There’s a dangerous assumption built into many safety programs: if a worker needs something different— whether that’s modified duties, accommodations, or properly fitting
PPE—they’ll speak up. The research shows that assumption fails in real world conditions.

A national survey of pregnant workers found that a significant portion of employees who needed workplace changes never actually asked for them. For example, while 71% of
respondents said they needed more frequent breaks, 42% of those workers never made the request. Similarly, more than half reported needing changes like less lifting or more opportunities to sit, yet 37% of those workers did not ask for those adjustments at all. Listening to Mothers Report.

That's not a small gap. Its systemic. 

Why does this happen? The same report points to several consistent barriers:

• Workers are unsure what they’re entitled to
• They don’t know how to ask
• They fear being perceived as difficult or less capable
• They assume the answer will be no

They adjust. They tolerate it. They stay quiet. From a safety standpoint, that creates a blind spot. You’re not seeing the problem because the system relies on the worker to surface it. And the data is clear: many won’t.

The bottom line:

If your PPE program depends on workers asking for what they need, you’re relying on a system the data already shows will fail. Proper fit isn’t optional—it’s required for protection and compliance. The most effective safety programs remove the burden from the worker, build in proactive fit solutions, and ensure the right PPE is issued before it becomes a problem.

Waiting creates risk you can’t see— until it becomes an incident. The fix is simple: make properly fitting PPE the default, not the exception.