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Received 24January 2019
Revised 24January 2019
Accepted 5 March 2019
Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to identify the challenging barriers faced by female firefighters, which limit workplace entrance and performance.
Design/methodology/approach - Occupational barriers from both psychological and physiological viewpoints were explored based on previous literature and the reported experiences of female firefighters.
Findings - A comprehensive review of literature synthesizes previous studies pertaining to gender anthropometric differences, female firefighters' experiences in the work environment and protective clothing issues. The physical capabilities of men and women in specific relation to performing firefighting activities are also examined. Issues of greatest concern are identified for personal protective clothing (PPC) and equipment, which have traditionally been designed for the male human form. This leads to a lack of protection, an increased risk of onsite injury, reduction in mobility and poorer comfort for female firefighters.
Originality/value - This review provides an original overview of the critical workplace challenges faced by female firefighters. The need for female-specific PPC and equipment is specifically addressed to retain the growing number of women entering the male-dominated firefighting profession.
Keywords Firefighter, Female, Anthropometrics, Protective clothing, Protective equipment, Sizing, Fit, Functional clothing
Paper type General review
1.Introduction
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are approximately 10,300 full-time career female firefighters in the USA (Haynes and Stein, 2014; Campbell, 2017; National Fire Protection Association, 2017). When considering volunteer, part-time and part-on-call female first responders, this number may quickly approach 40,000 (International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services, 2018). The percentage of female firefighters in the USA has increased over the past decade, making up as much as 7 per cent of the total firefighter population (Haynes and Stein, 2014). Firefighting, however, still has one of the lowest rates of female employment for occupations that are classified as physically demanding (Hulett et al., 2008; McCoppin et al., 2018). This may be due to the physical and psychological barriers women face when entering the fire service. Historically, female firefighters have battled discrimination related to their perceived ability to meet the strenuous physical demands of the job. Proving that their physical strength, endurance and mechanical aptitude matches that of their male colleagues has become a consistent challenge for women...