OSHA launches construction safety webpage for women
Photo:Cathy Morrison, staff photographer, Missouri Department of Transportation
Washington – OSHA has launched a webpage to address safety and health issues specific to female construction workers.
Based on a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health, the webpage provides female-specific resources on issues such as personal protective equipment and sanitary facilities. One example: OSHA says women in the construction industry have encountered improperly fitting PPE, which can compromise their safety. The agency recommends that women test employer-provided PPE to ensure proper fit and comfort, and report ill-fitting equipment to their employer for a replacement.
On a related note, OSHA signed an alliance with the National Association of Women in Construction to develop training resources to help protect female construction workers on the job.
More than 800,000 women worked in the construction industry in 2010, one-quarter of whom worked in production occupations such as laborers or electricians, according to OSHA.