Severn Trent brings in new PPE headscarf
It's hoped more Muslim women will now consider a career in engineering
It's hoped more Muslim women in Rutland will consider a career in engineering thanks to the introduction of a new PPE headscarf.
It's being brought in by Severn Trent - the water company that serves our area - after being designed by one of their workers.
Aminah Shafiq, senior water quality advisor at Severn Trent said: “As part of my role I’m often asked to go to many of our operational sites, and as a Muslim woman I always found this to be tricky when it came to covering my head and the challenges it could bring.
“Sometimes there can be excess material from my headscarf that I would worry could get caught, or could mean my helmet doesn’t always fit properly – I didn’t want my choice of covering my head to mean I couldn’t feel safe or comfortable, so with the full support of Severn Trent, I wanted to change that, and designed our first PPE specific headscarf.”
Aminah when designing the prototype took inspiration from athletic headscarves as they have less material and have a snug fit, perfect for wearing under helmets.
When the prototype was created, it was tested with others across the business who would benefit from wearing one where it was met with huge positivity.
The light, cool material means its comfortable throughout the day, and the fit means it doesn’t need to be adjusted as often while still appropriately covering hair.
“I really hope this headscarf will help pave the way for more Muslim women embarking on an engineering career, “adds Aminah. “I’m really proud that now any other Muslim women like myself, who may have felt anxious about taking on a career in the engineering industry where PPE is required, will now have something comfortable, safe and inclusive to wear when working in any operational role.”
Severn Trent has added the headscarf to its PPE catalogue, making the product available to its 7,000 plus workforce to have as part of their usual PPE kit.
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