# According To Dept. Of Labor Women Experience Harassment In The Construction Trades



## tonyc56 (Nov 9, 2008)

Maybe i'm being naive here but I find that hard to believe. I would never in my business try to purposely harm a female employee and I believe a majority of contractors wouldn't either. 


"One illustration of how a hostile workplace is an occupational safety and health issue can be found in a two-part newspaper article on sexual harassment of women miners at an Eveleth (Minnesota) mine.7 One of the women who experienced severe and unrelenting harassment at a mine testified that a male co-worker said he would throw "the little *****" in the concentrator bins, huge receptacles for mixing iron ore powder. Such an action would likely cause the victim to suffocate or be crushed under the weight of the taconite. Some of the female miners testified that they carried knives to work or kept loaded guns within easy reach in their cars, because they believed their lives were in danger."

https://www.osha.gov/doc/accsh/haswicformal.html


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

Maybe she was a little *****, what does her sex have to do with it?


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

I was going to say because only women can be bitches, but that's not true. Men can be as well. I'm not mentioning names. :whistling:


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## pibe (Jan 21, 2013)

tonyc56 said:


> testified that a male co-worker said he would throw "the little *****" in the concentrator bins, huge receptacles for mixing iron ore powder.


That is dumb. I feel like there are empty threats like that issued by men against men in construction every single day. I would say infinitely more than to women. Ridiculous...


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## AmeliaP (Apr 22, 2007)

Personally, I find construction to be much LESS harassing then corporate was. I also find it easier to deal with annoyances since we work for ourselves. If I don't like how someone acts I just boot them off our job site and never deal with them again.....problem solved! :laughing:

Only inexperienced men pull that crap....BUT.....some women are a pain to work with. I only had any trouble with a handful of co-workers in corporate and most of my departments were like 20-45 guys and maybe 3 females. It was usually the hiring guys that were serious *ssholes. 

On the other hand almost every woman I worked with hated my guts. The guys I worked with used to call it "the bad chick vibe" and laugh about it. I have no idea why that was.


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## Bearded Wonder (Jan 21, 2011)

That's a stupid study who's sole purpose could only be to further some stupid agenda somewhere. 

I guess that means it's like every other government study...


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

I personally think chicks in construction are hot :laughing:


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

jlsconstruction said:


> I personally think chicks in construction are hot :laughing:


Unless they're rod busters. :laughing:


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

Californiadecks said:


> Unless they're rod busters. :laughing:


Let me re phrase. I think the idea of chick in construction is hot


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

I've worked with a few women on the jobsite. Most have been painters who can hold their own and jump right in when the guys start their typical banter towards each other and the men always end up including them.

It's pretty much a guy thing to insult, threaten, bash, and otherwise insult each other on a jobsite but really it's all in good fun with only rare exceptions. I respect the women who can jump in and be one of the guys.

If it was a serious threat, then it's not cool.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

rselectric1 said:


> I've worked with a few women on the jobsite. Most have been painters who can hold their own and jump right in when the guys start their typical banter towards each other and the men always end up including them. It's pretty much a guy thing to insult, threaten, bash, and otherwise insult each other on a jobsite but really it's all in good fun with only rare exceptions. I respect the women who can jump in and be one of the guys. If it was a serious threat, then it's not cool.


Yeah but women can't do that with other women. :no: :no:


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

Californiadecks said:


> Yeah but women can't do that with other women. :no: :no:


Unfortunately they can't. They take it all emotionally and personally in my view, and then get all catty with each other.

I had 2 businesses in a previous life where I employed nearly all women and it quite frankly sucked. (No not a pimp :laughing

It's much more fun working with other guys (for the most part), We kind of "get each other" and the pranks, ribbing, and atmosphere makes it fun to go to work.


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## Chopsaw Chick (May 6, 2011)

Wow! That study was alarming and although (apparently) 14 years old, some of that crap probably still goes on today. I hate the idea that women are discouraged from entering the trades because this BS actually happens. There are enough other reasons women don't do construction and I feel strongly that our industry would be more successful if more women were involved.

