Factors contributing to vulnerability of inexperienced carpenters

Considerable data document high injury rates among inexperienced carpenters, including apprentices. Apprenticeships are an important part of the unionized construction industry. Classroom instruction and on-the-job training under mentorship of journeymen should promote safety and security among inexperienced workers. Using data from injury surveillance interviews with residential apprentice carpenters and focus groups with carpenters at different levels of experience, we describe situations that can contribute to the vulnerability of these inexperienced workers. Apprentices report variability in mentoring; some work with journeymen who are concerned for their safety and skill, while others feel devalued and believe they are assigned the more dangerous and taxing work. Feelings that apprentices were at times expected to learn by getting hurt were unfortunately validated by views of some journeymen that injuries were a rite of passage. Apprentices reported knowledge of safety procedures that they did not always use. Lower-level apprentices, particularly, reported that they could not defy a journeyman's request even if they felt it was unsafe, and they described at times how worries that they would be let go influenced their safety behavior in a negative manner. Time pressures in residential construction were sometimes compounded by incentives offered for speed and safety adding pressure to work rapidly and not report injuries. Attempts to empower workers through training alone can fall short. Even union apprentices, who have better working conditions than most entry level workers, can be vulnerable in the absence of support from more seasoned co-workers and an appropriate safety infrastructure.