Inclusivity in PPE and Body Armour: SecurityWomen at the Emergency Services Show 2025 (Birmingham, UK)
October 1, 2025
SecurityWomen participated in this year’s Emergency Services Show. Representative Laura-Jane Watkins (Research Coordinator and Lawyer) spoke on a panel discussion on Inclusivity & the Importance of Sizing for Every-Body on the 18th of September 2025. The panel coincided with the forthcoming release of the new British Standard BS 30417: Provision of Inclusive PPE – Guide, which will set out guidance on inclusive PPE design, selection, and provision.
The discussion, featuring Sara Gibbs (BSI), Amy Beams (Women in the Fire Service), and moderator Natalie Wilson (Workwear Solutions International, PCIAW), highlighted how anthropometric data and body measurements must inform PPE design to ensure "fit for form" protective equipment that supports rather than hinders the wearer.
Central to the discussion was the importance of understanding anthropometric data and body measurements in PPE design and selection to ensure correctly fitting and functional protective equipment. This issue is especially pressing in the defence and policing sector. Research consistently shows that ill-fitting body armour disadvantages women. For example, bras worn by women in tactical gear often conflict with the downwards pressure of armour plates. This poor design does not accommodate specific anthropometric requirements for women, causing a number of issues including restriction of mobility, longitudinal health issues, un-comfortability and unnecessary psychological stress. Additionally, Studies of UK female soldiers found 29–59% experienced task interference due to poorly fitted armour (Coltman et al., 2022; Davis et al., 2020).
Disparities underscored by both the Atherton Report (2021) and the Casey Review (2023) – indicate that there is significant room for progress to address the effects of technical PPE inequality across the security sector. To meet the United Kingdom’s goal of 30% by 2030 (a 30% recruitment representation target of women in the UK military and defence sector), under the most recent National Action Plan 2023-2027, the need for meaningful inclusivity is all the more pivotal. As of October 2024 women still represent only 11.9% of the UK Regular Forces and 15.9% of the Future Reserves. While in the policing sector 35% of officers overall are women.
As was discussed during the Panel Discussion, reducing barriers through PPE solutions are available and are often as simple as providing the right fit – for manufacturers and end-users alike – this means adopting inclusive practices that prioritise both safety and comfort through a "fit for form" approach.
More innovative approaches are also anticipated in the future – for example, where manufacturers have trialled female-specific ballistic plates, including contoured and thermally formed designs, supported by research using 3D torso scans (Bhatia et al., 2024). Further research, gathering gender-specific anthropometric data, will greatly improve comfort, reduce performance barriers, and enhance retention of women in security roles.
The panel discussion coincides with an upcoming Professional Clothing Industry Association Worldwide Ltd PCIAW® Round Table on Defence & Security Uniform Preparedness, taking place on the 2nd October 2025, which will address the urgent need to design protective gear that considers diverse body types.
SecurityWomen, along with its global partners continues to advocate for inclusivity in PPE as an essential factor in operational readiness, recruitment, and true equality for women across the security sector.
Sources
1. BS30417:2025 Provision of inclusive personal protective equipment (PPE) Guid (10 September 2025), retrieved from BSI Knowledge
2. Coltman et al. (2022) Effect of Torso and Breast Characteristics on the Perceived Fit of Body Armour Systems Among Female Soldiers: Implications for Body Armour Sizing and Design National Institutes of Health Database
3. G Allen and H Wong (22 October 2024) Police Service Strength Report, Houseof Commons Library No. C000634.
4. Bhatia et al. (2024) Women’s body armour: A comprehensive review of design, performance and ergonomics, Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics https://doi.org/10.1177/155892502412321
5. Baroness Casey (DBE CB) Review (Final Report), An independent review into the standards of behaviour and internal culture of the Metropolitan Police Service, March2023
6. House of Commons (2021), Protecting those who protect us: Women in the Armed Forces from Recruitment to Civilian Life, (Atherton Report) HC 154
By Laura-Jane Watkins
