Advancing Women in the Sheet Metal Workers' Trade: A Coordinated Mentoring Program to Promote Safety, Health, and Well-being
Phase: NA
Conditions: Harassment, Non-Sexual, Harassment, Sexual, Bullying, Workplace, Mental Stress, Work-Related Condition, Work-related Injury, Work Related Stress
Sponsor: University of Washington

1 
 
The Use of Mentoring to Promote Well-being for Female SMART Members 
NCT04247880 
 
June 23, 2025 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

2 
 
Study Protocol  
 
Significance  
Construction workers are exposed to numerous chemical and physical hazards, leading to risks 
such as slips, trips and falls, musculoskeletal disorders, electrocution, and other chronic and 
acute health outcomes.1,2,3 Younger workers entering apprenticeships must learn to work around 
these chemical and physical hazards safely, but also contend with psychosocial hazards such 
as bullying and hazing.4 High job demands coupled with low control and lack of support at work 
also contribute to worker stress and risk of injury.5 For workers with children, balancing the long 
and unpredictable work hours with their family’s needs can be stressful, a burden placed 
disproportionately on women workers.6 For underrepresented workers, there is additional 
vulnerability due to a culture that often condones harassment and discrimination based on 
gender and race.7,8 The percentage of women in the industry remains dismally low: 3% of 
workers nationally are women.9 Tradeswomen’s minority status directly contributes to their risk 
for negative mental and physical health outcomes, as well as their burnout rates, thereby 
creating a negative feedback problem.  
   
Employment of construction and extraction occupations throughout the country is projected to 
grow 11% from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations.10 However, demand 
for skilled tradespeople is far outpacing supply due to national shortages of skilled construction 
labor and gaps in the apprenticeship pipelines.11 Because of low apprentice retention rates and 
underrepresentation of women in the industry, there is a growing recognition among unions, 
contractors, and public owners of the importance of women to meeting current and future 
demands. Assuring that women, particularly the younger workers entering the trades as 
apprentices can learn to work safely and retain jobs in the industry is a high priority for the 
industry.12,13  
   
In addition to economic pressures, principles of equity indicate that the industry needs to reduce 
barriers to full participation. Pressure is also being placed on companies to address their 
workplace climate, as part of the shifting national debate, exemplified by the #MeToo and 
Time’s UP movements. Recent media and political attention to workplace harassment is shining 
a spotlight on the underlying social dynamics that create an unsafe workplace for women in 
construction and other industries.14   
  
Approach  
                
Overview  
In collaboration with the Sheet Metal workers arm of the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and 
Transportation (SMART) union—representing approximately 200,000 members in 160 local 
unions in North America— we propose a randomized intervention study designed to address the 
health, safety, and retention of women apprentices in the trade. Randomization between 
intervention and control groups will occur among local unions and their affiliated apprenticeship 
programs throughout the US. Approximately 100 women apprentices will be recruited from 
locals in the intervention group, while another 100 women apprentices will be recruited from 
among the control locals. In addition, 30 mentors will be recruited from the locals in the 
intervention group to receive training after our evaluation is complete.  
  

3 
 
Building on mentorship and leadership curricula from the UW research group, Sheet Metal 
Workers Locals 16 and 66, and CPWR, we will design a mentorship training program to be 
delivered online in both synchronous (live webinars) and asynchronous (viewing previously 
developed or recorded materials on their own time) modalities. Journey-level workers from each 
intervention local will be recruited and trained to be mentors to women in their affiliated 
apprenticeship programs. Mentees in the intervention arm will be recruited and paired based on 
mutual preference with mentors within their local in two waves, allowing for at least two years of 
follow-up for each mentee. Women apprentices in the control locals will be recruited to 
participate in the evaluation only. Evaluation will assess changes in safety advocacy, self-
efficacy, as well as work experience (including exposure to physical and psychosocial hazards), 
health (stress related indices), safety (injury experience and risk-avoidance actions) and 
retention in the trade. Evaluation will utilize pre- and post-program questionnaires and calculate 
retention rates for women apprentices in affiliated apprenticeship programs. In addition, 
interviews with mentors will add to a process evaluation. Using the developed curriculum and 
mentorship programs, and results of the evaluation, we will produce a guide to effective 
mentorship for women in the trades, and, in conjunction with CPWR, disseminate the materials 
widely. Locals participating in the program as controls will be provided with the training for any 
journey-level members interested in becoming mentors after the final evaluation is completed.   
   
To help guide the development, implementation and results interpretation and dissemination, we 
will establish a program advisory board, who will meet annually with the research team 
throughout the project period. The board will include Marc Norberg, Assistant to the General 
President of SMART, Vanessa Carman, Chair of the Women’s Committee for SMART Local 66, 
Linda Goldenhar, researcher for CPWR, a representative of the sheet metal contractors’ 
association, TBN, an expert on mentorship for women in the trades (Lisa Davis, Instructor with 
SMART Local 16), and a professor of construction management (Dr. Ken-Yu Lin).  
   
