Women in Construction Reach 20-Year High- And Still Can't Find PPE That Fits

Women now represent the highest percentage of construction workers in two decades—but the industry still has a massive problem to solve.

In 2024, women represented 11.2% of the construction workforce, totaling 1.34 million workers—the highest share in 20 years. That's progress worth celebrating, right?

Here's the catch: while 68% of office and administrative positions in construction are held by women, they make up only 4% of construction and maintenance occupations—the actual on-site, boots-on-the-ground roles where the industry desperately needs workers.

So women are entering construction. They're just not staying on jobsites.

The Labor Shortage Is Real—And Women Could Solve It

Construction groundbreakings jumped 5% in November 2024, driven by strong infrastructure activity and public investment, but the industry is facing a critical worker shortage. Construction jobs added only 8,000 positions in October 2024, one of the weakest months of the year, even as demand surges.

The math is simple: women make up 47% of all employed individuals but only 1.25% of the total construction workforce. That's not a pipeline problem—that's a retention problem.

What's Keeping Women Off Jobsites?

The reasons are well-documented and frustratingly persistent:

Harassment and Hostility
According to the Institute for Women's Policy Research, 26.5% of tradeswomen reported experiencing high levels of harassment on the job due to their gender. That's not just uncomfortable—it's unsafe.

Lack of Role Models
48% of women report a lack of female role models in the construction industry, and 89% have experienced perceived gender discrimination. When you can't see yourself in the field, why would you stay?

Equipment and PPE That Wasn't Designed for Women
Here's the one that doesn't get talked about enough: the gear doesn't fit.

Men's PPE adapted for women isn't just uncomfortable—it's dangerous. Oversized vests gap at the sides. Reflective tape sits in the wrong places. Shoulder seams fall too wide. Safety gear that doesn't fit properly can't protect properly.

And here's the kicker: OSHA now requires employers to provide PPE that actually fits their workers. Not "close enough." Not "safety-pinned into submission." Actually fits.

Better Fit = Better Retention

When women have access to gear that's designed for their bodies—not just scaled-down versions of men's equipment—they're more likely to stay in the field. It's that simple.

Proper-fitting PPE means:

• Better safety compliance (workers actually wear gear that fits)
• Improved morale (feeling seen and valued matters)
• Higher retention rates (women stay where they feel supported)
• Meeting OSHA requirements (avoiding fines and liability)

The industry is finally waking up to this. Between 2015 and 2024, the number of women in construction increased by 45%—momentum is building. But to convert that growth from office roles to on-site positions, we need to remove every barrier we can.

The Bottom Line

The construction industry doesn't have a "women problem." It has a retention problem. And one of the easiest fixes? Stop making women work in gear designed for someone else's body.

Women in construction have surpassed pre-recession numbers for the first time since 2008. The trend is moving in the right direction. Now it's time to give women the tools—and the PPE—they need to actually do the job safely.

Because if the industry wants to fill that labor gap, it needs to make jobsites places where women can not only work, but thrive.

Ready to equip your team with PPE that actually fits? Shop ARX—ANSI-certified, OSHA-compliant safety gear designed by women, for women.