Sisi unveils Fall Arrest System for women

Pinetown, KZN, SA - Sisi Safety Wear has taken yet another step in its effort to support women working in industry by unveiling a range of fall arrest systems (harnesses with permanently attached lanyards), specifically designed for women who work at heights. 

“This is a very exciting move for Sisi, which once again underscores our commitment to women who work in traditionally-male dominated industry sectors. We believe that women should have access to Personal Protective Equipment that has been designed to fit the female anatomy and not that of their male counterparts,” says Vanessa Ronald, Senior Brand Manager at Sisi.

The leading local manufacturer of women’s PPE has unveiled five different harnesses in its Core and Core+ Ranges, adding to the already trusted line of Sisi-branded protective clothing and footwear designed for women.

The Core Range offers three standard harnesses with permanently attached, single- or double-leg shock absorbing lanyards, with snap or scaffolding hooks, while the Core+ Range includes two belted harnesses with permanently attached, double-leg, shock absorbing lanyards with snap or scaffolding hooks and adjustable shoulder straps. 

Sisi Fall Arrest Specialist, Ruaan Breedt, explains that what is especially unique about the Sisi Fall Arrest range, is its consideration of the female form through the development of its adjustable and elasticated chest strap. For women, the risk of injury does not stop when the fall does. If placed below the bust area, polyester webbing (typically found in men’s harnesses) can rise aggressively up and over the bust at the end of a fall resulting in secondary injuries to the wearer. 

“By replacing the polyester webbing in the chest strap with an elasticated webbing that stretches in the event of a fall, we are able to substantially reduce the pressure on the bust area,” explains Breedt. 

Another consideration of the chest strap that illustrates Sisi’s understanding of its users, is its adjustable feature. “Women with larger bust areas have shared their dissatisfaction of wearing chest straps that sit under their bust, further accentuating their breasts amongst a largely male workforce. By allowing them to move the chest strap they are able to position it in the area that is most comfortable to them, thereby increasing their confidence and focus on site,” states Ronald.  

“With the rise of women entering into industrial environments once dominated by men as traditional gender-based barriers are steadily coming down, there has never been a more pressing time to acknowledge the difference between the anatomy of men and women and their need for gender specific safety wear,” concludes Ronald