Recruitment and Assignment of Locals  
UW researchers will work with SMART to identify locals to participate in the study, based on 
availability and membership size. Among the 81 Sheet metal worker JATCs, there are currently 
a total of 461 women apprentices, however they are not evenly distributed. Twenty-six locals 
have five or more women apprentices, so we will focus our efforts on the locals with a sufficient 
number of women to support our training and evaluations. Leaders at each local will receive 
information about the study and descriptions of the intervention. We will invite each local with 5 
or more women apprentices to participate in the study. We will then rank order them by size, 
and randomize them to control or intervention groups, within size categories.   
  
We will identify a key staff member at each local or apprenticeship program to serve as our 
primary on-site Mentorship Coordinator for the participant recruitment, training delivery, and 
mentorship programming. The identification of this person will be up to each local, but could be 
the apprenticeship coordinator, or instructor, a women’s committee member, or a local safety 
coordinator, or staff person.  

4 
 
  
Figure 3. Study research design  
  
Development and Delivery of Training  
Mentor training provided to participants will draw content from the UW and Locals 16 and 66 
programs, the CPWR Foundations for Safety Leadership curriculum, as well as other evidence-
based mentor training materials. The goal of the training is to increase women’s knowledge of, 
and self-efficacy and skills in safety advocacy to reduce their injury risk, as well as psychological 
stressors at work. The training is grounded in principles of social support, most notably 
emotional, informational and appraisal support that mentors can provide. The training will focus 
on: active listening, asking effective questions, two-way communication, understanding how 
construction culture affects women apprentices’ health and safety, types of social support, 
mentorship benefits, setting goals, identifying barriers to success, and cultivating mentee 
problem-solving and self-advocacy skills. We will also provide mentors with resources for 
addressing mentee challenges that are outside the scope of the program (e.g., housing 
insecurity, domestic violence, etc.), adapted from resources available in the union’s location.  
  
Delivery of the training: The training model will include multiple modalities in order for it to be 
delivered effectively to remote locations. It will include written materials and exercises which can 
be reviewed or completed individually, and webinar style presentations by our training expert. 
Most importantly, it will include synchronous workshops that will discuss key components of 
effective mentoring, and provide opportunities for mentoring practice, and discussions and 
problem-solving with input from the trainer.  
  
The synchronous training sessions will be implemented with internet-based conferencing 
software such as Zoom or Skype, linking classrooms at each training location with the trainer. 
Based on other mentorship training programs, we project that we will need two synchronous 
training sessions, each lasting four to six hours. Prior to the first training, we will assign 
materials for review, and low-stakes “homework” assignments for exploration between the two 
sessions. In addition, we will follow-up with each Mentorship Coordinator to provide any 
additional guidance or practice needed.  
  
All components of the mentorship training will be piloted with members of the advisory board 
and other local SMART volunteers, and revised prior to implementation. Each component of the 
training will be delivered to a group of volunteers, and subsequently discussed with the study 
team for revision.   

5 
 
   
Recruitment of Mentors and Mentees  
Once the locals have been assigned to intervention or control, UW researchers will work with 
the identified Mentorship Coordinator at each intervention local to identify potential mentors and 
mentees. Mentors will be journey-level workers with the interest and capacity to support up to 
four mentees over the four years. While preferable to have women mentors for women 
apprentices, we will allow journeymen with an interest in the program if there are insufficient 
numbers of available journeywomen. Each potential mentor will receive a description of the 
purpose of the project, and a full outline of the commitment of time and effort involved in their 
participation, including compensation. Mentors will sign informed consent letters approved by 
the UW IRB.   
  
Eligible mentees at intervention locals will be women currently enrolled in an affiliated 
apprenticeship program, with at least two years left prior to expected completion, and who are at 
least 18 years old. We will work with the Mentorship Coordinator and the Apprenticeship 
Coordinator at each local to provide recruitment materials, and informed consent letters to all 
eligible apprentices. Although we don’t anticipate a problem with over-subscription to the 
program, if this occurs, we will allow the local to determine if they prefer to add mentors to 
accommodate the demand, or to restrict participants to a manageable number.  
  
At control locals, we will work with the Apprenticeship Coordinator to recruit women apprentices, 
18 years or older, with at least two years expected prior to journeying-out. Control apprentices 
will similarly sign informed consent letters to participate in the evaluation questionnaires.  
  
Program Support  
A key component of effective mentorship programs is allowing prospective mentees to find 
mentors with whom they have a level of trust. We will foster such pairing by sponsoring a “meet-
up” at each intervention local, at which each mentor will introduce her/himself, and provide time 
for mentees to meet individually with each potential mentor. Mentees will subsequently inform 
the Mentorship Coordinator of their first and second choice for mentors, and we will assist the 
Mentorship Coordinator in making final pairs assignments. Mentees and Mentors will be free to 
decline the assignment, or request a change at any time in the program.   
  
