Autodesk is funding a grant program with the Associated General Contractors of America to supply select, in-need AGC member contractors with fall-protection harnesses sized for women who work at heights, according to www.agc.org.
Eighty percent of construction firms report having difficulty filling hourly craft positions. Women represent about 10% of the overall construction labor force, and one of the largest demographics with the potential to fill the labor gap. If job sites are adapted to meet the needs of a gender-diverse workforce, including properly sized and comfortable personal protective equipment, it potentially could help attract and retain more women in the field.
“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,” says Allison Scott, head of construction thought leadership at Autodesk. “Technology is improving job-site safety, but it’s not a silver bullet. Construction is—and will continue to be—a people-driven business. The industry needs more people, and women must feel safe and welcome on job sites if we want them to choose a career in construction. Ultimately, when we address safety for women, we improve safety for everyone.”
Ill-fitting PPE can be uncomfortable and pose job-site hazards. For example, a loose fall-protection harness may catch a woman if the scaffolding beneath her collapses but could seriously injure her neck or shoulder. This affects the injured worker and costs the employer regarding lost time, productivity and a potentially 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,” says Stephen E. Sandherr, CEO of AGC. “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.”
The grant program will fund the purchase of about 300 fall-protection harnesses sized for women. AGC members can apply for the grants until the Jan. 10 application deadline.
