Inclusive Industrial Protective Headwear

*Please note the ISC Website will be available on July 10, 2024 at 10:30 EDT
*AMENDMENT 001- Revise the Contract Duration
*AMENDMENT 002- Administrative Correction

This Challenge Notice is issued under the Innovative Solutions Canada Program (ISC) Call for Proposals 004 (EN578-24ISC4). For general ISC information, Bidders can visit the ISC website: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/101.nsf/eng/home

Please refer to the Solicitation Documents (https://canadabuys.canada.ca/en/tender-opportunities/tender-notice/cb-3…) which contain the process for submitting a proposal.

Steps to apply:
Step 1: read this challenge
Step 2: read the Call for Proposals : https://canadabuys.canada.ca/en/tender-opportunities/tender-notice/cb-3…
Step 3: propose your solution here : https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/innovative-solutions-canada/en/inclusi…

Challenge title: Inclusive Industrial Protective Headwear
Challenge sponsor: Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)

Funding mechanism: Contract
MAXIMUM CONTRACT VALUE:
Multiple contracts could result from this challenge.

Phase 1:
•The maximum funding available for any Phase 1 contract resulting from this Challenge is : $300,000.00 CAD excluding applicable taxes, shipping, travel and living expenses, as required.
•The maximum duration for any Phase 1 contract resulting from this Challenge is up to 6 months (excluding submission of the final report).
•Estimated number of Phase 1 contracts: 3

Phase 2:
Note: Only eligible businesses that have successfully completed Phase 1 will be invited to submit a proposal for Phase 2.
•The maximum funding available for any Phase 2 contract resulting from this Challenge is : $1,000,000.00 CAD excluding applicable taxes, shipping, travel and living expenses, as required.
•The maximum duration for any Phase 2 contract resulting from this Challenge is up to 24 months (excluding submission of the final report).
•Estimated number of Phase 2 contracts: 1

This disclosure is made in good faith and does not commit Canada to award any contract for the total approximate funding. Final decisions on the number of Phase 1 and Phase 2 awards will be made by Canada on the basis of factors such as evaluation results, departmental priorities and availability of funds. Canada reserves the right to make partial awards and to negotiate project scope changes.

Note: Selected companies are eligible to receive one contract per phase per challenge.

Travel:
No traveling will be required in Phase 1.

Problem Statement:

Challenge Statement Summary
People wearing head coverings for religious, cultural, medical and/or gender identity reasons face significant challenges when using industrial protective headwear given current legislative/standards requirements in Canada, and lack of commercially available options. The vast majority of industrial protective headwear on the market are designed to be worn smoothly on the top of the head, with no equivalent alternative for those who wear head coverings. Certain communities, for instance the Sikh community who wear turbans, face significant barriers when accessing work sites due to a lack of protective headwear that accommodates their practices and beliefs. This is especially the case in industries where personal protective equipment is required to protect workers from workplace hazards and perform work safely, such as construction, manufacturing, and mining. This creates a situation where workers are forced to choose between their practices and beliefs, and their safety, leading to economic disadvantage and exclusion.

PSPC is seeking industrial protective headwear solutions that would accommodate the needs of those who wear head coverings (e.g., turbans, hijabs, kippah, etc.). The protective headwear solution will have to accommodate the extra volume of the head coverings while still providing adequate protection and meeting the requirements in accordance with the standard of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Z94.1), titled “Industrial protective headwear”. Selected recipients will work in a collaborative process with PSPC, with the opportunity to engage with the CSA Group, to develop and test the validity of their solution. This collaborative effort will ensure technical specifications and safety requirements are met with the goal of informing the update of the CSA Z94.1 standard.

Details:

Essential (mandatory) outcomes
The proposed solution must:

1. Meet the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Z94.1), “Industrial Protective Headwear – Performance, Selection, Care and Use” standard, as it pertains to protective headwear for industrial, construction, mining, utility, and forestry workers.

