Why Women in Agriculture Are Fighting for Better Workwear: The Untold Safety Crisis

The Workwear Gap in Agriculture

Dairy farmer Nicole Tobes was frustrated with the lack of workwear options for women in agriculture. Women's coveralls were either far pricier than what was available for men or of inferior quality and missing important features like pockets that made her workday easier.

After trying and being disappointed by too many options, Tobes would usually just go back to wearing men's coveralls, which were ill-fitting and uncomfortable to work in.

"Even if you have to pay more [for a woman's garment], I'm willing to do it to have something that makes my day easier, better, [to] get the job done," Tobes said during a November 20 online discussion hosted by the National Women in Agriculture and Agri-food Network.

"I couldn't find it. So I thought, 'Well, how hard can it be?' And here we are, five years later."

Innovative Solutions for Women's Workwear

Tobes, based in Prince Edward Island, is the founder and owner of AgPro Workwear, which designs and manufactures coveralls specifically for women working in agriculture.

Features unique to her designs include:

• Curved waistband specific to a woman's shape
• Crotch gusset for better mobility
• Easy-to-adjust buckles
• Flexible, stretchy fabric
• Cut- and tear-resistant hip pockets, knees and cuffs
• Multiple useful pockets

Tobes spent countless hours doing research, including taking measurements from real women, and collaborating closely with manufacturers to create garments that actually work for the wearer.

"You have these incredible women who get their children ready every single day … get out to the barn, take care of their animals well, take care of their children well," Tobes said. "The last thing they need is ill-fitting workwear."

Research Confirms Safety Concerns

Research from the CSA Group confirms better standards around women's personal protective equipment (PPE) are needed to ensure they're comfortable and safe on the job site.

Jennifer Teague, the CSA Group's vice-president of research and education, shared findings from their 2022 study "Canadian Women's Experiences with Personal Protective Equipment in the Workplace."

Survey data from 3,000 women revealed:

• More than a third of respondents use PPE designed for men
• 85% said they've been hampered by their PPE at work
• About half said they had to adjust their PPE at least once per shift

Mark Stebnicki/Pexels

The Importance of Sector-Specific Design

Teague emphasized that PPE must be designed for specific occupational groups. "When you're making coveralls for women in the agricultural sector, that might be very different from PPE that is being designed for firefighters, for example," she said.

Applying one set of measurements for women's PPE across sectors doesn't meet the needs of women across industries.

"We know that women come in all different shapes and sizes, but understanding professional groups that you're looking at is also really important," Teague noted.

Health and Safety Implications

The CSA Group must consider not just differences in fit between women and men, but also differences in how their bodies function.

Teague shared a concerning story from the survey: A Northern Ontario woman would refrain from drinking anything all day because she had to completely disrobe to use the toilet while working outside around men with no private washroom access.

"They had urinary tract infections on a regular basis; their health was compromised because their PPE wouldn't allow them to use the washroom in a dignified way, in a simple way," Teague said. "They'd actually have to walk miles to go back and use the facility."

Industry Response and Challenges

Janice Ryan, a Newfoundland-based entrepreneur who worked for more than two decades in the fishing industry, confirmed there was "absolutely nothing in PPE or lifesaving-type equipment" available for women during her career.

Today, Ryan operates two companies - Byron's Outpost and Byron's Industrial - selling apparel and supplies for workers in transportation, mining, forestry and agriculture.

"I hear all the time, 'I don't want the pink vest; I don't want the pink hard hat,'" Ryan said. "'I go onto a site, I want to look like everybody else, and I want to be respected, but I want it to fit well, and I want it to be safe.'"

Ryan faced challenges when trying to connect with manufacturers to stock more workwear for women - Tobes of AgPro Workwear was the only one to reply.

Helena Lopes/Pexels

Moving Forward

Despite being advised that women's workwear is "a loss leader" that wouldn't generate much profit, Ryan continues pushing forward with initiatives to ensure women can access appropriate PPE.

She's collaborating with industry and educational organizations to bring stakeholders together and connect women with workplace-appropriate PPE.

Ryan emphasized the importance of addressing this issue: "We need workers. Half the population's women. Get used to it guys — we need women to work with us. This is the way it's going to be. So we need the women to come in to help with these labour shortages."

The National Women in Agriculture and Agri-food Network, an initiative of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council, continues to host monthly online discussions examining topics facing the industry.