The PCIAW® proudly sponsored the launch event of The Provision of Inclusive Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Guide (BS 30417), on 12th November 2025 at Dover House, Whitehall, London, marking a pivotal moment in workplace safety and inclusion.
The collective sponsorship from multiple organisations ensured the standard is freely accessible to all, removing barriers to designing, developing, manufacturing and procuring inclusive PPE.
Natalie Wilson, Managing Director of Workwear Solutions International and PCIAW® Board Director, hosted a compelling panel discussion alongside Ed Grigg, PCIAW® Chairman, bringing together industry experts, policymakers and safety professionals to address a critical workplace safety issue that has been overlooked for too long.
Addressing a Critical Safety Gap
The event highlighted the urgent need for PPE that fits diverse workforces properly. Natalie Wilson, who chaired the BSI’s drafting panel for the standard, explained that inclusive PPE is about ensuring safety equipment accommodates different body shapes and sizes, disabilities, cultural attire, maternity wear, menopausal symptoms, neurodivergences and other protected characteristics.
The panel emphasised that properly fitting PPE keeps workers safe on the job, while helping recruitment and retention of workers by giving them equipment that does not put them at risk and allows them to perform their duties as effectively as those who fit standard size ranges.
Natalie Wilson’s role extends beyond the UK standard. She will be integral in collaborating to develop a European standard for inclusive PPE, amplifying the impact of this important work across international markets.
Parliamentary Support and Industry Action
PCIAW® expressed gratitude to Kirsteen Sullivan MP for her advocacy on the issue of ill-fitting PPE for diverse workforces. Sullivan previously spoke at PCIAW® Summit to deliver the message to global professional clothing value chains, recognising that proper PPE is fundamentally about worker safety and equality, reinforcing the importance of this standard at the policy level.
Ed Grigg, PCIAW® Chairman, spoke on the panel on behalf of professional clothing manufacturers, drawing parallels between PPE and best practice uniform programmes. He outlined how the industry can improve by creating wearer trials with representative populations, tested whilst carrying out the practicalities of their job roles—an approach that ensures real-world functionality rather than theoretical compliance.
Personal Stories: The Human Cost of Ill-Fitting PPE
One of the most powerful moments of the event came from Rowshi Hussain, Committee Member of the standard development and a Geo-Environmental Engineer who has experienced the challenges of ill-fitting PPE from both a professional and personal standpoint. Rowshi shared that she had finally found the voice to speak up about the issue and expressed immense pride in working alongside the committee to improve the lives of women at work.
In a striking visual demonstration, Hussain showcased the smallest available hi-vis PPE she had been supplied with in her role. The photograph revealed sleeves extending well beyond her arms and a jacket that reached past her knees, equipment that clearly compromised both safety and the ability to work effectively. Her testimony brought home the real-world consequences of one-size-fits-all approaches to safety equipment.
Jane Middleton, also a committee member, represented construction workers and highlighted the challenges they face in accessing properly fitting PPE. Her contribution ensured that the voices of those working on building sites across the country were heard in the standard’s development.
Real-World Impact: Lessons from the Fire Service
Brett Egan-Briers from the National Fire Chief Council (NFCC) delivered a powerful message about the critical need for fit-for-form PPE across the fire service. He emphasised that properly fitting equipment for all firefighters is essential to ensure they can safely protect the public.
Brett discussed the consideration of inclusive PPE in the national procurement framework and highlighted the importance of understanding anthropometric data to develop products that actually fit diverse body types.
To support this challenge, PCIAW® hosted a digital body scanning event in June 2025 to support the NFCC’s problem statement regarding the lack of fit-for-form protective clothing for female firefighters.
PCIAW® sizing members scanned 100 active female firefighters at a Women in the Fire Service UK event, with sobering results: 20 per cent of those scanned were smaller than the smallest available structural firefighting gear—a clear safety risk that the new standard aims to address.
A Foundation for Global Change
Brian Tait, Chair of PH/23, spoke optimistically about the potential for global improvement stemming from BS 30417. Whilst the standard is intended as groundwork for a European standard, its impact may extend far beyond Europe’s borders.
Countries worldwide that lack their own PPE standards often adopt European standards for compliance. This means BS 30417 has the potential to improve the lives and safety of workers on a scale larger than initially anticipated, creating a ripple effect of positive change across international workforces.
Breaking Down Barriers to Implementation
By making BS 30417 freely accessible through collective sponsorship, barriers to adoption have been eliminated. There are now no excuses for organisations not to implement inclusive practices in their PPE procurement and provision.
The standard provides practical guidance for everyone involved in the PPE supply chain, from designers and manufacturers to procurement professionals and employers—ensuring that diverse workforces receive equipment that genuinely protects them whilst allowing them to perform their roles effectively.
Moving Forward Together
The launch event represented more than just the introduction of a new standard; it marked a collective commitment from industry, government and safety professionals to prioritise inclusive PPE. With leaders like Natalie Wilson and Ed Grigg championing the cause, and organisations like PCIAW® providing both financial support and practical resources, the foundation has been laid for meaningful, lasting change.
As this standard evolves into European and potentially global frameworks, the work done by PCIAW® and its partners ensures that workplace safety will finally be truly inclusive, protecting all workers, regardless of their individual characteristics or needs.
