By Nazeer Hoosen, FEM
August is Women’s Month in South Africa, a time to reflect on the progress made in promoting gender equality, while also recognising the challenges that still exist. Gender inequality continues to create challenges for women in occupations, such as construction, where gender representation is grossly unequal. Furthermore, women can expect to encounter the same health and safety risks as their male colleagues as they visit job sites. Yet, they are also faced with barriers of gender that can disrupt their workplace safety, health, and duration of work in the industry.
The Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company’s (FEM) Safetember event, just one month away, provides an opportunity to broaden the conversation of how to ensure the construction workplace is safe and inclusive for women and men. Safetember is an annual occupational health and safety awareness campaign and conference established to promote health and safety in the construction industry through thought leadership, training, and collaboration with industry stakeholders. The theme for this year’s Safetember will be focusing on Advancing Health and Safety within the context of five major workplace accident causes, mental health within construction, and the place AI and digitisation can play in safety. This theme is particularly relevant when considering the workplace journey of women within the industry and how to create an improved working environment that values the contributions of both women and men while ensuring a deterioration of their state of well-being.
“Health and safety within construction is more than just hard hats and safety harnesses; it is about making the workplace environment safe so that all individuals can thrive, but where women can continue to work without fear or compromise.’’ – Nazeer Hoosen
Safety Risks for Women in Construction
Construction is one of the most labor-intensive and hazardous industries globally. Safety procedures and standards apply to everyone, but women may incur additional risks related to their gender. These risks include, but are not limited to:
- Inadequate Personal Protective Equipment: Most PPE designs are based on male body proportions, which may result in poor fit and an inadequate level of protection for women.
- Gender-Based Harassment or Discrimination: An absence of an inclusive workplace culture can impact psychological safety. At a particular worksite, psychological safety may reduce the likelihood of women reporting hazards or issues.
- Facilities: Access to clean, safe, and private facilities on-site is limited, which impacts women’s safety, comfort, and health.
Addressing these gaps requires a proactive, industry-wide commitment to designing and maintaining workspaces that cater to diverse needs.
Health, Safety, and Mental Well-being
The Safetember focus on mental health is especially relevant. Women working in male-dominated industries are already known to experience more stress and are more prone to feelings of isolation and professional bias. This factors into mental health and overall safety since stress and fatigue are well-documented causes of workplace accidents.
Promoting open conversations about mental wellbeing, having resources available to support those who need them, and creating inclusive networks in the industry that will help ensure that everyone, regardless of gender, feels welcome and valued.
The Future of Safety: AI and Digitisation
With technology always advancing, there are impactful tools that can be used to create a safer environment in construction for everyone. Using AI to provide comprehensive safety monitoring, wearable technology to notify an individual of hazards in real-time, and digitising safety training can quickly identify hazards and tailor solutions for individuals. More so, we need to be taking advantage of these tools to ensure women are given the same consideration for access to training execution, safety equipment, and opportunities for career advancement.
A Call to Action
As we mark Women’s Month, FEM encourages all stakeholders in the construction industry, including employers, policymakers, and others, to pledge to create workspaces where women feel safe, valued, and can grow within their careers; to be innovative with inclusivity; and to help move health and safety to a future where construction sites are safer sites and more equitable workplaces. This is the vision that we will continue to build at Safetember events and beyond.
About FEM
The Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company (FEM) provides Workman’s Compensation Cover to employers in the construction industry under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA). Established in 1936, FEM is committed to reducing workplace injuries and promoting sustainable industry practices. For more information, please visit: www.fem.co.za
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