The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has taken another step in their quest to protect women from on-the-job injuries by signing an agreement with the National Association of Women in Construction to develop and implement new training programs designed to reinforce safety at construction sites for female workers.
Both OSHA and NAWC want to educate and reinforce techniques for dealing with musculoskeletal and sanitation hazards, as well any issues that may arise from ill-fitting protective equipment like hardhats and safety glasses.
“Safety and health problems in construction create barriers to women entering and remaining in this field,” said Dr. David Michaels, OSHA’s Assistant Secretary of Labor. “Through this alliance, we will work together to forge innovative solutions to improve the safety, health and working conditions for women in the construction trades and retain female workers during a critical time of job shortages in this industry.”
The groups signed a two-year agreement to develop a variety of strategies aimed at keeping female construction workers safe while on the job. They plan to implement the services through:
- Training programs;
- Fact sheets; and
- Outreach resources.
In addition to the services, OSHA has launched a new web page titled “Women in Construction” which offers more educational and safety resources. You can learn more about the agreement by visiting the Women in Construction website.
Attorney Mike Lammers comments
You might assume that injuries don’t discriminate by gender, but the studies show that statistically, women face different types of risk than men. For instance, because of the fact that more women work as “flaggers” in road construction, they are far more likely to be injured in a motor vehicle accident on the job.
It is good to see that OSHA is addressing workplace injuries in such a thorough manner.