Each mentor will be contacted by our staff for a follow-up ‘check-in’ once quarterly. The purpose 
of these check-ins is several-fold. The check-in will provide an opportunity for the project staff to 
remind the mentors of the need to actively engage the mentee at regular intervals. Second, the 
check-in is a chance for ‘refresher’ training on key components of effective mentoring. It also 
provides an opportunity to help identify and solve any challenges that come up in the mentoring 
relationship - either transactional, or substantive - that is providing suggestions for additional 
resources. Finally, the check-in will form a component of the process evaluation (see below) to 
monitor the progress of the program and any barriers to its success.   
  
Delivery of Mentorship Training to Control Locals  
Because we have prior expectations that the mentorship program will have some degree of 
success, we don’t want to withhold any benefits from the control locals. Thus, we will repeat the 
mentorship training with control locals in year five of the project. Participation will be voluntary, 
and no evaluation of the training will be included in this. Rather, it will be a service to the 
contributing local unions and their members.   
   
Evaluation and Analysis  

6 
 
We have developed the following logic model of the mentorship program to describe our 
program and provide guidance on necessary evaluation components.   
  
Inputs  
Activities  
Outputs  
Short-term 
Outcomes  
Intermediate 
Outcomes  
End Outcomes  
UW mentorship 
program  
 
Sheet Metal 
Workers Locals 
16 and 66 
programs  
 
CPWR 
Leadership 
training 
programs  
 
Local union 
engagement  
Recruit women 
apprentices 
and mentors  
 
Online mentor 
training  
 
Matching 
mentors to 
mentees  
 
Ongoing 
program 
support   
Mentor-  
mentee interact 
on regular basis  
 
Mentors provide 
emotional, 
appraisal, & 
informational 
support to 
mentees  
Increase in 
awareness of 
safety & health 
risks  
 
Increase in self-
efficacy  
 
Improved self-
advocacy 
knowledge  
 
Improved social 
support at work  
Reduction in 
perceived stress  
 
Increase in self-
advocacy 
behaviors  
 
Increase in 
problem-  
solving skills  
 
Increase in job 
satisfaction  
 
Increased retention 
in apprenticeship 
and trade  
Reduced 
injuries  
 
Improved jobsite 
safety climate  
 
Increased 
representation of 
women in trade  
PLANNED WORK  
RESULTS  
  
This logic model shows the program inputs and outputs. We will conduct both process and 
impact evaluations, as described below. We will measure short-term, intermediate term and 
long-term outcomes, however, we hypothesize that short and intermediate outcomes will be 
affected by our mentorship program.   
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

7 
 
Analysis plan 
 
We will conduct a hypothesis-driven analysis of the primary outcome (perceived stress) and a 
limited set of secondary outcomes that we highlighted as especially important in the grant.  
Research question & hypotheses 
Primary research question: What is the effect of the mentorship intervention on apprentice’s 
perceived stress? Hypothesis: expect a reduction in perceived stress among the intervention 
group (mentees) compared to controls 
Secondary research questions: What is the effect of the mentorship intervention on the following 
short-term and intermediate outcomes: social support at work, job satisfaction, and intention 
to leave construction trades? Hypothesis: expect an improvement (increase) in these outcomes 
among the intervention group compared to controls 
Other (process and longer-term health) outcomes we will consider in a second paper where 
we’ll conduct a more exploratory analysis by group: 
• 
Self-reported health 
• 
Self-reported mental health 
• 
Sleep quality 
• 
Sought professional help for mental 
health 
• 
Sickness presenteeism 
• 
Physical activity outside work 
• 
Insomnia 
• 
Depression severity 
• 
Anxiety severity 
• 
Work/life conflict 
• 
Demand/control 
• 
Overcompensation 
• 
Bullying 
• 
Age discrimination 
• 
Race discrimination 
• 
Gender discrimination 
• 
Tokenism 
• 
Sexual harassment 
• 
Injury at work 
• 
Work injury severity 
• 
frequency of being understood 
• 
perceived effectiveness at 
communicating 
• 
self-advocacy behaviors  
o formal skills training 
o goal setting 
o perceived progress towards 
goals 
o perceived ability to advocate 
for own needs on jobsite 
 
Data 
Two control (total n = 40) and intervention (total n = 56) cohorts surveyed at three timepoints 
each: baseline, 6 months, and 1 year. 
Subset of 18 control and 16 mentees who completed surveys at all three timepoints. 
 
