Statement of the Problem

“Rosie the Riveter may be iconic, but females in construction have faced an

uphill battle securing employment in a male-dominated industry” for nearly two

centuries.[ CITATION Abb08 \l 1033 ]. “In 1970 when OSHA was enacted, women made up

less than one percent of workers in construction trades” [ CITATION Hea97 \l 1033 ]. In 1995

women made up less than three percent and in 2008 women made up less than ten

percent of the workforce. According to The National Association of Women in

Construction statistics, “Construction related jobs account for approximately 66% of all

jobs in the U.S.” [ CITATION NAW06 \l 1033 ].

Purpose, Scope, and Limitations

The purpose of this report is to examine the impact that working women have in

the construction industry. This report intends to explain the origin of the construction

industry. It also explores when, where and why women became involved in

construction. Furthermore, the research is intended to give men and women a better

understanding of how a working female could impact a construction site; through the

perceptions of both men and women.

Limitations to the research project include, a small sample size survey, as only

32 respondents were surveyed in the primary research. The inability of not being able to

survey the entire United States of America, the results of the primary research were

also limited to responses from only two of the fifty states; Michigan and Alabama.

“According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry is the

second-largest employer in the country with over 10 million workers, but just under 10

percent are women” [ CITATION Abb08 \l 1033 ].

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Secondary Sources and Primary Research Methods

Secondary sources of research are from online magazine articles and

publications such as National Association of Women in Construction, TopBuildingJobs,

as well as Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Information is also gathered

from a variety of educational, organizational, and commercial websites.

The primary method of research is a ten question survey distributed to 32

construction workers on various job sites. The same survey was also posted on a

personal Facebook internet account. The survey attempts to gauge the opinions of both

men and women working on various construction job sites.

Report Organization

This report presents research findings through a blended discussion of both

primary and secondary information. Furthermore, this report intends to give the reader a

better understanding of how women in construction can have both a positive and a

negative impact on the jobsite.

The Origin of the Construction Industry

The construction industry dates back as far as the stone-age, where small man

made huts were constructed using easily accessible materials, such as tree limbs or

branches as well as stones and mud. More than 2000 years ago, the Ancient Romans

discovered how to make concrete, but the art of concrete was lost in the middle ages.

During the middle ages, buildings were constructed using bricks and stones. The

Industrial Revolution began in the 1700’s where iron columns and steel beams were the

main resource of building materials [ CITATION Var02 \l 1033 ]. In the 1900’s building

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construction seen many changes, large machinery was brought in to help cut, shape,

and lift material. Needless to say, this brought mixed feelings as well as new job

opportunities into the industry. Some workers feared that the machinery would replace

them as workers, while other workers had a sense of excitement; for reasons that

challenging new positions could soon be available. More in depth changes started to

occur during the new millennium. Prefabricated sections of a building could arrive to the

construction site on the bed of a truck, thus eliminating the need for certain construction

jobs. Although new technology is an advantage in the pocket book of construction

contractors, the workers are at a disadvantage with their jobs being replaced. In more

recent times of construction, technology design is attempting to create worker friendly

tools to help ease the workload.

Working Women

During the 1900’s, women were called upon during times of emergency. World

War I was the first of these emergencies; women had to perform the work that the

soldiers left behind. According to Grolier encyclopedia “Prior to World War I, most

women did not have careers outside the home” [ CITATION Var02 \l 1033 ]. An article in

Forbes proves that more women are working in today’s society, the article states that

“U.S. employees manage crises and balance work with lives out of synch with the old-

fashioned American ideal of a working husband and a homemaker wife (Only 17% of

U.S. households fit this description according to Labor Department data)” [ CITATION

Ada10 \l 1033 ]. During World War II, women were called upon to manufacture materials

for the soldiers.

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 Women are a distraction According to a personal story found on
Men
Women
the Rosie Riveter website, “When I think about
15
10
my life and the many journeys I’ve had, the title
5
0
of “Rosie the Riveter” is one of the best. I

appreciate this country more than I can

express.” Also stated “I am proud to remember that I played a small part to help

preserve the freedom we all enjoy today”[ CITATION Mou04 \l 1033 ]. In 1934, Merrow with

the help of her husband built their home; she stated “I worked side-by-side my husband

and enjoyed watching our hard work evolve into our home” [ CITATION Mou04 \l 1033 ].

Typically large construction sites were non accessible to women. It wasn’t until the

1980’s that women were included in the construction industry. According to

TopBuildingJobs “In 1978 things started to improve because the federal government

supported affirmative action, “ explains Molly Martin, President of Tradeswomen, Inc.

“Now gender and sexual harassment are against the law…and people know what

they’re suppose to do. That makes our lives easier than anything else, I think, more of a

level playing filed”[ CITATION Mar07 \l 1033 ]. However, according to a National Institute for

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study conducted with 55 tradeswomen, “in a

one year period, 41% of female construction workers suffered from gender harassment.

