If you have ever hopped into a site truck because your trousers were too tight to climb, tucked your glasses under your hard hat to keep them on, or been asked "is that your dad's coat?" this episode is about why that was never good enough, and the new British Standard that says so.
Jane Middleton joins Gavin Coyle. She's a senior asset management consultant at AtkinsRéalis and a chartered geologist, shortlisted for an Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering award in 2023. She started out supervising drilling rigs on the Heathrow expansion project, in PPE that didn't fit, and ended up helping write the new British Standard for inclusive PPE and workwear, launched October 2025 with a parliamentary launch behind it, legislation and European adoption now in progress.
You'll Learn:
- What AtkinsRéalis does and how Jane's career led from geology to asset management
- How a simple struggle with PPE sparked a mission for change
- Why the "average man" became the default design standard for workwear and PPE
- How Jane helped transform her company's PPE catalogue with more inclusive options
- The impact of properly fitting PPE on safety, confidence, and belonging
- Menopause, modesty wear, disability access, and other overlooked workplace needs
- The story behind the British Standard for inclusive PPE
- Why 82% of female firefighters reported that their gloves don't fit
- The business case for inclusive PPE and attracting future talent
- How one wheelchair-using project manager challenged manufacturers to think differently
- What's next for PPE standards in the UK and Europe
- Jane's personal passions, lessons learned, and advice to her younger self
Episode Highlights / Timestamps
- 00:00 82% of female firefighters said their gloves don't fit
- 01:02 Meet Jane Middleton
- 06:41 From geology to asset management
- 13:40 The PPE problem begins
- 14:40 The Hilux moment
- 16:51 The "average man" template
- 17:37 Transforming the PPE catalogue
- 24:41 Bold as Brass
- 26:23 Writing the British Standard
- 28:09 The firefighter glove survey
- 33:28 Accessibility and PPE
- 37:26 The first women's safety Wellington
- 39:08 Taking the standard to Parliament and Europe
- 44:45 What would Jane do differently?
- 50:06 How to connect with Jane
Connect with Jane Middleton
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janekelsey/
AtkinsRéalis: https://www.atkinsrealis.com
The British Standard (launched October 2025) is free to download, send it to your boss
About Coyle Group
Coyle Group provides safety outsourcing and managed services for high-impact projects across wind, utilities, power generation, engineering, and construction.
With over 25 years of experience, 100+ safety professionals, and more than 1 million safety hours completed, Coyle Group helps organisations deliver projects safely and compliantly.
Learn more:
https://coyle-group.com/
About the Podcast
I'm The Gaffer, hosted by Gavin Coyle, features conversations with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and subject matter experts covering construction, engineering, leadership, business growth, safety, procurement, project delivery, and workplace culture.
Listen on:
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Website
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