Variables to be used in descriptive analysis  
Demographics by group:  
• 
Age 
• 
Race/ethnicity 

8 
 
• 
Marital status 
• 
Family annual income 
• 
Education 
• 
Years in construction industry 
Baseline variables by group:  
• 
Mentor experience 
• 
Mentor type 
• 
Formal mentorship training 
• 
Local level mentorship 
 
Variables to be used in primary analysis 
Exposure: group – 0 for control, 1 for intervention 
Outcome: perceived stress score (continuous) 
Fixed effects: time, group x time 
Random effect: union local 
Covariates: age, race/ethnicity, family annual income, year in apprenticeship, size of local, 
region of the country  
Variables to be used in secondary analyses 
Exposure: group – 0 for control, 1 for intervention 
Secondary outcomes: Social support at work (continuous), Job satisfaction (continuous), 
Intention to leave construction trades (categorical) 
Fixed effects: time, group x time 
Random effect: union local 
Covariates: age, race/ethnicity, family annual income, year in apprenticeship, size of local, 
region of the country  
Statistical methods  
Software: R 
Analysis of loss to follow-up 
Compare those who dropped out to those who stayed in study by: 
• 
Union local [tally] 
• 
Race/ethnicity  
• 
Age 
• 
Marital status 
• 
Dependents 
• 
Stress at baseline 
• 
Years in construction industry 
• 
Intervention status [yes/no] 

9 
 
• 
Round 
• 
Intention to leave construction industry 
• 
Difficulty taking time off during work to take care of personal or family matters 
• 
Frequency of interference between job demands and family life or personal time 
• 
Frequency of interference between family demands and work 
And/or model for loss of follow up to include group, round, plus other vars listed above 
Use chi-square test of independence (for discrete variables)/Fisher’s Exact test (for count data, 
small sample sizes)/t-test (for continuous variables)/Wilcoxon rank sum test (for continuous 
variables not normally distributed) 
Bivariate analysis 
With same tests as above, compare demographic and other sample characteristics by arm at 
baseline  
With same tests as above, compare primary and secondary outcomes by arm at baseline, mid-
year, and end-year; also do by round 
With same tests as above, do same comparison for subset of respondents in each arm who 
have surveys at all three timepoints; also do by round 
Graph observations (averages, error bars). Spaghetti plots showing trajectories for each person, 
by group. Stratify by group, explore change btw timepoints. Either paired t-test or single rank 
Wilcoxon test. First compare BL to MY, then MY to EY.  
 
Multivariate analysis 
From research strategy: To evaluate changes over time, effectiveness of the intervention will be 
analyzed using a mixed effects regression model. For our primary outcome (perceived stress 
scale, PSS), a base model will be developed with PSS as a function of arm 
(intervention/control), and survey (pre, 6 months, post), with a random effect for local union (to 
assess difference between locals, and to control for non-independence within locals). We will 
then test the contributions of additional co-variates, including demographics, year in 
apprenticeship, size of local, and region of the country, etc. Co-variates will be retained if they 
are statistically significant (p<0.1) or change the coefficient for study arm by >10%. Similar 
models will subsequently be run for each short-term and intermediate outcome. 
 
Table shells -> see SMART Training Program_Survey responses + table shells_17Jun24.xlsx 
Table 1: Baseline characteristics of participants (n=X), by study arm [+ outcomes at baseline for 
descriptives, may not use] 
Table 2: Effect of mentorship training on level of perceived stress among tradeswomen using 
mixed effects regression models; base model + models with added covariates, in stages 
Table 3: Effect of mentorship training on [X secondary outcomes] among tradeswomen using 
mixed effects regression models; base model + models with added covariates, in stages 
 

10 
 
Notes  
Keep track of remaining tasks and questions here. Update with steps taken and info obtained as 
tasks are completed.   
 
Survey data 
Estimated missingness for each variable. 
Filled in sources as best as I could in scale source doc.  
Data dictionary – For scores that we modified, proposed strategy (mostly should just be average 
score, but noted any alternatives reported in the literature, e.g. if others that are unaltered but 
just subset of questions and whether others have done that, whether they standardized the 
scale to the original i.e. by multiplying total by old max divided by new max).  
SMART Women_Variable info – summarizes variables we plan to analyze, their type 
(demographic/confounder, outcome, mediator) and how they’ll be categorized.  
Working list of analytic steps to do in R  
 
Conduct descriptive analysis of demographic characteristics by study arm (intervention/control) 
using relevant statistical test. Also check balance in terms of year in apprenticeship, size of 
local, and region of the country. 
 
