The VIKING YouSafe™ Cyclone suit joins a growing portfolio of VIKING PPE whose fit and features reflect the safety needs of female seafarers, pilots, and technicians in the marine and offshore industries. Delivered in high-vis GORE-TEX NARVIK, the female-fit YouSafe Cyclone suit is approved to the same dual SOLAS/MED and CE/ISO standard as the male version and is available in multiple sizes. Common features include compatibility with all standard offshore harnesses, durable Neoprene cuffs and neck seal, retro-reflective piping for increased visibility in dark surroundings, and a maintenance free zipper.
The most recent U.K. Government Industrial Strategy Offshore Wind Sector Deal study included a “minimum target” for one third of the industry’s workforce to be by 2030 (2018 – 16 percent). In U.K. waters, and elsewhere, getting the right PPE in place to best serve the safety needs of women offshore has become a focus for equity and inclusivity strategy at Ørsted, Siemens, and Vestas.
“As a young industry, offshore wind offers a huge opportunity to change attitudes in the workplace, and to encourage the diversity, equity and inclusion women are entitled to expect,” said Lasse Hansen, senior HSE manager, PPE and TMSE, Ørsted. “Ørsted has identified female-specific PPE as part of the critical infrastructure we need for women to work safely offshore today and a necessity to attract more of them into this industry. We were delighted to work with VIKING as one of our key safety solution providers to take a significant step in the right direction.”
Ratios and cut are redesigned for shorter torsos, and different hip and chest proportions, and for a range of smaller sizes that avoid the risk of snagging in fixtures and fittings. The sleek design also offers a high level of comfort and enhances the safety of women when stepping or jumping to and off the platform, climbing the tower or moving around the nacelle. In addition, the suit includes integral braces, which hold suit pants for free leg movement when climbing and allow the wearer to doff its top part to move around freely.
Poul Parning, senior EQS PPE Specialist, Siemens Gamesa, said the Cyclone suit was a welcome contribution to its efforts to attract more women to offshore wind, ensuring that outdated practices did not frustrate career progress. “There has been an intense focus on PPE as a diversity, equity, and inclusion issue at Siemens Gamesa for the last two years; we have already adopted a new safety harness for women,” he said. “The Cyclone CTV suit supports corporate goals.”
“At Vestas, we believe that diversity and inclusion go hand-in-hand with innovation, and that everyone must feel safe, valued, and that their voice is heard,” said Vestas Wind Systems HSE manager Peter Armstrong-Cribb. “The right PPE puts these beliefs into practice.”
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