My personal experience, however, has been TOTALLY different than what was described in this study! All the guys I work with are very respectful - or at least as respectful with me as they are with anyone else. :blink: As soon as they realize that I know what I'm talking about and I work as hard as anyone else, they treat me better than "one of the guys." I can't think of a single example where I have been discriminated against at work - much less harassed. And I'm not gonna lie, without being inappropriate at all, I have a much better inspection success rate than any of the guys around here! :thumbsup:

I just really hope that more women will enter the construction field and not be discouraged by the experiences of a few. Having more women involved would probably result in a better product and a better reputation for the industry as a whole. And then maybe I'll be able to finally purchase a worm drive in hot pink! :clap:


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Only ever seen one woman in the trades here. Doubt she could hump two bags of crete or a couple sheets of CDX, but she didnt need to. She did trim work, and was pretty good from what I saw.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

I don't know how many of you have worked on large commercial union projects but when I did they had both male and female restrooms with hand washing stations at each.
As far as working conditions for the few women that worked on these sites, the GC who I worked for bent over backwards to make sure there was no harassment and everyone was treated with equal respect. If anyone had not of treated someone with respect they would've been fired immediately. It's a new era and I think that study is a little outdated. But that's just my opinion.


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## mudpad (Dec 26, 2008)

I see a couple of women on most jobs. Electricians mostly. They generally fit in well and aren't a problem. They don't even ask for special sh**t house accomodations, although I would probably designate one for them if they asked.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Californiadecks said:


> I don't know how many of you have worked on large commercial union projects but when I did they had both male and female restrooms with hand washing stations at each.
> As far as working conditions for the few women that worked on these sites, the GC who I worked for bent over backwards to make sure there was no harassment and everyone was treated with equal respect. If anyone had not of treated someone with respect they would've been fired immediately. It's a new era and I think that study is a little outdated. But that's just my opinion.


I was never union, but I never saw any women here in commercial either. Guess they find better jobs down here :laughing:


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Jaws said:


> I was never union, but I never saw any women here in commercial either. Guess they find better jobs down here :laughing:


When I worked on a state prison my company was forced to hire a percentage of minorities through affirmative action. Back then women were considered minorities in the construction trade. They were paid as much as union carpenters and for the most part we stuck a hose in their hand and they (this is no lie) watered the sand before a pour. One drove a skid steer, another tied rebar.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Mid 80's I was the Super on a restaurant remodel.

Female Sparky had been on the job for weeks. Great gal, knew her stuff & flipped chit with the best of the guys.

New Tin Banger showed up. Was relentless on this gal one morning.

Getting up from lunch he made a rather rude remark to her in front of 20 or so guys.

She stood up, jabbed him in the Solar Plexus & went about her work.

He was left writhing on the floor gasping for air with the entire crew laughing at him. He left never to be seen again.

I know not proper, but different times than today.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

griz said:


> Mid 80's I was the Super on a restaurant remodel.
> 
> Female Sparky had been on the job for weeks. Great gal, knew her stuff & flipped chit with the best of the guys.
> 
> ...


Proper to me :thumbsup: 

Good for her


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## mudpad (Dec 26, 2008)

tyb525 said:


> Did you just see her on tv today too?


I saw her, between football games. Looked kinda weird. It would have been more entertaining if she had body slammed the dudes that were interviewing her. :thumbup:


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## Kolbym (Aug 21, 2012)

I have a girl working for me during break between school. She's my best worker and only needs to be shown something once. She actually pushes my younger mulebacks to work faster. She has the respect of every guy on the job. She wears loose jeans and baggy T-shirts so no problems there. And she speaks perfect Spanish so the amigos respect her. Granted I'm doing finish work so that makes a difference. If I were a steel worker or custom framer it might be a different story. Then again on the same job the Tile guys have a female throwing 80lb thin set bags around all day... I get tired just watching her. She RUNS the whole day too.


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## Reg (Dec 15, 2013)

I have had good luck in the trades as a woman. Nothing but respect from the guys. I've worked in cabinet shops, big developments doing exterior siding, single house construction and on boats and have always found the men to be great. I think as long as I take myself seriously, they do.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

Reg said:


> I have had good luck in the trades as a woman. Nothing but respect from the guys. I've worked in cabinet shops, big developments doing exterior siding, single house construction and on boats and have always found the men to be great. I think as long as I take myself seriously, they do.


And I thought Reg stood for Reggie. :laughing:


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## Reg (Dec 15, 2013)

VinylHanger said:


> And I thought Reg stood for Reggie. :laughing:


Reggie, that's what my dad always called me


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