Analysis of loss to follow-up:  
• 
Union local size [tally – cioè of n ppl in local?] 
• 
Race/ethnicity  
• 
Age 
• 
Marital status 
• 
Dependents [y/n] 
• 
Stress at baseline 
• 
Years in construction industry 
• 
Intervention status [group] 
• 
Round  
• 
Intention to leave construction industry 
• 
Difficulty taking time off during work to take care of personal or family matters 
• 
Frequency of interference between job demands and family life or personal time 
• 
Frequency of interference between family demands and work 
 
Visualize outcomes by group at each time point --> did this implicitly by running tests 
automatically in crosstables. If outcomes not normally distributed, compare groups at each 
timepoint (not differences) using Wilcoxon ranksum test (rather than two sample t-test). 
Complete responses. Will tell us if have group diffs at each timepoint. 
 
once have dates, edit code and add to plots by round (all data, complete responses) 
 
From research strategy: To evaluate changes over time, assess effectiveness of the intervention 
using a mixed effects regression model. For our primary outcome (perceived stress scale, PSS), 
we envision a base model with PSS as a function of arm (intervention/control), and survey 

11 
 
(baseline, 6 months, and 1 Year), with a random effect for local union (to assess difference 
between locals, and to control for non-independence within locals). We then envision testing the 
contributions of additional co-variates, including demographics, year in apprenticeship, size of 
local, and region of the country. Co-variates will be retained if they are statistically significant 
(p<0.1) or change the coefficient for study arm by >10%. We envision running similar models 
run for each short-term and intermediate outcome. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

12 
 
Informed Consent Documents 
 
Control Apprentice Consent Form  
 
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON 
CONSENT FORM 
 
ADVANCING WOMEN IN THE SHEET METAL WORKERS’ TRADE: A COORDINATED 
MENTORING PROGRAM TO PROMOTE SAFETY, HEALTH, AND WELL-BEING 
Principal Investigator: Marissa Baker, PhD, Department of Environmental & Occupational Health 
Sciences, Phone: 206-616-4709 
Contact Person: Lily Monsey, BA, Department of Environmental & Occupational Health 
Sciences, email: lilymm04@uw.edu 
 
*Please note we cannot guarantee the confidentiality of communication sent via email. 
We are asking you to be in a research study. This form gives you information to help you decide 
whether or not to be in the study. Being in the study is voluntary. Please read this carefully. You 
may ask any questions about the study. Then you can decide whether or not you want to be in 
the study. 
 
KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS STUDY 
We are asking you to be in a research study. Participation in the study is completely voluntary 
and participation will not affect your standing in anyway with the SMART union. The purpose of 
this consent form is to give you the information you will need to help you decide whether or not 
to participate in the study.  
The purpose of this study is to develop a mentorship training program through local unions of 
the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation workers (SMART) and 
evaluate if participation in the mentorship program reduces women’s work stress and injury, 
improves job satisfaction, and helps to retain more women in the SMART trades. You are not 
being asked to participate in the mentorship program, though you are welcome to participate in 
the mentorship program at the completion of the study (2024). 
We are asking you to participate for one year. Upon entry, you will be asked to complete a 
questionnaire, and complete it again after six months and at the end of the year. The 
questionnaire will include questions about health and safety risks you encounter at work, your 
feelings of stress, knowledge of and strategies you use to address work risks or work stress, job 
satisfaction, the degree of social support you are, and perceived safety climate at your job sites.  
The benefit of participation is that you will be informing research that could help to make 
participation in the trades equally attainable, safe, and fulfilling for workers of all genders.  
You may feel uncomfortable sharing your perceptions and thoughts with a research team via the 
questionnaire. Participation is completely voluntary and you are welcome to leave the study at 
any time. All questions on the questionnaire are optional, and you do not have to answer any 
question that you are uncomfortable with. Your standing in the union, and all benefits you 
receive from the union, is in no way dependent on your participation in this study. As a thank 
you for participating, you will receive a $20 electronic gift card for each questionnaire you 
complete.  

13 
 
 
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 
Women make up a very small percentage of workers in the construction trades. In addition to 
the injury risks faced by construction workers, women face additional circumstances at work that 
can make for a hostile work environment, including bullying, harassment, skills under-utilization, 
and challenges with work/life balance. The purpose of this study is to develop a mentorship 
training program through local unions of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, 
and Transportation workers (SMART) and evaluate if participation in the mentorship program 
reduces women’s work stress and injury, improves job satisfaction, and helps to retain more 
women in the SMART trades. 
 
STUDY PROCEDURES 
To participate in this study, you must be a female-identifying, apprentice-level member of a 
SMART local. If you choose to participate, we will ask to follow you for about a year. You will be 
asked to complete a total of three surveys (30 minutes each). The study coordinator will contact 
you every 6 months to have you take the survey through an online, confidential website. 
 
Descriptions of research activities:  
1. Work & Health Experience Questionnaire: Upon entry into the study, and after 6 months and 
12 months, you will be asked to complete a 30-minute work & health experience questionnaire. 
This questionnaire will include questions about health and safety risks you encounter at work, 
your feelings of stress, knowledge of and strategies you use to address work risks or work 
stress, job satisfaction, the degree of social support you are receiving through a mentor, other 
co-workers or friends and family, and perceived safety climate at your job sites. The most 
personal questions will relate to how frequently you experience feelings of anxiety, 
nervousness, or worry. We will also ask about coping mechanisms and health behaviors. . You 
may refuse to answer any question in the questionnaire. 
 
