flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Employers at risk when using construction equipment not sized for women

Contractors

Employers at risk when using construction equipment not sized for women

As more women enter male-dominated fields, gear supply has not kept up with demand.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | April 8, 2019
Employers at risk when using construction equipment not sized for women

Photo: Pixabay

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

| Nov 12, 2012

PCI Skanska celebrates 40-year anniversary

Since its creation, PCI Skanska has provided EPC services to clients for more than 40 years.

| Nov 12, 2012

AISC launches 'Night School' online educational program

The program's weekly webinar sessions offer structural engineers a great opportunity to enhance their professional development online while accommodating their schedules.

| Nov 11, 2012

Under40 Leadership Summit draws 71 young leaders to Chicago

More than 70 young—that is, under age 40—architects, engineers, and construction professionals descended on Chicago in early October with one thought in mind: to learn how to “create with clarity.”

| Nov 11, 2012

AIA: Building Envelope

Preventing and treating failure in glazed curtain wall systems. Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam.

| Nov 11, 2012

Greenbuild 2012 Report: Hospitality

Hotel boom signals good news for greener lodging facilities

| Nov 11, 2012

Greenbuild 2012 Report: Government & Military

Public sector remains a bastion of sustainability

| Nov 11, 2012

Greenbuild 2012 Report: Healthcare

Green medical facilities extend beyond hospital walls

| Nov 11, 2012

Greenbuild 2012 Report: Multifamily

Sustainably designed apartments are apples of developers’ eyes

| Nov 11, 2012

Greenbuild 2012 Report: Higher Education

More and more colleges and universities see sustainainably designed buildings as a given

| Nov 11, 2012

Greenbuild 2012 Report: K-12

High-performance schools put ‘sustainability’ in the lesson plan

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Museums

The Tampa Museum of Art will soon undergo a $110 million expansion

In Tampa, Fla., the Tampa Museum of Art will soon undergo a 77,904-sf Centennial Expansion project. The museum plans to reach its $110 million fundraising goal by late 2024 or early 2025 and then break ground. Designed by Weiss/Manfredi, and with construction manager The Beck Group, the expansion will redefine the museum’s surrounding site.


Reconstruction & Renovation

Movement to protect historic buildings raises sharp criticism

While the movement to preserve historic buildings has widespread support, it also has some sharp critics with well-funded opposition groups springing up in recent years. Some opponents are linked to the Stand Together Foundation, founded and bankrolled by the Koch family’s conservative philanthropic organization, according to a column in Governing magazine.


halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021