Helping the Richmond Football Club Women’s Program Kick Goals

MEASURES & ACTIONS

Enabling policies/regulatory environment

Stakeholders’ commitment

Organisational support/culture

Project team involvement

Individual actions

INCLUSIVE OHS MANAGEMENT Laws and regulations; codes, standards, and policies recognising genderspecific OHS concerns; audits covering both physical and psychological hazards; enforcement of holistic OHS management approaches etc.

Coordinated or synergised efforts; formal and informal OHS training and knowledge transfer; contractual arrangements covering gendered approach to OHS; availability of appropriate PPEs and tools etc.

Top management support; organisational rules, regulations and procedures to eliminate psychological risks to females; dedicated resources; safety culture; respectful and supportive workplaces; familyfriendly employment policies etc.

Holistic management of gendered OHS risks; more focus on vulnerable trades and injury mechanisms; redesigning work, work processes and workplaces; proper amenities; fair, supportive and respectful culture at the project/site level; zero tolerance to harassment and bullying; on-job mentoring etc.

OHS hazard awareness and knowledge; rational approach to OHS risk management; professional conduct and ethics; respecting and adhering to rules and procedures; change agents and champions for an inclusive workforce etc.

incapacity among female workers, followed by long-term exposure to sounds and muscular stress while lifting, carrying or putting down. ⋅ Female construction workers were injured due to falls on the same level more than from a height. ⋅ Soft tissue injuries were the most common type of injury among female workers. ⋅ Psychological disorders due to work pressure, workplace harassment and workplace bullying, which result in total or partial permanent incapacity, were more prevalent among female workers. ⋅ The proportion of permanent incapacity due to work-related anxiety and stress disorders among female workers was almost 12 times more than in males when analysed separately. ⋅ Female workers aged 45 and above had higher representation in permanent incapacity, whilst females below 25 were more prone to temporary incapacity.

The findings could help training providers, construction organisations, and practitioners identify specific OHS concerns and develop comprehensive OHS management and training programs. For example, a high occurrence of injuries due to muscular stress while handling objects demand better ergonomic designs of work processes and automation. Similarly, high rates of incidents resulting from psychological hazards such as work pressure, harassment, and bullying require more attention to the mental health of female construction workers. In essence, the existing OHS management policies, systems and training programs should be remodelled or redesigned to incorporate gender-specific OHS risks and injury prevention mechanisms rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Such changes may not be achieved by a single organisation; instead, there must be a concerted effort from all stakeholders. Measures or actions to eliminate or reduce physical and psycho-social hazards and risks must be taken at the policy, industry, organisation, project, and individual levels to attract and retain more females in the construction industry. The diagram above shows a comprehensive approach to remodelling the OHS management for inclusiveness. Dr Abid Hasan + Professor Imriyas Kamardeen

School of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University

More information about this research can be found in the following published article: Hasan, A & Kamardeen, I 2022, ‘Occupational health and safety barriers for gender diversity in the Australian construction industry’, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 148(9), https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0002352. Acknowledgments: This article uses data supplied by Safe Work Australia and has been compiled in collaboration with state, territory and Commonwealth workers’ compensation regulators. The views expressed are of the author(s) and not necessarily the views of Safe Work Australia or the state, territory, and Commonwealth workers’ compensation regulators. The authors would like to thank Safe Work Australia for providing the data set for the research. Without their support, the research would not have been possible.

GROWING NAWIC’S ‘WOMEN ON TOOLS’

An Interview with Radmila Desic, AM FAIB & Life Member of NAWIC

We spoke with Rad, Carpenter/Joiner now Senior Investment Consultant, about the evolution of NAWIC’s ‘Women on Tools’ and driving change for women, for the industry and the betterment of society.

How did NAWIC’s ‘Women on Tools’ begin?

Established in 2016 the Women on Tools (WoT) was originally an advisory committee Radmila Desic to inform the Queensland Chapter Council on how to better connect and keep tradeswomen and frontline workers engaged with NAWIC. Over the past 6 years WoT has established itself as an integral part of the NAWIC community, significantly contributing to the many milestones achieved, including record numbers of trade and apprentice nominations for the Crystal Vision Awards. WOT ensures tradeswomen are seen, recognised and their voices amplified.

We now have a Women in Trades (WiT) in WA and NSW, with most chapters creating trade specific events in their annual calendars.

When it comes to ‘Women on Tools’ we often see imagery that doesn’t appear genuine. What is NAWIC doing to improve this?

In QLD we facilitated a photoshoot with Tradeswomen and apprentices to ensure authentic representation of diverse women on construction site. The aim was to remove stereotypes, break down barriers and create a positive image for women and girls who are considering a career in construction.

NAWIC is sharing these images with government and industry to promote real women doing real work onsite. The Australian Building Code Board was the first to jump on this opportunity and we look to seeing our images, our real women on tools, in the public domain.

Share with us some of the events that WOT has held.

Recently we held our first Toolbox Breakfast on the Gold Coast. Toolbox breakfasts are generally held in the morning being a good time of the day for when more tradespeople are available. The event was hosted by TAFE QLD and included a BBQ breakfast where family was welcomed. This is important because we know that Mothers are exploring options in trades and they do not always have access to baby sitters so we encourage people to bring their families with them.

This event was designed for women and girls who are interested in a trade career to speak with mentors and educators. It was also an opportunity to showcase women who’ve carved out successful construction careers and share and celebrate their success.

We’ve also hosted Speed Careering events for students in Cairns, Townsville, Central Queensland, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Toowoomba, and the Gold Coast. Speed Careering works a little like Speed Dating where attendees get a short opportunity to speak with each of the mentor tradespeople and learn more about that career path. We have heard that several have secured apprenticeships following these events which is so exciting.

In March 2022, Ruth (NAWIC QLD Project Coordinator) and Rachael (2021-2022 WoT Co-Chair) ventured up the Queensland Coast to connect with industry in Cairns, Townsville, and Rockhampton. There was an impressive turn out of female students at Speed Careering and amazing Role Models. The inaugural Toolbox Breakfast in Townsville was also a success and it was so encouraging to see the growing support for women in construction in regional Queensland. The local tradeswomen and apprentices are so inspiring and breaking down barriers every day, doing what they do. It was a rewarding trip and we’re looking forward to doing it again soon!

In WA some things we have done as part of the WiT committee include:

⋅Female only Try a Trade in conjunction with CTF for Year 8 and 9 students; ⋅ Tradie Sundowner networking event ⋅ MBA Female Builders Scholarship ⋅ Women’s Shed

Eileen Wong, our WA President, says since we have created the committee we have definitely seen a marked increase of female trades within the committee and attending our events.