Development of Strategies to Improve Health and Safety of Women in Construction Industry: A Delphi Method
Publication: Construction Research Congress 2022
ABSTRACT
The global shortage of skilled workers is affecting the construction industry more than many of the other sectors in the US, and the competitive market for new workers has finally convinced the industry that it is important to strengthen the hiring pool, increase workplace diversity, and attract more women. However, various safety and health issues are unique to female engineers and laborers and create many challenges for women entering and remaining in the construction field. Thus, there is a need to identify the strategies and best practices that have the greatest potential to overcome the barriers and encourage women to pursue construction careers. This paper employs the Delphi technique to determine, rank, and weigh the potential strategies. To achieve this purpose, 26 strategies were considered, following a comprehensive study of previous research. Then, ten women active in construction were invited to take part in a Delphi study. Through two rounds of the Delphi study, ten effective strategies were identified, ranked, and weighted. Providing proper sanitary facilities for women at job sites, offering challenging roles and opportunities for the growth of women, a flexible organizational culture, and providing role models were identified as the top four potential strategies. Employers and practitioners will benefit from the findings of this study as they adopt the identified innovative strategies and strengthen the hiring and retention of women in construction.
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Construction Research Congress 2022
Pages: 314 - 323
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Published online: Mar 7, 2022
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