In the Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT) study, 88% of the respondents reported

sexual harassment [ CITATION Hea97 \l 1033 ]. These results tend to promote the idea that

women are considered a distraction on the jobsite, and men obviously feel that they

have a right to disrespect women. However, based on primary research conducted for

this project, the results differ from the NIOSH study. Primary research shows that 56%

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of both men and women disagree that “women are a distraction on the jobsite” 33%

being women, 65% men, and 2% had no opinion as indicated in the chart

above[ CITATION Sho10 \l 1033 ].

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 Limitations to the primary research survey were that only a small number of

respondents were surveyed. With over 10 million workers in the industry, this survey

was only handed out to 32 of those workers. Furthermore, of those 32 workers, 23 were

men and 9 were women, with 47% of those respondents being between the ages of 35-

50. Meanwhile, the survey also asked if “women need extra protection on the jobsite,”

with 59% of the votes, the vast majority, disagreeing. The previous study conducted by

NIOSH would disagree with the above stated survey question, the study gauged results

that women in the industry felt that they needed more protection from their male co-

workers rather than actual safety concerns of the jobsite itself. One woman reported

that she applied for an iron worker apprenticeship, and the men who were also applying

threatened her by saying “You may get this job because of the government, but you

won’t leave it alive.” Another woman stated “sometimes they drop things on you,

hammers and wrenches-dangerous things like that.” The study also stated “Women

injure themselves more than the men because they refuse help, and they are not

allowed to ask for help, and it’s a much bigger deal if a woman asks for help.” According

to the NIOSH study, “Tradeswomen also do not benefit from misguided attempts to

protect female workers from difficult assignments”. The previous survey conducted

during the NIOSH study showed that “39 percent of the women interviewed answered

“strongly agree” or “agree” to the statement, “Overall, I wish that I

had been better trained before working on a construction site”

[ CITATION Hea97 \l 1033 ].

The primary research survey also asked the participants if

they believe that “women receive special treatment”, incidentally

6
the results would show mixed feelings; 38% disagree while 28% agree. According to the

previous NIOSH study woman did not receive special treatment, in fact they received ill-

behaved treatment. Women on jobsites were subject to unsanitary toilet facilities, which

can result in disease as well as urinary tract infection (for those who delay urinating

rather than using such facilities) [ CITATION Hea97 \l 1033 ]. According to the Michigan

Plumbing Code, section 311 “Toilet Facilities for Workers” “Toilet facilities shall be

provided for construction workers and such facilities shall be maintained in a sanitary

condition” [ CITATION Mic06 \l 1033 ]. Women have received personal protective equipment

that is ill-fitting, when “clothing or equipment that is not sized, or does not fit properly

can compromise personal safety” [ CITATION Hea97 \l 1033 ]. One woman states in the

NIOSH study that, “They do not make hand tools for women, and women come in all

sizes, just like men.” “Handle size and tool weight are designed to accommodate the

size and strength of men, yet the average hand length of women is 0.8 inches shorter

than the average man’s” [ CITATION Hea97 \l 1033 ]. According to a Women in Construction

Workgroup report, “since so little has changed since 1999 there is no need to conduct a

new study” [ CITATION ACC09 \l 1033 ]. Thus, indicating that changes in favor of working

women were not considered important by fellow workers.

Perceptions

Men resisted and often harassed women workers. Most males were upset when

women were brought into skilled labor positions; they also resented what they

considered to be special treatment. This treatment included special labor laws for

women, like longer rest periods, more desirable shifts, and newer restroom facilities.

Union attitudes towards women varied as well. “Unions are an important part of the

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American workforce” [ CITATION NPS10 \l 1033 ]. The National Labor Union was organized

in 1866; still it did not take a stand for the rights of working women. However, some

unions welcomed women while others did not trust them. At any rate, unions feared

that the women may steal a man’s job after the war as a result of women’s cheap labor.

Although women were welcome among some unions, it was only for the duration of the

war.

Based on the results of the primary survey 97% of the respondents belong to a union,

while only one participant did not. Incidentally the majority of the 97% were tradesman

(81%), plumber/pipefitters (56%) with more than 20 years experience (44%) in the

construction industry [ CITATION Sho10 \l 1033 ].

Women have always worked, before industrialization most women worked on the

family farm as well as anywhere work needed to be done. Women had the ability to

sense the resentment from the male co-worker; as a result, women were able to sense

when they were not welcome. Yet oddly enough 78% of the men and women surveyed

in the primary research said yes they “Would recommend the construction industry to

women” [ CITATION Sho10 \l 1033 ]. According to the NPS website, “The reality was that

most women returned to being homemakers during the prosperity of the 1950s.

However, the road taken by women in the work force during World War II continued into

the future” [ CITATION NPS10 \l 1033 ].

Conclusion

Women have been and remain a small percentage of the construction workforce.

