We get it. For too long, women at height have been left hanging by the equipment they depend on for their safety and livelihoods. Traditional fall protection for women can be ill-fitting and uncomfortable, which translates to danger in work-at-height environments. The Contour from Safewaze changes the game. Designed, tested and refined by real life working women, this gear is more than just a pink coat of paint on the same “unisex” harnesses. This harness is built from the ground up to ensure proper fit and keep workers safe. As construction and industrial jobsites evolve and more women are entering the trades, the need to meet the same rigorous standards of comfort and safety has never been greater. Safewaze is the first fall protection company to design a harness for women, by women. Delivering what working women truly need and want, backed by the reputation of a leading industry brand.
A Growing Workforce With Unique Safety Needs
Women are entering the trades at the greatest rate in history, increasing by 33% in the last 5 years alone. With more women than ever working at height, it has become clear that traditional unisex fall protection equipment was not tailored for all sexes. “H” front harnesses often exert too much pressure onto women’s chests, which causes workers to wear their chest straps too high or too low. Crossover harnesses cause separation and bring unwanted attention. These harnesses are often too large or difficult to adjust properly, causing an unsafe fit or excess webbing that quickly transforms into a possible trip or snag hazard. Not only does this reduce productivity with time spent adjusting, it endangers women who are already working dangerous jobs.
Why Proper Fit Is Critical for Safety
As workers at height already know all too well, a proper fit isn’t just about comfort during a long and difficult work day, it is a matter of life or death if things go wrong. When PPE cannot adjust to fit properly and securely, it’s risking the personal safety of essential workers who need to be able to trust their gear. The fact that the fall protection industry has been content to settle for a lack of female specific harnesses sends a message to these skilled women that they aren’t worth the same investment, resources or protection as their male colleagues. Women deserve the same safety, security and comfort. Working women don’t want to spend all day worrying about their PPE; they want to work.
Designed by Women, Shaped by Real-World Feedback
At Safewaze, we decided enough is enough. The simple fact is that women’s bodies are different and “unisex” harnesses are made for men. Beyond that, not all women are built the same. The solution had to have maximum adjustability to accommodate all the different body shapes and sizes with ease. The team started from scratch to build the Contour, a fall protection harness designed by women, for women. From conception, this harness was specifically designed based on feedback and experience of real women in construction and industrial settings to give them exactly what they want and need to keep them safe. From the earliest stages of design, through thoughtful construction and into field trials, the entire process was led by women with years of development and manufacturing experience. Their design was shaped by listening to the voices of the women who work at height all day, every day – whose feedback was heavily incorporated into every phase of the design and execution.
Led by Product Development Manager Amanda Kostran, the Contour team worked to design a harness that gives women what they need on the job. Kostran said she looked to other industries for inspiration. “Development started by gathering feedback at several women-in-construction events from women that work in the field,” Kostran said. “I also reviewed competitor harnesses, as well as harnesses and similar gear from other industries like skydiving, sport climbing, equestrian vests, life vests, hiking gear, etc. From there, I started playing with colors, materials and design features.”
Working closely with Sample Maker Tina Smith, they sought to bring as much comfort and support to the harness as possible. The team spent countless hours developing hundreds of prototypes with special attention paid to the ability of the harness to adapt to the needs of different women. Kostran said she wanted to make sure that the same harness could be safe and supportive for all female forms, from a short woman with small legs and a large chest to a taller curvy woman with every shape from apple to pear.
Developed to Meet the Highest Safety Standards
The development team focused on quality and breathable materials for comfort in all environments, as well as convenient hardware placement to offer unparalleled safety without sacrificing comfort. At every stage, the team made sure to use their insight and experience to look ahead to the finished form. What started as a rough sample tested on Safewaze employees for proper fit evolved into a prototype tested at trade shows. After getting feedback on form and function, the team went back to the grind, developing more prototypes that could be field tested in real-world jobsites. The finished Contour harness has a variety of features that working women will appreciate in both appearance and fit, as well as safety that meets rigorous ANSI and OSHA standards, as verified by an independent third-party laboratory.
One of the most important aspects for this groundbreaking design was the starting point that helped shape the entire process. The ergonomic and enhanced shoulder pad, developed to be lightweight and breathable for security and comfort during all-day wear, is a new innovation. This was developed directly from the initial feedback the team received regarding uncomfortable chest straps on traditional harnesses. The enhanced pad provides a more balanced weight distribution, while premium materials offer superior comfort and airflow for those long sweaty days on the jobsite. Precise alignment for the chest strap offers safety and security.
The Contour features three main points of adjustability, providing women of all body shapes an optimal and secure fit. Kostran said that a main priority for the team during development was making sure that the same size harness could fit a variety of different body types and heights.
“To me, a successful fit means that once the harness is adjusted, it doesn’t have to be readjusted throughout the day,” Kostran said. Can the same size adapt to different body shapes and heights? Seeing it on different women and having it fit correctly has made me confident we got it right.”
The chest strap features a quick-connect connection for the ultimate ease of donning, allowing workers to get to their tasks quicker. The side torso adjustment straps create a new way to cinch
in any gapping webbing that can easily turn into a snag hazard on the job. An element of design incorporated straight from direct feedback in the field are the tongue-buckle or quick-connect leg straps, which allow women to set-and-forget, making their individual harnesses easy to lock into their proper fit. The innovative leg strap construction improves comfort while providing sub-pelvic support and safety.
The fixed dorsal D-ring features an integrated channel for easy SRL connection that won’t slip during the day, with options for both front and side positioning D-ring. The lanyard keepers have top of the line breakaway style D-rings to keep lanyards parked securely out of the way while ensuring both safety and easy access. The molded waist pad adds additional comfort and support with a convenient and accessible tool anchor that can support up to 5 lbs.
All of these features didn’t come by accident. This team of experienced women worked extensively to make a first-of-its-kind harness. The Contour harness shows women in the trades that they are valuable members of the workforce and sends a message that they are valued for their skills. As the workplace shifts, companies need to adapt, and Safewaze is proud to be leading the charge with this innovative, women-specific fall protection equipment built from the feedback of real workers.
Empowering the Next Generation
At the end of the day, this is about more than just fall protection. It’s about creating an environment where women can enter the trades and show up to jobsites safe, secure, and comfortable. The women behind the scenes look forward to an industry that makes the next generation feel confident that they can get the same opportunities and support.
“The women I’ve interacted with are such incredible humans. They are compassionate, hard-working, resilient bad asses.” said Kostran. “I think it’s important that young women know these careers are available and that people do care about them getting the same opportunities that men in the field are getting. If you have a passion for something, don’t let anything stop you from doing it.”
Real working women get the job done and Safewaze is honored to keep them safe with the Contour fall protection harness, the first ever designed by women, for women.
