Bridging the gender gap

According to the British Safety Council, less than a quarter (21.7%) of health and safety professionals are women. For an industry that operates across such a diverse array of sectors, it’s concerning that women are significantly underrepresented professionally. In fact, only 15% of leaders in health and safety were women, compared with 29% in senior business roles globally; this means gender-related risk is not being given the priority it deserves, which can have dangerous effects. While this can be attributed to a number of factors, such as the historical imbalance between men and women and a lack of female role models in the sector, it’s no excuse for the health & safety industry to ignore the issue.

Encouraging girls into STEM from a young age

Inspiring girls from young age to see the vast opportunities a STEM career can offer is essential to increasing female representation in the sector. The health and safety industry, for example, is still dominated by male-centric imagery – think stock photos of men in hard hats – despite the fact that everyone on site, regardless of gender, has to wear the same protective gear. Breaking these gendered stereotypes is crucial to encouraging more women to enter this field. The challenge often begins in schools, where girls are less likely to be actively encouraged to consider STEM careers, despite the fact that they often outperform boys in these subjects at GCSE and A-level. Yet, participation in these fields remain overwhelmingly male-dominated.

By encouraging girls from a young age to consider careers in health and safety, or even adjacent industries, this helps foster a strong pipeline of talent. Both schools and industry leaders should focus on promoting female role models in these fields through mentorship programmes, career talks, and hands-on STEM activities: such programmes have been shown to improve promotion and retention rates for women and minorities. By creating an environment that supports and encourages women to consider these career paths, more young girls will feel confident and inspired, helping to close the gender gap in a vital industry. 

Advancing the role of health and safety

Health and safety roles are often undervalued, and even frequently ridiculed, despite being essential in protecting workers from serious injuries – or worse. To elevate its status within organisations, companies should consider integrating health and safety leadership at the highest levels, such as appointing a dedicated board-level representative. This not only reinforces the importance and respect the industry deserves, but also makes it a more attractive career path to consider. 

Furthermore, promoting diversity and breaking down gendered stereotypes is a responsibility of that should fall on all business leaders - not just female professionals in the sector. It’s crucial that this is seen as a problem for everyone to solve, not least because non-inclusive environments can actually be dangerous for health and safety. For example, current PPE is almost always designed for men, with little consideration for specific needs that women might have. Ill-fitting safety equipment can increase the risk of injury, create unnecessary stress for employees, and even deter women from entering the field altogether. 

Making career transitions easier

While it’s very important to build up a pipeline of young talent, the problem isn’t one that can wait for years, if not decades, to be resolved. We must also look at the current state of the workforce. Women often transition into the health and safety sector from adjacent industries, which can cause significant professional challenges. Streamlining this process through targeted training programmes and upskilling opportunities can make the move appear more accessible and appealing. Even small changes – such as reviewing job descriptions to ensure they focus on essential skills, rather than outdated stereotypes – can attract a broader range of candidates. 

Proactively closing the gender gap in health and safety

Closing the gender gap in health and safety is not only necessary but entirely possible. By encouraging young girls to explore STEM careers from an early age, we can break down historical imbalances and inspire the next generation of female professionals in the industry. Making the transition into health and safety more accessible for women, alongside increasing the visibility of female role models, will help create a more diverse and inclusive workforce. Furthermore, elevating the perception of health and safety beyond outdated stereotypes will highlight its critical role in workplace wellbeing. 

Tackling these barriers can help organisations tap into a more diverse talent pool and more inclusive workplace. This greater diversity will not only strengthen teams, but lead to better decision-making and improved safety outcomes for everyone.  

Sarah Mlundira is global head of technical department at Sentric Safety Group