Jennifer Herb spends long shifts beside railway tracks in all kinds of weather. As a shunting attendant at DB Cargo she checks brakes, inspects undercarriages and couples and uncouples freight cars. Her clothing has to move with every bend, climb and step — while keeping her visible day and night and protecting her from snow, wind, sun and rain.
Herb usually wears a high-visibility jacket and trousers in bright orange that were made specifically for women and include a high-stretch fabric. As she wrote on the Bierbaum‑Proenen blog, “the clothing works with me, like another colleague.” That sense of freedom matters: garments that allow movement both improve comfort and reduce risk.
For decades high-visibility workwear was stiff, heavy and designed for men. Women were often expected to wear smaller versions of male patterns, leading to jackets that would not close properly, sleeves that had to be rolled up, trousers that pinched at the thighs or sagged at the waist and safety shoes that did not fit narrower feet. Tools felt awkward in ill-placed pockets. A 2010 study by the Women’s Engineering Society found more than half of respondents said their personal protective equipment restricted them rather than kept them safe. Poor fit is not merely an aesthetic problem: it can reduce concentration, increase mistakes and in the worst cases contribute to workplace accidents.
Some employers and suppliers are addressing the problem. Larissa Zeichhardt, an electrical engineer who runs LAT, a family firm that lays high‑voltage cables along railway tracks, recalls wearing men’s protective clothing that was impractical and dangerous. She says she was constantly cold and frequently snagged on equipment; in tunnels, a jacket that caught could prevent a quick escape into a safety niche if a train approached. After switching to women’s designs from Bierbaum‑Proenen she described the change as “a liberation.”
Heike Altenhofen, product manager for workwear at Bierbaum‑Proenen, says women long accepted poor fits in male‑dominated industries because there were few alternatives. The company, founded in 1788 and still family‑owned, had experience making medical garments for women and about 15 years ago began adapting high‑visibility clothing to the female body in collaboration with Deutsche Bahn. Female engineers and shunting attendants helped shape and trial new cuts. Often the adjustments were small but crucial: bust darts, two‑way zips and a back elastic on trousers preserved the look and technical qualities of the men’s garments while improving fit and comfort.
Workwear must still meet strict workplace requirements: visibility, freedom of movement, temperature and moisture management, durability and, where necessary, flame resistance. Suppliers such as Bierbaum‑Proenen develop women’s fits alongside men’s and have them certified so employers can order correctly sized protective clothing quickly. Sales volumes for women’s lines may be smaller than for men’s, but having the option is important: “Even if there’s just one woman on the job, she deserves properly fitting clothing,” Altenhofen says.
Employers are noticing practical and reputational benefits. Some now specify women’s workwear in tenders, and companies that provide gender‑equitable clothing can enhance their image and strengthen employee identification. Works councils and large corporations are paying attention. Better, more attractive workwear can also help recruit women into traditionally male trades. Zeichhardt says LAT gets more applications from young women than is typical for the sector, and master roofer and influencer Sina Klein highlights well‑fitting, appealing garments as a way to bring more women into skilled trades.
Manufacturers note another safety angle: people are more likely to keep on well‑fitting, comfortable protective clothing in hazardous situations, while bulky, ill‑fitting garments are more likely to be removed. Lena Hojland, product director at Danish workwear maker Fristads, adds that many large clients now prefer a single supplier for their entire workforce; if a vendor cannot offer gender‑inclusive solutions it risks losing contracts. Specialized women’s lines are becoming more common: Mascot, Kübler, Carhartt, Fristads, Diadora and others now offer dedicated ranges.
Today suppliers produce certified protective equipment for construction, chemical, energy, transport, waste management and recycling sectors. Even where relatively few women work, the availability of well‑fitted, certified women’s workwear is increasingly seen as essential — both to improve safety on the job and to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce.
This article was originally written in German.