a shade of pink. Almost all of the workwear used in our industry is intended for the male body and is therefore very oversized on a lot of women, especially those of us who are of a smaller build.
鈥淚 found a lot of the workwear uncomfortable to wear when on site and would often wear two pairs of thick socks to ensure that the work-issue boots fit my feet properly. Speaking to other female colleagues 鈥� and male colleagues who are of a smaller build 鈥� we realised we were all experiencing the same issues.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I decided to do something about the situation and develop our own Bagnalls-branded workwear, with options tailored to both the male and female body. This ensures that everyone feels comfortable, safe and equal at work. Each piece of clothing has been designed by us using the invaluable feedback provided by our people.鈥�
Supplied by Stronghold, the bespoke work garments are stretchy, breathable and move with the body during physical work. The range encompasses t-shirts, trousers, footwear, high-visibility clothes and more 鈥� including the traditional bib and brace.
鈥淣o one else offers a female-fit bib and brace,鈥� Slater claimed. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fantastic that Bagnalls can be the first company to offer this style of workwear, specifically made to fit the female body. However, it is also troubling that our industry hasn鈥檛 already identified and solved this problem. We want to correct this imbalance and make sure that the female members of our Bagnalls family feel empowered, safe and comfortable at work.鈥�
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