1.1 Articles or clauses of the CSA Z94.1 standard could be considered for exclusion or modification as long as the proposed solution addresses safety
concerns of the article or clause. For example, clause 5.7.3 can be excluded as long as the proposed solution addresses potential injuries or harm
caused by pressure points that are created from the bunch up of materials under the protective headwear.
A free view access to the CSA Z94.1 standard is available online (https://www.csagroup.org/store/product/Z94.1-15/). It is only available for viewers in
Canada and creation of a free user account is required to view this document.

2. Be adjustable to best fit and accommodate the various volumes and shapes of as many religious, cultural, medical and/or gender identity head coverings as possible (e.g., turbans, hijabs, yamakas, and more). Gender identity head coverings include wigs and more.

3. Pass the tests required by the CSA Z94.1 standard and/or the new CSA Technical Specification on Industrial protective headwear to accommodate head coverings.

Development and publication of a new CSA Technical Specification (TS) for Industrial protective headwear to accommodate head-coverings will be informed by outputs from Phase 1 and by input from selected subject matter experts in a process facilitated by the CSA Group.

Additional outcomes
The proposed solution should:

1. Be adaptable for use in a range of industries and applications, providing workers with flexibility in the workforce environment.

2. Be designed with sustainability in mind, using eco-friendly materials and production processes to minimize environmental impact.

Background & Context
PSPC plays an important role in the daily operations of the Government of Canada. It supports federal departments and agencies in the achievement of their mandated objectives as their central purchasing agent, real property manager, linguistic authority, treasurer, accountant, pay and pension administrator.

As a common service provider, PSPC provides federal workers and parliamentarians with workspaces. PSPC builds, maintains and manages federal properties and other public works such as bridges and dams. As part of their duties, PSPC workers and their clients tend to visit construction sites and are required to comply with occupational health and safety regulations and guidelines such as wearing Personal Protective Equipment, including industrial protective headwear. PSPC workers who wear religious, cultural, medical and/or gender identity head coverings do not have access to construction sites because they cannot find a suitable protective headwear (size, type, class) that can be properly adjusted and secured to fit their head coverings.

PSPC prides itself on the diversity of its workforce, as well as its inclusive and respectful work environment. We’ve worked hard to create a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive workplace through a variety of programs and initiatives. International and Canadian jurisdictions are taking various approaches to accommodate religious head coverings. Some of them have implemented laws to ensure that Sikh turban wearers have equal rights and opportunities. For example, the province of British Columbia has narrowed their rules around wearing industrial protective headwear to allow Sikh workers who wear turbans to access additional jobs, however for industries where there is a higher risk of head injuries, it is still mandatory to wear protective headwear. This innovation challenge presents a unique global leadership opportunity for Canada to address design limitations of protective headwear and allow for a barrier-free workplace.

There are significant risks for the affected workers if protective headwear designed to accommodate religious, cultural, medical and/or gender identity head coverings is not made available. These include, but not limited to:

Head injuries: Without proper head protection, workers are at risk of serious head injuries from falling objects, debris, or other hazards on the job site.

Non-compliance with safety regulations: Employers are required by law to provide workers with adequate head protection. If they are unable to
provide headwear that accommodate religious, cultural, medical and/or gender identity head coverings, the affected workers may not comply with
safety regulations.

Discrimination and exclusion: Workers who are unable to wear standard protective headwear may be excluded from certain jobs or industries, leading
to discrimination and limiting their career opportunities.

Psychological distress: Workers who feel they must choose between their safety and their practices and/or beliefs may experience psychological
distress, including anxiety, stress, and a sense of alienation from their workplace.

To prevent these risks, it is important for industrial and regulatory bodies to prioritize the development and distribution of protective headwear that accommodate religious, cultural, medical and/or gender identity head coverings, and to work with the impacted communities to ensure that their safety needs are met in a respectful and inclusive way.