Does your job site encourage diversity?
The construction industry is generally a diverse workplace, but job sites can tend to favor one race or gender. Your company will benefit from employing a more diverse workforce. If you are seeking to diversify your construction site, here are a few tips.
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Hire roles with diverse populations.
As a traffic safety store, we understand that there are various roles in construction. We have seen many roles with diverse populations including flagging operations and advanced warning sign installation. Hiring should always be based on skills, but in roles where the candidate population is diverse is where you will likely find and hire a skilled worker who represents a diverse population.
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Understand the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
All workers, including flagging operations and advanced warning sign installation team members, have the right to a safe workplace. It doesn’t matter if you work outside or in an office, because OSHA provides information, training, and assistance for all workers and employers. As workplaces become more diverse, OSHA is setting new standards for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) because often women aren’t provided with the correct PPE for their bodies. OSHA says PPE sizing should be based on female body measurement data and that it should fit properly so that it can adequately protect women from hazards. The smallest size in male PPE is not adequate, so manufacturers are beginning to provide PPE specifically made for women.
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Shape your company culture.
Behavioral training can set the tone for the job site culture and show that you are serious about the issue. Everyone has a role in creating the company culture, so invite everyone on your team to these training opportunities. Training is a great way to encourage communication when a team member witnesses undesirable happenings occurring on the job site.