College - Author 1
College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Department - Author 1
Construction Management Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Construction Management
Date
6-2020
Primary Advisor/Subject Matter Expert (SME)
Stacy Kolegraff, College of Architecture and Environmental Design, Construction Management Department
Abstract/Summary
The construction industry continues to be a male-dominated industry; however, recent decades have seen a change of demographic, including an increase of women leadership. With the changing demographics, there is a lack of awareness and proactive integration of properly fitting safety vests to accommodate different body types. A properly fitting safety vest is crucial in upholding the safety of individuals working on a construction site, where certain genders are more frequently caught on jobsite material. These circumstances hinder the purpose and functionality of the safety vest’s primary functions, which, for the wearer, is increased visibility and the comfort to carry out their duties. The findings of this study show that improperly fitting safety vests impact the sense of belonging of different genders by creating a workplace environment that is not welcoming. This matter corresponds with the impacts on confidence, self-esteem, and perception of abilities, whom respondents feel are adversely affected. The majority of respondents believe a properly fitting safety vest is crucial for the construction industry, however a majority have not asked their companies to provide one, specifically women. If provided with one that was designed to fit their body type, respondents are in favor of wearing it over the standard industry sizes.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cmsp/481
Poster Board