According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls are the leading cause of private sector worker fatalities in the construction industry. Everyone who works at heights, whether it's on a roof, scaffolding, or the edge of a tall building, should have properly fitting safety harnesses, yet not all contractors have the supply they need to better protect women in construction. To help address this, Autodesk is funding a grant program with one of the largest construction trade organizations – the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) – to supply select, in-need member contractors with fall protection harnesses sized for women who work at heights.
The program comes at a time when 80 percent of construction firms report having a hard time filling the hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce. Women represent approximately 10 percent of the overall construction labor force1, with even lower representation in trades positions, and one of the largest demographics with the potential to fill the gap in labor. To help attract and retain more women in the field, jobsites need to recognize and meet the needs of a gender-diverse workforce, including properly sized and comfortable PPE.
"The construction industry agrees safety must be everyone's priority, but we also need to recognize when safety needs aren't being met for some workers. Technology is improving jobsite safety, but it's not a silver bullet," said Allison Scott, director, Autodesk Construction Solutions. "Construction is – and will continue to be – a people-driven business. The industry needs more people, and women must feel safe and welcome on jobsites if we want them to choose a career in construction. Ultimately, when we address safety for women, we improve safety for everyone."
See Also: Skanska designs personal protective equipment tailor-made for the female workforce
Ill-fitting PPE can range from uncomfortable to downright dangerous. For example, a fall protection harness that's too loose may still catch a woman when the scaffolding beneath her collapses, but it could seriously injure her neck or shoulder in the process. This not only affects the injured worker, but her employer as well. The contractor incurs lost time, productivity and – potentially – a costly worker's compensation claim.
"One of the most effective ways to successfully recruit more women into high-paying construction careers is to make sure firms are able to provide safety equipment that makes them even safer," said Stephen E. Sandherr, the chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America. "We want to leverage these grants to encourage our member firms to provide a wider range of safety equipment and continue to expand the diversity of our workforce."
A top concern of contractors is the safety of their employees, and many are recognizing the shifting landscape in the construction workforce and taking steps toward a more inclusive, injury-free job site. Earlier this year, Skanska created gloves and two customized safety vests designed for women and based on feedback from its own female employees. The company plans to expand the apparel line soon to include surveyor vests and high-visibility jackets for winter.
The grant program will fund the purchase of approximately 300 fall protection harnesses sized for women. AGC members can apply for the grants until the application window closes on January 10, 2020. Winners will be notified in advance and honored at the AGC's annual convention, to be held March 9-12, 2020 in Las Vegas, NV.
Related Stories
| Jul 17, 2014
A high-rise with outdoor, vertical community space? It's possible! [slideshow]
Danish design firm C.F. Møller has developed a novel way to increase community space without compromising privacy or indoor space.
| Jul 15, 2014
Michael Graves talks with Washington Post about new design eye from life in a wheelchair
Celebrated American architect Michael Graves sits with the Washington Post to talk about how being on a wheelchair changed the way he focuses on design.
| Jul 15, 2014
A look into the history of modular construction
Modular construction is more than a century old, and throughout its lifespan, the methods have been readapted to meet specific needs of different eras.
| Jul 14, 2014
Meet the bamboo-tent hotel that can grow
Beijing-based design cooperative Penda designed a bamboo hotel that can easily expand vertically or horizontally.
| Jul 14, 2014
Foster + Partners unveils triple-glazed tower for RMK headquarters
The London-based firm unveiled plans for the Russian Copper Company's headquarters in Yekaterinburg.
| Jul 11, 2014
First look: Jeanne Gang reinterprets San Francisco Bay windows in new skyscraper scheme
Chicago architect Jeanne Gang has designed a 40-story residential building in San Francisco that is inspired by the city's omnipresent bay windows.
| Jul 10, 2014
Berkeley Lab opens 'world's most comprehensive building efficiency simulator'
DOE’s new FLEXLAB is a first-of-its-kind simulator that lets users test energy-efficient building systems individually or as an integrated system, under real-world conditions.
| Jul 9, 2014
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. adds Nicholas Sandersfeld as Director of Business Development to newly opened San Jose office
California's largest general building contractor just opened up an office in San Jose, and named Nicholas Sandersfeld as the new Director of Business Development.
| Jul 9, 2014
Top U.S. cities for design professionals
Though New York and Los Angeles are often seen as the sole hubs for design jobs, other design epicenters are scattered between the coasts.
| Jul 9, 2014
First Look: SOM's design for All Aboard Florida Fort Lauderdale rail station
The lightweight and luminous design "responds to its setting and creates a striking infrastructural icon for the city," said SOM Design Partner Roger Duffy.