Safe Work Australia Releases Resources to Manage Gender-Based Violence in Construction

The following is an abridgement of an article originally published by Safe Work Australia News.

Resource Release

Safe Work Australia has released a suite of resources designed to assist employers in identifying, assessing, and managing the risks of gender-based violence within the construction industry.

According to the agency, the materials—which include case studies, posters, and infographics—were developed in collaboration with industry stakeholders to address specific work health and safety challenges experienced by women on construction sites.

Hazard Context

Safe Work Australia defines gender-based violence as a psychosocial hazard encompassing physical violence, sexual harassment, verbal abuse, bullying, and offensive behavior directed at individuals based on their sex, gender, sexual orientation, or non-conformity to gender stereotypes.

The agency noted that certain factors prevalent in the construction sector, such as a male-dominated or transient workforce, high job demands, and isolated work environments, can increase the risk of such behaviors if not effectively managed.

Available Materials and Support

The newly published resources aim to raise awareness of harmful behaviors, outline their impacts, and clarify employer responsibilities for prevention.

Safe Work Australia advised that workers seeking support or wishing to report incidents can contact state or territory work health and safety authorities, the police, the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Fair Work Commission, or support services such as 1800RESPECT.