RISKS, STRESS, OR DISCOMFORT 
You may feel uncomfortable sharing your perceptions and thoughts with a research team via the 
questionnaire. The delicate nature of some of the questions may make you feel uncomfortable. 
Participation is completely voluntary and you are welcome to leave the study at any time. All 
questions on the questionnaire are optional, and you do not have to answer any question that 
you are uncomfortable with. Your standing in the union, and all benefits you receive from the 
union, is in no way dependent on your participation in this study.  
 
ALTERNATIVES TO TAKING PART IN THIS STUDY 
If you choose not to participate in this study, but you are interested in mentorship, your SMART 
local may have resources they could point you to.  
 
BENEFITS OF THE STUDY 
You will not receive direct benefit from participating in this study. The indirect benefit of 
participation is that you be informing research that could help to make participation in the trades 
equally attainable, safe, and fulfilling for workers of all genders. 
 
SOURCE OF FUNDING 
The study team and/or the University of Washington is receiving financial support from the 
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) through their Center for 
Construction Research and Training.  

14 
 
 
CONFIDENTIALITY OF RESEARCH INFORMATION 
We have a Certificate of Confidentiality from the federal Center for Disease Control. This helps 
us protect your privacy. The Certificate means that we do not have to give out information, 
documents, or samples that could identify you even if we are asked to by a court of law. We will 
use the Certificate to resist any demands for identifying information. 
We can’t use the Certificate to withhold your research information if you give your written 
consent to give it to an insurer, employer, or other person. Also, you or a member of your family 
can share information about yourself or your part in this research if you wish. 
 
There are some limits to this protection. We will voluntarily provide the information to: 
- a member of the federal government who needs it in order to audit or evaluate the research; 
- individuals at the institution conducting the research, the funding agency, and other groups 
involved in the research, if they need the information to make sure the research is being done 
correctly; 
- the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), if required by the FDA; 
- individuals who want to conduct secondary research if allowed by federal regulations and 
according to your consent for future research use as described in this form; 
- appropriate authorities if we learn of child abuse, elder abuse, or the intent to harm yourself or 
others. 
The Certificate expires when the CDC funding for this study ends. Currently this is August 31, 
2024. Any data collected after expiration is not protected as described above. Data collected 
prior to expiration will continue to be protected. 
 
Upon entry into the study, you will be assigned a unique study ID. All the questionnaire data we 
collect from you will be coded with your study ID and stored on a password protected computer 
database. Your name and contact information will be stored separately from your questionnaire 
data, and only UW study staff will be able to access your identifiable information. The link 
between your identifiable information and Study ID will be destroyed at the conclusion of the 
study. 
 
Government or university staff sometimes review studies such as this one to make sure they are 
being done safely and legally. If a review of this study takes place, your records may be 
examined. The reviewers will protect your privacy. The study records will not be used to put you 
at legal risk of harm. 
A description of this clinical trial will be available on http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, as required by 
U.S. Law. This Web site will not include information that can identify you. At most, the Web site 
will include a summary of the results. You can search this Web site at any time.  
 

15 
 
 
USE OF INFORMATION  
The individual or local-level results of this study will not be returned to you. Information from this 
study will be available to the research community and SMART International after we summarize 
the data from all subjects. You will not be identified in any of these reports.  
The information that we obtain from you for this study might be used for future studies. We 
would remove anything that might identify you from the information. If de-identified information is 
used for future research studies or given to another investigator, we would do so without getting 
additional permission from you. It is also possible that in the future we may want to use or share 
study information that might identify you. If we do, a review board will decide whether or not we 
need to get additional permission from you.  
Data we collect could be made available for other researchers. However, data would never be 
shared with identifying information and the purpose for sharing data would be to use it to 
enhance or compare to other research studies investigating mentorship or women’s 
experiences at work. 
 
OTHER INFORMATION 
You may refuse to participate and you are free to withdraw from this study at any time without 
penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. 
You will not be charged for any study related procedures. 
You will receive a $20 electronic gift card for each survey you complete, as a thank you for your 
participation. You will receive this gift card within a week of completing the survey.  
If you have any questions about this research study at any time, please contact the person 
listed on the first page of this form. You may ask questions at any time during your participation 
in the study.  
 
RESEARCH-RELATED INJURY 
If you think you have been harmed from being in this research, contact the study coordinator 
Lily Monsey at 206-221-2125. 
 
