By Stacy A. Thursby, CSP, STS, SGE President and Owner of Safety PACE, LLC
Women in Safety
Teleworking—Changing the Impacts of Women in Safety VPPPA Presents… Women in Safety
While the safety industry is still a male-dominated industry, the number of women is increasing each year. It’s important to identify and communicate the issues that women face. In each issue of the a eL red , we will be including an article from a prominent woman working in the safety and health industry. If you, or someone you know, would like to write for this column, please contact VPPPA at comn um ications@ a pv o . rg .
W
omen in Safety have seen a dramatic change from
the past roles of women, where women are now, and what the future has in store for females in the Occupational Safety and Health industry. My personal experience includes working in the mining and tunneling industries along with heavy construction, nuclear remediation, and environmental permitting. For the first five years of my career (early 90s) I was the only woman on the jobsite—other than administrative assistants. I was often misplaced as a secretary. Finding a woman doing safety
worked tirelessly to improve
aware that President Richard
Americans. Dr. Alice Hamilton
Nixon signed into law the
(now considered the founder of
Williams-Steiger Occupational
industrial medicine in America)
Safety and Health Act in
met U.S. Commissioner of
1970, which gave the Federal
Labor Charles Neill at the
Government the authority
1910 European conference on
to set and enforce safety and
occupational accidents and
health standards for most of
diseases. At only the beginning
the country’s workers. This act
of her career, Hamilton
workforce. During the last few
was the result of a hard fought
was already pioneering
years with the trend of working
legislative battle which began
investigations as director
remotely, the impact of women
in 1968 when President Lyndon
of the Illinois Occupational
in safety has improved. Women
Johnson unsuccessfully sought
Disease Commission. Neill
are more appreciated to greater
a similar measure. However,
invited her to work as a special
extent for what they provide on
the roots of government
investigator for the Bureau
a technical and programmatic
regulation of workplace
of Labor. She accepted, and
basis. The playing field has
hazards dates back to the late
until 1921, traveled around the
equalized very quickly through
19th century.
country visiting lead smelters,
pivotal role in formulating the laws and regulations that are still in place today. My career experience is quite varied and has shaped the way I mentor and teach new safety and health professionals entering the
telework where “people” are the asset, regardless of gender. Leader—Spring 2022
and tenacious women who the working conditions for
of. However, women played a
6
Past Experiences— Women’s Role in Safety Many safety professionals are
50 years ago was almost unheard
Women were seen as a risk, as opposed to providing ways to protect the workers.
President Richard Nixon signing the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Department of Labor
Laying the groundwork for this act were strong
storage battery plants, and other hazardous workplaces. In vpppa.org
