Boost safety for women in construction

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.

- NAZEER HOOSEN

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.