Construction Safety Week: Making the Industry Safer for Construction Women and Men

What is Construction Safety Week?
Construction Safety Week is an annual event during which the construction industry, its clients, and business partners recommit to sending every worker home safe each day. This year’s event takes place May 2-6, 2022 and the theme is “Connected. Supported. Safe.” NAWIC provided a helpful summary of the 2021 Construction Week which outlined the benefits for women in construction to participate in this event.

What will be discussed at Construction Safety Week?
As men and women in construction get ready to celebrate Construction Week at their companies, they can focus on the following topics each day. This structure will help you plan conversations, demonstrations and activities that reinforce the theme of “Connected. Supported. Safe.”

  • Monday, May 2: Remain Connected. Staying connected on the job will create a stronger, safer crew because workers know that they are not alone and are more willing to communicate their experiences honestly, including issues of safety.
  • Tuesday, May 3: Be Supported. When crew members support one another in caring ways, they help each other get through difficult situations and challenges with mental and physical health. A healthy crew is essential to creating a safe work environment. Mental health resources are available to download on the Construction Safety Week website.
  • Wednesday, May 4: Stay Safe. It’s important to be open to new tools and perspectives on safety while also retaining safety fundamentals. Women in construction have specific safety concerns, such as properly sized PPE and safety gear.  Policies surrounding PPE, fall protection, confined space, and more are the building blocks of a strong safety culture.
  • Thursday, May 5: Continue Learning (Demonstration Day). Men and women in construction represent a wide variety of ages, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Sharing lessons from these diverse perspectives can result in new innovations and improvements to overall safety.
  • Friday, May 6: Thank You. Thanking men and women in construction for all of their efforts throughout the year to create safe places to work reinforces the concept of being united in safety.

How men and women in construction can get involved in Construction Safety Week
Men and women in construction who are interested in participating in Construction Safety Week can find helpful resources on the Construction Safety Week website. There are videos and Toolbox Talks on each daily topic to share with employees. You can also download banners, logos, templates and social media toolkits to share the message of Construction Safety Week internally and externally. There are even activities to do at home with your family! Several in-person events will also be hosted by Safety Week executive committee companies. You can sign up to receive emails and follow Construction Safety Week on social media for more information.

How to reinforce safety within your company and on your jobsites
Participating in Construction Safety Week is a great way to show employees that safety is a priority for your company. OSHA can also provide guidance on recommended practices for Safety and Health Programs in Construction for both men and women in construction. Steps you can take to reinforce safety include implementing a reporting system, providing training, conducting inspections, and implementing hazard control ideas. Involving workers every step of the way and giving them a sense of ownership is essential. Construction Safety Week can give you the resources you need to educate and empower employees.

How to get more content from The National Association of Women in Construction
The National Association of Women in Construction has 117 chapters across the United States. Membership is open to any women in construction throughout the industry, making it easy to find a chapter nearby. NAWIC’s seeks to connect members with other women construction workers, educational materials, and training resources to help them build more confidence in their abilities and develop leadership skills. One way that we do this is through our own content media including our podcast, available for both members and non-members.

Any women in construction interested in joining NAWIC can apply for membership by using either the online form or downloadable application to fill out and mail in—both of which are available on our website. There are also several membership options available for flexible pricing and membership terms. To learn more about our work to unite women in the industry and inspire future female leaders in construction through membership with NAWIC, contact us through our social media pages, or our website.