Subject’s statement 
This study has been explained to me. I volunteer to take part in this research. I have had a 
chance to ask questions. If I have questions later about the research, or if I have been harmed 
by participating in this study, I can contact one of the researchers listed on the first page of this 
consent form. If I have questions about my rights as a research subject, I can call the Human 
Subjects Division at (206) 543-0098 or call collect at (206) 221-5940. I will receive a copy of this 
consent form. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

16 
 
Mentee Consent Form 
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON 
CONSENT FORM 
 
ADVANCING WOMEN IN THE SHEET METAL WORKERS' TRADE: A COORDINATED 
MENTORING PROGRAM TO PROMOTE SAFETY, HEALTH, AND WELL-BEING 
Principal Investigator: Marissa Baker, PhD Department of Environmental & Occupational Health 
Sciences, Phone: 206-616-4709 
Contact Person: Lily Monsey, BA, Department of Environmental & Occupational Health 
Sciences, email: lilymm04@uw.edu 
 
*Please note we cannot guarantee the confidentiality of communication sent via email. 
We are asking you to be in a research study. This form gives you information to help you decide 
whether or not to be in the study. Being in the study is voluntary. Please read this carefully. You 
may ask any questions about the study. Then you can decide whether or not you want to be in 
the study. 
KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS STUDY 
We are asking you to be in a research study. Participation in the study is completely voluntary 
and participation will not affect your standing in anyway with the SMART union. The purpose of 
this consent form is to give you the information you will need to help you decide whether or not 
to participate in the study. 
The purpose of this study is to develop a mentorship training program through local unions of 
the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation workers (SMART) and 
evaluate if participation in the mentorship program reduces women’s work stress and injury, 
improves job satisfaction, and helps to retain more women in the SMART trades. 
We are asking you to participate for one year. Upon entry, you will be matched with a trained 
journey-level mentor and be asked to complete a questionnaire. Over the next year, you will 
meet with or talk to your mentor as needed, and complete the questionnaire again after six 
months and once more the end of the year. The questionnaire will include questions about 
health and safety risks you encounter at work, your feelings of stress, knowledge of and 
strategies you use to address work risks or work stress, job satisfaction, the degree of social 
support you are receiving through your mentor and other co-workers, and perceived safety 
climate at your job sites. 
The direct benefit of participation is that you will have access to a trained SMART mentor who 
can help you navigate the challenges of being a woman in construction. Going forward, our 
research can help to make participation in the trades equally attainable, safe, and fulfilling for 
workers of all genders. 
You may feel uncomfortable being asked to interact with a mentor you don’t know very well, and 
share your perceptions and thoughts with a research team via the questionnaire. Participation is 
completely voluntary and you are welcome to leave the study at any time. All questions on the 
questionnaire are optional, and you do not have to answer any question that you are 
uncomfortable with. Your standing in the union, and all benefits you receive from the union, is in 

17 
 
no way dependent on your participation in this study. As a thank you for participating, you will 
receive a $20 electronic gift card for each questionnaire you complete. 
  
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 
Women make up a very small percentage of workers in the construction trades. In addition to 
the injury risks faced by construction workers, women face additional circumstances at work that 
can make for a hostile work environment, including bullying, harassment, skills under-utilization, 
and challenges with work/life balance. The purpose of this study is to develop a mentorship 
training program through local unions of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, 
and Transportation workers (SMART) and evaluate if participation in the mentorship program 
reduces women’s work stress and injury, improves job satisfaction, and helps to retain more 
women in the SMART trades. This is clinical trial, which means some participants in our study 
will have a mentor and some will not. You will be assigned a mentor. 
  
STUDY PROCEDURES 
To participate as a mentee in this study, you must be a female-identifying, apprentice-level 
member of a SMART local. If you choose to participate, we will ask to follow you for one year. 
You will be asked to complete a total of three questionnaires (30 minutes each). You will be 
matched with a trained mentor, and be encouraged to meet with or talk to your journey-level 
mentor as needed throughout the one-year period. 
Descriptions of research activities for enrolled mentees: 
1. Mentorship Program: Your local and the UW research team will facilitate matching you with 
a trained mentor. You will be encouraged to meet with your mentor as needed for one year. You 
are free to decline any mentor you have been matched with, or to request a different mentor at 
any point throughout the study. You are also free to opt out of the mentorship program at any 
point throughout the study. 
2. Work & Health Experience Questionnaire: Upon entry into the study, you will be asked to 
complete a 30-minute work & health experience questionnaire, and you will be asked to take it 
againafter six months, and at the end of the year. This questionnaire will include questions 
about health and safety risks you encounter at work, your feelings of stress, knowledge of and 
strategies you use to address work risks or work stress, job satisfaction, the degree of social 
support you are receiving through a mentor, other co-workers or friends and family, and 
perceived safety climate at your job sites. The most personal questions will relate to how 
frequently you experience feelings of anxiety, nervousness, or worry. We will also ask about 
coping mechanisms and health behaviors.. You may refuse to answer any question in the 
questionnaire. 
  
