Each woman entering NDT is essential to long-term
workforce stability. Unsafe or hostile workplaces—whether
perceived or real—become powerful deterrents. If talented
women leave the field because they do not feel safe, or if
fewer women choose to enter in the first place, the implica-
tions for staffing, quality, and growth are profound.
The question for our profession is not whether workplace
violence affects us—it is whether we will respond with the
seriousness the issue demands.
WHAT ORGANIZATIONS MUST DO,
WITH WORKFORCE IMPACT IN MIND
To protect the future of our workforce and uphold the
ethical foundation of NDT practice, organizations should
adopt a proactive, preventive approach:
Ñ Treat workplace violence as a critical safety
and workforce risk. Prevention belongs in safety
manuals, onboarding, and risk assessments—not only
in HR procedures.
Ñ Strengthen reporting systems and early interven-
tion pathways. Technicians must trust that concerns
will be addressed promptly and without retaliation.
Ñ Anticipate and mitigate lone-worker
and isolated-work risks. NDT frequently involves
remote, night, or solitary assignments these require
targeted safeguards.
Ñ Cultivate respectful, inclusive safety cultures.
Culture is not a “soft” factor. It is a retention strategy
and a predictor of safety outcomes.
Ñ Recognize that protecting workers protects
technical integrity. Environments that compromise
personal safety also compromise sound judgment,
communication, and performance.
HOW ASNT WILL LEAD
As the global leader in NDT, ASNT has a responsibility
to raise awareness of this issue across the profession.
Upcoming initiatives include:
Ñ Developing NDT-specific workplace violence
prevention guidance, with an emphasis on field-
work, multi-employer worksites, and contractor
environments.
Ñ Integrating violence-prevention and harassment
mitigation into ASNT training and certification.
Ñ Gathering data on women’s experiences in NDT,
including barriers to reporting and retention.
Ñ Providing model policies and expectations for
employers, contractors, and host facilities.
Ñ Partnering with organizations advocating for
women in the trades, amplifying expertise and
shared solutions.
Safety, respect, and dignity are not separate from tech-
nical competence. They are prerequisites for it.
Czech’s death reminds us that violence is not an abstract
concept. It reaches real people in real workplaces. For NDT
professionals, supervisors, and organizational leaders, the
moral and professional question is clear:
How many talented workers—especially women—have we
already lost because they did not feel safe? How many more
will we lose if nothing changes?
Violence against women in technical professions is a
human tragedy and an ethical breach. It is also a direct
threat to workforce sustainability, talent development, and
the long-term health of the NDT profession.
Amber Czech’s death is a tragedy. Ignoring its lessons
would be an even greater one. We owe it to her—and
to the future of every technical profession—to say:
Enough. Safety, respect, and dignity are
nonnegotiable.
REFERENCES
1. Phillips, Z. Accessed 5 December 2025. “Woman welder’s workplace murder prompts calls for change.”
Construction Dive. https://www.constructiondive.com/news/amber-czech-workplace-murder-call-for-change-women/805963/.
2. Kutz, J. Accessed 5 December 2025. “After Amber Czech, a woman welder, is killed, tradeswomen demand action.”
The 19th News. https://19thnews.org/2025/11/amber-czech-welder-murder-tradeswomen-demand-action/.
3. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workplace Violence, 2021–2022 Fact Sheet.
https://www.bls.gov/iif/factsheets/workplace-violence-2021-2022.htm.
4. US Bureau of Justice Statistics/Bureau of Labor Statistics/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
“Indicators of Workplace Violence, 2019.” https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/indicators-workplace-violence-2019.
5. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Workplace violence: Homicides and nonfatal intentional injuries by another
person in 2020.” TED: The Economics Daily.
https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2022/workplace-violence-homicides-and-nonfatal-intentional-injuries-by-another-person-in-2020.htm.
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workforce stability. Unsafe or hostile workplaces—whether
perceived or real—become powerful deterrents. If talented
women leave the field because they do not feel safe, or if
fewer women choose to enter in the first place, the implica-
tions for staffing, quality, and growth are profound.
The question for our profession is not whether workplace
violence affects us—it is whether we will respond with the
seriousness the issue demands.
WHAT ORGANIZATIONS MUST DO,
WITH WORKFORCE IMPACT IN MIND
To protect the future of our workforce and uphold the
ethical foundation of NDT practice, organizations should
adopt a proactive, preventive approach:
Ñ Treat workplace violence as a critical safety
and workforce risk. Prevention belongs in safety
manuals, onboarding, and risk assessments—not only
in HR procedures.
Ñ Strengthen reporting systems and early interven-
tion pathways. Technicians must trust that concerns
will be addressed promptly and without retaliation.
Ñ Anticipate and mitigate lone-worker
and isolated-work risks. NDT frequently involves
remote, night, or solitary assignments these require
targeted safeguards.
Ñ Cultivate respectful, inclusive safety cultures.
Culture is not a “soft” factor. It is a retention strategy
and a predictor of safety outcomes.
Ñ Recognize that protecting workers protects
technical integrity. Environments that compromise
personal safety also compromise sound judgment,
communication, and performance.
HOW ASNT WILL LEAD
As the global leader in NDT, ASNT has a responsibility
to raise awareness of this issue across the profession.
Upcoming initiatives include:
Ñ Developing NDT-specific workplace violence
prevention guidance, with an emphasis on field-
work, multi-employer worksites, and contractor
environments.
Ñ Integrating violence-prevention and harassment
mitigation into ASNT training and certification.
Ñ Gathering data on women’s experiences in NDT,
including barriers to reporting and retention.
Ñ Providing model policies and expectations for
employers, contractors, and host facilities.
Ñ Partnering with organizations advocating for
women in the trades, amplifying expertise and
shared solutions.
Safety, respect, and dignity are not separate from tech-
nical competence. They are prerequisites for it.
Czech’s death reminds us that violence is not an abstract
concept. It reaches real people in real workplaces. For NDT
professionals, supervisors, and organizational leaders, the
moral and professional question is clear:
How many talented workers—especially women—have we
already lost because they did not feel safe? How many more
will we lose if nothing changes?
Violence against women in technical professions is a
human tragedy and an ethical breach. It is also a direct
threat to workforce sustainability, talent development, and
the long-term health of the NDT profession.
Amber Czech’s death is a tragedy. Ignoring its lessons
would be an even greater one. We owe it to her—and
to the future of every technical profession—to say:
Enough. Safety, respect, and dignity are
nonnegotiable.
REFERENCES
1. Phillips, Z. Accessed 5 December 2025. “Woman welder’s workplace murder prompts calls for change.”
Construction Dive. https://www.constructiondive.com/news/amber-czech-workplace-murder-call-for-change-women/805963/.
2. Kutz, J. Accessed 5 December 2025. “After Amber Czech, a woman welder, is killed, tradeswomen demand action.”
The 19th News. https://19thnews.org/2025/11/amber-czech-welder-murder-tradeswomen-demand-action/.
3. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workplace Violence, 2021–2022 Fact Sheet.
https://www.bls.gov/iif/factsheets/workplace-violence-2021-2022.htm.
4. US Bureau of Justice Statistics/Bureau of Labor Statistics/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
“Indicators of Workplace Violence, 2019.” https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/indicators-workplace-violence-2019.
5. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Workplace violence: Homicides and nonfatal intentional injuries by another
person in 2020.” TED: The Economics Daily.
https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2022/workplace-violence-homicides-and-nonfatal-intentional-injuries-by-another-person-in-2020.htm.
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