While there are many common important factors that women in construction seek in sourcing appropriate work pants, several factors are especially critical for those women who are pregnant. Safety is paramount and comfort is significant.
There are certain features pregnant women working in construction should keep in mind when choosing proper clothing for a particular job.
Factors for Choosing Maternity Work Pants
High visibility is one such factor and is essential to signal the worker’s presence on the job site.
Blaklader’s 7100 4-Way Stretch High Vis maternity pants fit the bill as they are certified under the EN ISO 20471 standard and are Class 2 high-visibility protective clothing. The COgear brand of high-visibility maternity pants include the Sue Hi Vis Over Tummy Maternity Work Cargo Pants, designed to meet Australian and New Zealand visibility standards: AS/NZS 1906.4:2010 – High Visibility Materials; AS/NZS 4602.1:2011 – Class N: Night Use Only and AS 4399:2020 – UPF 50 for optimal sun protection. Trademates Workwear in Australia also offers a high-visibility option, the Women’s Taped Maternity Drill Work Pants with reflective tape around the lower leg.
Fire-resistance is another key factor in maternity workwear. Northern Safety offers the Women’s UltraSoft FR Maternity Work Pants. Features include an Arc Rating of 12 cal/cm, CAT 2 and covered front fly closure. The FR fabric will not melt, drip, or ignite. The pants are dual-certified to protect against flash fire and arc flash hazards. They are NFPA 70E and ASTM F1506 rated.
Stretch capability such as offered by Blaklader is another factor. The company uses four-way stretch fabric to accommodate the different stages of pregnancy and enable a woman to wear a particular pair of pants for as long as possible. Dovetail Workwear’s Maven Maternity workwear pants feature the Beyond Bellyband design with integrated elastic waist inserts. The Northern Safety Women's UltraSoft FR Maternity Work Pants are made of 9-ounce Westex and feature a rib knit panel for extra comfort that grows with the woman’s changing body during pregnancy. Trademates Workwear’s Women’s Taped Maternity Drill Work Pants is fashioned from 100 percent cotton and is designed with a maternity fit with double layer soft knit fabric tummy band.
Sizes and Features
A range of sizes also gives pregnant women options as their size changes throughout the pregnancy. Pants that are manufactured with material that accommodates a pregnant woman’s growing body offer the benefit of not having to invest in more than one pair of pants during the pregnancy as the belly grows. Blaklader offers five sizes from XS to XL, with each size having an extension feature to also fit women with longer legs. Trademates Workwear’s Women’s Taped Maternity Drill Work Pants come in sizes 8 to 20. The COgear company advocates for workplace inclusion, a driving factor in its maternity workwear being designed to resemble everyday gear and be available in sizes four to 26.
A number of other factors set maternity workwear for women apart, with material protecting the knees and the inclusion of extra features in which the worker can safely carry tools. For example, Blaklader’s 7100 maternity workpants feature loops at the waist for a belt, an inner knee protection pocket and are designed to be scratch-free with a magnetic fastening instead of a zipper on the pockets.
The company’s 7101 service stretch maternity work pants have similar features, as well as magnetic buttons, concealed features and four-way stretch panels on the rear, crotch and knees. The pants are designed with an inner knee protection pocket and an optional nail pocket can be added. These pants are certified under the EN 14404:2004+A1:2010 together with knee protection 4057 and have an extension feature at the bottom.
Dovetail’s slim leg style heavy-duty 12-oz. power stretch denim pants feature double-front thigh panels, a hip slot to hang or clip materials, integrated elastic waist inserts, a gusseted crotch, a hidden elastic back waistband, a reinforced knee, a knee slot, eight functional pockets and a modern tool loop.
Northern Safety’s Women's UltraSoft FR Maternity Work Pants include features such as a reinforced front, back and hip pockets and leg openings made to fit over work boots. Trademates Workwear’s Women’s Taped Maternity Drill Work Pants feature two angled side pockets, two back patch pockets and a mobile phone pocket on the right-hand side.
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