RISKS, STRESS, OR DISCOMFORT 

18 
 
You may feel uncomfortable being asked to interact with a mentor you don’t know very well and 
share your perceptions and thoughts with a research team via the questionnaire. The delicate 
nature of some of the questionnaire questions may make you feel uncomfortable. Participation 
is completely voluntary and you are welcome to leave the study at any time, decline your mentor 
pairing, or ask for a new mentor. All questions on the questionnaire are optional, and you do not 
have to answer any question that you are uncomfortable with. Your standing in the union, and 
all benefits you receive from the union, is in no way dependent on your participation in this 
study. 
  
ALTERNATIVES TO TAKING PART IN THIS STUDY 
If you choose not to participate in this study, but are still interested in mentorship, your SMART 
local may have resources they could point you to. 
  
BENEFITS OF THE STUDY 
The direct benefit of participation is that you will have access to a trained SMART mentor who 
can help you navigate the challenges of being a woman in construction. Going forward, our 
research can help to make participation in the trades equally attainable, safe, and fulfilling for 
workers of all genders. 
  
SOURCE OF FUNDING 
The study team and/or the University of Washington is receiving financial support from the 
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) through their Center for 
Construction Research and Training. 
  
CONFIDENTIALITY OF RESEARCH INFORMATION 
We have a Certificate of Confidentiality from the federal Center for Disease Control. This helps 
us protect your privacy. The Certificate means that we do not have to give out information, 
documents, or samples that could identify you even if we are asked to by a court of law. We will 
use the Certificate to resist any demands for identifying information. 
We can’t use the Certificate to withhold your research information if you give your written 
consent to give it to an insurer, employer, or other person. Also, you or a member of your family 
can share information about yourself or your part in this research if you wish. 
There are some limits to this protection. We will voluntarily provide the information to: 
- a member of the federal government who needs it in order to audit or evaluate the research; 

19 
 
- individuals at the institution conducting the research, the funding agency, and other groups 
involved in the research, if they need the information to make sure the research is being done 
correctly; 
- the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), if required by the FDA; 
- individuals who want to conduct secondary research if allowed by federal regulations and 
according to your consent for future research use as described in this form; 
- appropriate authorities if we learn of child abuse, elder abuse, or the intent to harm yourself or 
others. 
- The Certificate expires when the CDC funding for this study ends. Currently this is August 31, 
2024. Any data collected after expiration is not protected as described above. Data collected 
prior to expiration will continue to be protected. 
- Upon entry into the study, you will be assigned a unique study ID. All the questionnaire data 
we collect from you will be coded with your study ID and stored on a password protected 
computer database. Your name and contact information will be stored separately from your 
questionnaire data, and only UW study staff will be able to access your identifiable information. 
The link between your identifiable information and Study ID will be destroyed at the conclusion 
of the study. 
- Government or university staff sometimes review studies such as this one to make sure they 
are being done safely and legally.  If a review of this study takes place, your records may be 
examined.  The reviewers will protect your privacy.  The study records will not be used to put 
you at legal risk of harm. 
- A description of this clinical trial will be available on http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, as required by 
U.S. Law.  This Web site will not include information that can identify you. At most, the Web site 
will include a summary of the results. You can search this Web site at any time. 
  
USE OF INFORMATION  
The individual or local-level results of this study will not be returned to you. Information from this 
study will be available to the research community and SMART International after we summarize 
the data from all subjects. You will not be identified in any of these reports. 
The information that we obtain from you for this study might be used for future studies. We 
would remove anything that might identify you from the information. If de-identified information is 
used for future research studies or given to another investigator, we would do so without getting 
additional permission from you. It is also possible that in the future we may want to use or share 
study information that might identify you. If we do, a review board will decide whether or not we 
need to get additional permission from you. 
Data we collect could be made available for other researchers. However, data would never be 
shared with identifying information and the purpose for sharing data would be to use it to 

20 
 
enhance or compare to other research studies investigating mentorship or the experiences 
women face at work. 
  
OTHER INFORMATION 
You may refuse to participate and you are free to withdraw from this study at any time without 
penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. 
You will not be charged for any study related procedures. 
You will receive a $20 electronic gift card for each questionnaire you complete, as a thank you 
for your participation. You will receive this gif card within a week of completing the 
questionnaire. 
If you have any questions about this research study at any time, please contact the person 
listed on the first page of this form. You may ask questions at any time during your participation 
in the study. 
  
RESEARCH-RELATED INJURY 
If you think you have been harmed from being in this research, contact the study coordinator 
Lily Monsey at 206-221-2125.  
Subject’s statement 
This study has been explained to me.  I volunteer to take part in this research.  I have had a 
chance to ask questions.  If I have questions later about the research, or if I have been harmed 
by participating in this study, I can contact one of the researchers listed on the first page of this 
consent form.  If I have questions about my rights as a research subject, I can call the Human 
Subjects Division at (206) 543-0098 or call collect at (206) 221-5940.  I will receive a copy of 
this consent form. 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

21