WORKING SAFELY
IN RADIOGRAPHY
The American Society for Nondestructive Testing
SECOND EDITION
7/18/25 2:55 PM
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Working Safely in Radiography,
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LEADERSHIP
|
SCOPE
CONFRONTING WORKPLACE
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN:
HONORING AMBER CZECH
AND PROTECTING THE
FUTURE OF OUR WORKFORCE
Workplace safety in nondestructive testing (NDT) is often discussed
in terms of equipment, processes, and technical compliance. Yet the
recent murder of 20-year-old welder Amber Czech in Minnesota forces
our community to confront a deeper truth: safety is not only a technical
concern—it is a human one. And when violence enters the workplace—
particularly violence targeting women—it becomes a workforce threat.
On 11 November 2025, Czech was killed by a coworker at her work-
station in Cokato, Minnesota. The suspect reportedly told police he had
“planned” the attack and “didn’t like her” [1]. Czech had completed her
welding training less than a year earlier. Her entry into the trades placed
her among the roughly 6% of welders in the United States who are women
[2]. In many skilled environments—including those closely linked to NDT—
women frequently work alone, in male-dominated settings, or without
adequate reporting pathways. These conditions heighten vulnerability,
suppress reporting, and increase the risk of escalation.
Czech’s death is not only a tragedy of personal loss it is a warning for every
technical field relying on a shrinking and aging workforce. We cannot grow the
profession while failing to protect those we most need to attract and retain.
THE DATA IS UNMISTAKABLE
Workplace violence—ranging from threats to physical assault—remains
widespread across industries:
Ñ The US recorded 57 610 nonfatal workplace violence cases in
2021–22 [3].
Ñ Women accounted for 72.5% of these victims [3].
Ñ Women experienced workplace violence at more than three times
the rate of men (5.0 vs. 1.4 cases per 10 000 workers) [3].
Ñ Between 2015–2019, the nation saw 1.3 million workplace
violence victimizations annually [4].
Ñ In 2020 alone, there were 392 workplace homicides [5].
These are not merely public safety statistics. For NDT, construction,
welding, and other inspection-related trades, they represent a pipeline crisis.
A profession already facing shortages in Level II and Level III technicians
cannot afford environments that deter women or discourage new entrants.
IMPLICATIONS FOR NDT’S FUTURE
The NDT profession faces several converging challenges:
Ñ A rapidly aging workforce
Ñ Ongoing retirements in senior certification levels
Ñ Growing industry demand for inspection professionals
Ñ Persistent underrepresentation of women in technical roles
NEAL J. COUTURE,
FASAE, CAE
ASNT CEO
NCOUTURE@ASNT.ORG
Amber Czech’s
death is a tragedy.
Ignoring its
lessons would
be an even
greater one.
J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 6 • M AT E R I A L S E V A L U AT I O N 69