On this episode of the WorkSAFE Podcast, we sit down with Susan Hart, Vice President of Reinhardt Construction. She has more than 30 years of experience working in construction and leadership. We sit down with Hart to discuss the advantages and opportunities that surround the growing number of women in the construction industry.
Women are growing in numbers in the traditionally male-dominated field of construction. There are countless advantages to diversifying a company’s workforce. With those advantages, there are also opportunities to make sure everyone is working in a safe and healthy environment.
Listen to this episode of the WorkSAFE Podcast, or read the show notes below.
Women in construction: Growing in numbers
According to the National Association of Women in Construction, females make up just under 10% of today’s construction workforce. Half this number accounts for women in what Hart calls “back of house” roles, such as project managers, accounting, and administration. The other half represents women in “boots on the ground” roles, taking on more physically demanding and manual labor-based roles.
Hart highlights that the industry is currently experiencing an unprecedented workforce shortage. As a result, there are more opportunities than ever to recruit women into commercial construction.
Economic empowerment
Economic empowerment is a major benefit for women in the construction industry. “This is a great opportunity for women to have economic empowerment, because in a lot of industries, there is a gender wage gap,” Hart shared.
However, in commercial construction, wages in the trade are tied to a union scale. “If you are a journeyman carpenter, a journeyman electrician, it doesn’t matter if you’re female or male, you will make that scale, that wage scale.”
Unique safety hazards for women in construction
When industries become more diverse, it’s important to account for unique safety hazards and job site limitations.
Ill-fitting personal protective equipment (PPE)
For women in construction, one of the essential changes is to personal protective equipment (PPE). With construction historically dominated by men, most PPE is designed with men in mind. For example, boots, hard-hats, and safety vests tend to be too large and ill-fitting for women.
“One big item is gloves,” Hart said. “We need to have properly fitting gloves, and a lot of the gloves are just too large. So ill-fitting gloves are just as dangerous as not having gloves, I would contend with you.” A few PPE producers are stepping in to fill the gap, but at the moment, it’s a relatively small number.
Sanitation
On any large commercial construction site, restroom facilities generally consist of ported toilets. Hart points out that these aren’t always clean. “There is a woman that is a leader in our industry, and I’ve heard her say we have to sit to do our business,” she explained. “And the toilets are not that sanitary sometimes. They may be cleaned every other day if it’s a big job site, and maybe once a week if it’s a smaller job site.”
In Hart’s eyes, the solution requires ported toilets designed just for women, with a access code provided to female workers. It may sound simple and unnecessary, but clean facilities actually have safety implications. To avoid using dirty ported toilets, women will avoid drinking water and staying hydrated. As a result, dehydration issues follow.
Lactation facilities
Nursing mothers are present in every field and every industry. “We have to provide the right type of facilities or rooms for women who are lactating that need to pump during the day,” Hart shared. Often, women on commercial construction sites opt to pump in their cars. This isn’t ideal.
A solution might look like a trailer dedicated breastfeeding mothers, where they can store pumped milk or change clothes when required. The conversation continues about the best way to provide these accommodations, and create safe and private spaces where needed by female workers.
Normalizing shared job sites and work spaces
Accommodations make traditionally male-dominated fields make it more compelling for women to join. Although women represent just four percent of the job site workforce in commercial construction, small efforts matter. It also helps normalize the experience of men and women working side by side.
“We are starting to put in every job site and in every job site trailer, period products for women, so that it kind of just takes away the mystique and the mystery,” Hart said. “And just make it commonplace that we have those next to the refrigerator that has the water in it; we have those stocked also.”
Beating stereotypes
Biases remain for women in the construction industry. A pervasive thought has always been that women aren’t strong enough to do the job. Some roles do require physical agility and strength. But when it comes to trades and skills, training, the ability to do the job, and pay attention to detail are what’s really vital.
“We have to set them up for success, and that’s basically making sure that I’m putting them in positions or trades that they will be able to successfully accomplish,” Hart explained. “Because once you have one female on a job site and that individual shows all the other workers on the site that she can do their job at their level or even above, then that’s what’s going to change the stereotype and the biases.” Proper training and mentorships help contribute to women’s success.
Women in construction: Finding joy on the job
Regardless of gender, Hart finds that the key to succeeding in construction is having a passion for the essential elements of the job. Employees can pick different trades, but should like core elements of the industry.
“Do they want to work outside?” Hart posed as an example. “It’s the same thing I would say to young men when I talk to them. Do you like to work with your hands? Is building things important to you? Do you like working as a team? Do you like physical labor? Those are the main criteria for any gender entering our industry. Those are the critical things.”
The reality is that women are still pioneers in the construction industry. Their presence and their work opens doors for others, and their voices help us understand where accommodations and improvements can be made.