Providing Safety And Health Protection For A Diverse Construction Workforce: Issues and Ideas
This article is about the health and safety issues found in a diverse workforce. Most of the data were collected from interviews and surveys with 475 tradeswomen across the US. According to a NIOSH publication, the "face" of the construction industry will change over the next 10-15 years. Its workforce will become more diverse and will include more women workers and workers with different backgrounds and experiences.
Health and safety training
# Availability of training
- Many women think that their male co-workers are more adept due to the benefits they receive from mentoring, coaching and general acceptance by their make colleagues.
# Lack of support for workplace training
- In many instances, productivity comes before safety
Personal protective equipment and clothing (PPE/PPC)
- PPE/PPC (respirators, gloves, work boots) are mostly designed to fit average sized men
- When PPE/PPC don't fit, the protection offered is reduced
Sanitary facilities
- Most construction workers have encountered worksites with dirty toilets or no toilets
- Holding urine is the bladder for long periods of time leads to a higher incidence of urinary tract infections
Workplace culture
# Hostile workplace
- Working in a hostile workplace can cause a worker to become distracted. Distractions while working can lead to overlooking proper safety precautions, resulting in on-the-job injuries.
# Sexual harassment
- A majority of the respondents reported sexual harassment
- Man had experienced uninvited sexually suggested looks, comments, joking or gestures from their supervisors
- Many reported being touched or asked for sex
# Impact of isolation on safety and health
- Isolation can add to fear of harassment and assault
# Hazard reporting and the link to job security
- A majority of women interviewed felt insecure about getting and keeping their jobs
Ergonomics
- Tools and equipment like clothing are often designed (although maybe not ergonomically) to be used by average-sized men. Not all construction workers are of average size.
- For workers with less upper body strength, the workload should be transferred downward to rely less on the strength of hands and arms
Injury and illness data and research
- In 1994, there were 4,400 non-fatal occupational injuries and illnesses to women in the construction industry involving days away from work
- While gender-based safety and health data are collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they are typically not analyzed or reported
Reproductive hazards
- There are many more worksite exposures known to affect male sperm development than known to produce birth defects. Both men and women need accurate info on the hazards posed by toxic chemicals.
- During the later stages of pregnancy, medical advice may restrict some women in the more strenuous construction activities such as climbing and lifting
- Some employers deny job opportunities to women without determining if a hazard exists or if exposure poses risk
As the workforce becomes more diverse, construction industry employers, labor unions, training programs, manufacturers and employees may need to revise traditional practices in order to provide safe, healthy and fair conditions for all. Here are some ideas for meeting this new challenge:
Health and training
- Employers and unions should make skills training courses available and encourage all workers to take advantage of them
- Journeymen should establish mentoring relationships with new workers to provide informal skills and safety training
- Supervisors need to emphasize safety as well as productivity on the jobsite
- Employers should stress that safety training is as important as skills training
PPE and PPC
- The design of PPE and PPC for women should be based on female measurements
- Makers of PPE and PPC should be encouraged by the construction industry to collect info on all sizes and use it to expand the range of sizes offered in clothing and equipment
- Union apprentice programs should provide tradeswomen with resources on where to find equipment and clothing that fits
- Employers should make sure that all workers of all sizes have well-fitting PPE ad PPC for safe and efficient performance
Ergonomics
- It should be accepted that some workers need to use different lifting and material handling techniques
- All workers should be trained in the proper way s to lift and bend
- Manufacturers should design tools and equipment with ergonomic considerations in mind
Reproductive hazards
- Employers should post Material Safety Data Sheets for each chemical present on the worksite
- Workers should read all MSDS and share the info with their doctors if they are pregnant or planning to start a family
- All workers should educate themselves about the potential reproductive risks from exposure to certain chemicals
- Employers should make reasonable accommodation for workers in later stages of pregnancy rather than forcing them out of the workplace
- During the later stages of pregnancy, women should consult with their doctor about strenuous physical activities on the job
Source: Extracted from DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 99-140
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