Female engineered work uniforms named a finalist
The Women in Engineering National Committee (WIENC) PPE Fit for Work Project has been named a finalist in the Chamber of Minerals & Energy of Western Australia (CMEWA) Women in Resources Awards in the Outstanding Company Initiative category for 2012.
The CMEWA Women in Resources Awards "recognise individuals and organisations working to build a world class industry which provides attractive career opportunities and enhances the recognition and participation of women in the sector." The Outstanding Company Initiative category promotes initiatives that enhance the attraction and retention of women in the resources sector such as innovative shift rosters, childcare arrangements, work/life balance initiatives and maternity leave and return to work strategies to name just a few.
The WIENC PPE Fit for work project was developed from the frustration by the current ill-fitting PPE available for women. The WIENC in conjunction with Challenger Institute of Technology designers Michelle Olufson and Kalina Cannon, created four prototype PPE outfits compliant to Australian Standards. Olufson said: " Many girls had a problem with shirts gaping out from their bust, so we developed a shirt with tab fronts (like a polo shirt) so they really only have two buttons. We have also put the pockets on the sleeves to take emphasis off the bust."
The innovative outfits were launched at the International Conference for Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES15) in Adelaide in July 2011. The outfits are currently being developed as a pilot range in partnership with John Holland, which will be rolled out across several of their sites Australia wide in early 2012.
