Construction
In 2004, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated 975,000 women were working in construction. NIOSH and its partners have done many studies to improve construction safety and health problems. Women working in construction may be concerned with musculoskeletal disorders, loud noise and hearing loss, fumes, and job stress.
NIOSH publications that relate to women working in construction include:
Providing Safety and
Health Protection for a Diverse Construction Workforce: Issues and
Ideas
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 99-140 (1999) As the workforce becomes more
diverse, construction industry employers, labor unions, training programs,
manufacturers and employees may need to revise traditional practices in
order to provide safe, healthy and fair conditions for all. Most of the
data are from interviews with female construction workers across the
U.S.
Stressors and adverse outcomes for female construction workers
This study looked at how job stressors, such as sexual harassment and
gender-based discrimination, can affect female construction workers job
satisfaction and psychological and physical health. The study found
having responsibility for others' safety and having support from supervisors
and male coworkers were related to greater job satisfaction. The study also
found perceptions of overcompensation at work and job uncertainty were
associated with insomnia. Sexual harassment and gender discrimination were
found to be related to reports of increased nausea and headaches.
Tradeswomen's perspectives on occupational health and safety: a qualitative
investigation.
The major health and safety concerns of women employed in the construction
trades are discussed. Researchers found the major concerns were: exposure
to chemical and physical agents; injuries from lifting, bending, twisting,
falling and being cut; lack of proper education and training; and health
and safety risks related specifically to tradeswomen (inadequate protective
clothing and tools, etc.).
Women in construction: occupational health and working conditions
This paper reviews the medical literature on safety and health hazards for
women working in the construction industry. Women have a different pattern
of fatal injuries and some nonfatal injuries than men. Women also report
unique problems and concerns related to working in this industry.
Women working in construction: risks and rewards
While both men and women working in construction face many of the same
risks, there are some unique issues that are of greater concern to women.
Tradeswomen are more likely than their male counterparts to die in
job-related motor vehicle accidents or from job-related homicide and less
likely to die from falls. Of women killed by motor vehicles, 30% worked as
"flaggers."
For additional information that applies to men and women working in construction, check out these other NIOSH web pages:
Construction