According to the NIOSH study, “The construction industry as a whole is facing a

nationwide crisis with respect to the availability of qualified labor. With the demand for

8
labor outstripping supply, construction employers need to expand their recruitment

efforts to previously untapped labor sources, including women. Thus they need to

ensure that the work environment is women friendly”. Accomplishing this will only be

possible through exposure and encouragement starting as young as possible. “As the

construction labor force becomes more diversified, the construction industry as a whole

cannot afford to overlook the genuine safety and health needs and concerns of female

construction workers” [ CITATION Hea97 \l 1033 ]. “If more women enter the industry and

rise through the ranks, the “concrete ceiling” is likely to crumble” [ CITATION Mar07 \l 1033 ],

allowing for the construction industry to advance with more opportunities for future

women who become involved in the construction industry.

9
 Works Cited
ACCSH. Women in Construction Workgroup report. Minutes of 16-17 . Washington, D.C.: Advisory
Committee on Construction Safety and Health, 2009.

Adams, Susan. "Women's Work." Forbes (2010): 52-54.

Avera, Mark W. "Women in Construction." 5 June 2007. TopBuildingJobs.com. 31 March 2010

<http://www.topbuildingjobs.com/news.php/Women-in-Construction/?articleID=17>.

Codes, Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth Bureau of Construction. Michigan Plumbing
Code. Lansing: International Code Council, 2006.

Construction, Health and Safety of Women in. Women in the Construction Workplace. Safety and Health
Protection. Wahsington, DC: OSHA's Advisory Committee on Construction Safety & Health, 1997.

Luby, Abby. "Women Construction Leaders Come A Long Way." 27 June 2008. The Real Deal. 31 March
2010 <http://therealdeal.com/newyork/articles/women-construction-leaders-come-a-long-
way>.

Merrow, Mourine. "Rosie the Riveter: Women Working During World War II." 4 May 2004. National
Parks Service. 8 April 2010 <http://www.nps.gov/pwro/collection/website/mourine.htm>.

NAWIC. National Association of Women in Construction. March 2006. 6 March 2010

<http://www.nawic.org/nawic/Statistics.asp?SnID=1478680829>.

NPS. "Women Working During World War II." National Parks Service. 8 April 2010
<http://www.nps.gov/pwro/collection/website/unions.htm>.

Various. The Book of Knowledge. Groiler, 2002.

Vennevy, Shona. "Primary Data." "Women in the Construction survey". April 2010.

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11
APPENDIX

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 Women in the Construction Industry
Survey

Please take a moment to fill out this survey to help us better understand the impact that women
have in the construction industry.

1.Gender 6. Do you belong to a Union?

□ Male □ Yes
□ Female □ No

2. Age 7. Women are a distraction on the jobsite

□ 18-34 □ Strongly Agree
□ 35-50 □ Agree
□ 51-65 □ Strongly Disagree
□ 65 & older □ Disagree
□ No opinion
3. Profession/Trade skill 8. Women need extra protection on the
□ Plumber/Pipefitter jobsite
□ Electrician □ Strongly Agree
□ Carpenter □ Agree
□ Laborer □ Strongly Disagree
□ Other______________ □ Disagree
□ No opinion
4. Professional Level 9. Women receive special treatment
□ Tradesman □ Strongly Agree
□ Administration □ Agree
□ Management □ Strongly Disagree
□ Other ___________________ □ Disagree
□ No opinion
5. How long have you been involved 10. Would you recommend the
with construction? construction industry to women?
□ 1-5 years □ Yes
□ 6-10 years □ No
□ 11-15 years
□ 16-20 years
□ 20 or more years

Thank you for your participation!

13
 Women in the Construction Industry
Survey
Final Results

Please take a moment to fill out this survey to help us better understand the impact that women
have in the construction industry.

1.Gender 6. Do you belong to a Union?

□ Male 23 72% □ Yes 31 97%
□ Female 9 28% □ No 1 3%

2. Age 7. Women are a distraction on the jobsite

□ 18-34 7 22% □ Strongly Agree 5 16%
□ 35-50 15 47% □ Agree 5 16%
□ 51-65 10 31% □ Strongly Disagree 2 6%
□ 65 & older 0 □ Disagree 18 56%
□ No opinion 2 6%

3. Profession/Trade skill 8. Women need extra protection on the

□ Plumber/Pipefitter 18 56% jobsite
□ Electrician 0 □ Strongly Agree 1 3%
□ Carpenter 4 13% □ Agree 6 19%
□ Laborer 7 22% □ Strongly Disagree 4 13%
□ Other____________3 9% □ Disagree 19 59%
□ No opinion 2 6%

4. Professional Level 9. Women receive special treatment

□ Tradesman 26 81% □ Strongly Agree 3 9%
□ Administration 0 □ Agree 9 28%
□ Management 0 □ Strongly Disagree 3 9%
□ Other ____________6 19% □ Disagree 12 38%
□ No opinion 5 16%

5. How long have you been involved 10. Would you recommend the
with construction? construction industry to women?
□ 1-5 years 6 19% □ Yes 25 78%
□ 6-10 years 2 6% □ No 6 19%
□ 11-15 years 5 16% □ Maybe 1 3%
□ 16-20 years 5 16%
□ 20 or more years 14 44%

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Thank you for your participation!

15