Poorly fitting equipment is a leading cause of injury in service members, according to a recent Department of Defense report.
The military has had difficulty supplying women with correctly fitted equipment, and construction companies face the same challenge. Ill-fitting gear can pose safety risks including snagging on ladders and exposing the body to hazards.
Companies that don’t address the issue also risk losing workers they try hard to attract and retain, and they could expose themselves to lawsuits for injuries or for failing to provide equal opportunity if a lack of equipment means a woman can’t do her job.
According to a review of more than 330 union contracts in the last five years by Bloomberg Law, provisions on personal protective equipment were included but none included language covering gender-specific gear. One expert says employers should put pressure on equipment vendors to supply appropriately fitted gear for women.
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Oct 22, 2021
2021 Airport Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. airport facilities sector
AECOM, Hensel Phelps, PGAL, and Gensler top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest airport sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Oct 22, 2021
2021 Sports Facilities Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. sports and recreation facility sector
AECOM, Populous, Kimley-Horn, and HOK top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest sports and recreation facility sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 21, 2021
Chicago’s historic Lathrop public housing complex gets new life as mixed-income community
A revitalized New Deal–era public housing community in Chicago brings the Garden City movement of yesteryear into the 21st century.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | Oct 15, 2021
7 game-changing trends in structural engineering
Here are seven key areas where innovation in structural engineering is driving evolution.
| Oct 14, 2021
Inside the KCI Airport Terminal Workforce Enhancement Program
The construction and development team for Kansas City International airport's new terminal discuss their Strategic Partnership Program to encourage participation by local minority- and women-owned enterprises, and their Work Training Program to train and hire local KC residents for trade jobs on the KCI Terminal project.
| Oct 14, 2021
The future of mass timber construction, with Swinerton's Timberlab
In this exclusive for HorizonTV, BD+C's John Caulfield sat down with three Timberlab leaders to discuss the launch of the firm and what factors will lead to greater mass timber demand.
Contractors | Oct 13, 2021
Chicago-based Pepper Construction named the most innovative company in the construction industry
Firm wins AGC Innovation Award for developing a virtual reality safety training program.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 12, 2021
Affordable and sublime: 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
These projects prove that it’s possible to develop aesthetically pleasing, high-quality housing for low-income families, the homeless, and veterans.
Building Owners | Oct 12, 2021
6 ways building owners can own their construction projects
Building owners have an important role in executing their capital projects and can greatly increase their project’s chances of success by understanding and actively managing a few key factors.
Green | Oct 6, 2021
My reaction to the UN IPCC Climate Change 2021 report: Ugh!
The recent report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is not a happy read.
