OSHA has recently signed an alliance with the National Association of Women in Construction. Together they will create training resources to increase the protection of female construction workers on the job. The training will have a focus on the multiple hazards and sanitation concerns in regard to poor-fitting personal protective equipment.
The alliance hopes to knock down barriers for women who want to stay working in the construction industry. They aim to create new solutions for improving the safety, overall health, and the general working conditions for female construction workers. There is currently a shortage of women workers in construction.
The alliance has established a two year agreement for the development of training programs and other resources. OSHA has created a ‘Women in Construction’ website which addresses the health and safety issues women in construction face on the job. The site features a number of statistics for women in the construction industry, including the huge growth in female construction workers until 2007 when a ‘sharp decline’ occurred. It is estimated that only 9% of construction workers in the US are women.
The website also features information and resources concerning the specifics of personal protective equipment and sanitary facilities in regard to women on construction sites. It is important that workers, co-workers, and employers understand the specific health and safety issues affecting women in the construction trade.
