Canberra construction sites urged to provide women’s toilets and sanitary bins

Women employed on construction sites in Canberra complain that many residential projects do not offer dedicated toilets or sanitary disposal bins, forcing them to travel off-site and interrupting work. Temperley Homes director Carly Dewey, with more than 20 years in the field, says her firm provides separate male and female toilets and serviced bins, costing roughly $150 weekly, a modest expense compared with lost labour time.

Electrician Lainey Morgan confirms the problem is uneven across sites and attributes it partly to a workplace culture that silences early-career women. Worksafe ACT’s code mandates clean, safe, accessible sanitation, and inspectors have documented workers carrying used sanitary products in pockets due to lack of private options. When violations are found, businesses receive legal orders to remedy them. Master Builders ACT chief executive Anna Neelagama says improving facilities is essential to attract more women, linking it to the organisation’s Level the Site initiative that encourages gender-inclusive practices.