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MODULE 7: PSYCHOSOCIAL ISSUES AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS IN OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SECTION 6: GENDER ISSUES IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY - Introduction |
This lecture will explore aspects of occupational health and safety from a gender perspective and attempts to make more visible the nature of women’s work, the lack of adequate health and safety training, the lack of occupational health services, and the enabling role of participatory forms of research. There is reference to the impact of societal norms which have an adverse effect on women’s work and why women are considered to be more vulnerable as workers. The lecture refers to aspects of men’s occupational health and safety, what the risks are and emphasises the central importance of making workplaces safe and healthy for women and men rather than having selective exclusionary policies for women during the child bearing years or during pregnancy. There is specific reference to gender aspects of work in the agricultural sector and the impact of HIV/AIDS on work in this sector.
There are differences in the working lives of women and men and these impacts on their occupational health and safety. International organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as well as Agencies such as the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (the Agency) have made concerted efforts to integrate gender into occupational health and safety activities. In support of this objective, the Agency has produced a report examining gender differences in workplace injury and illness, gaps in knowledge and the implications for improving risk prevention. 1
Key conclusions of the report:
Continuous efforts are needed to improve the working conditions of both women and men.
Tables 1 and 2 provide important information with regards to gender differences in risks and health outcomes as well as the hazards and risks found in female dominated work.
Hazard/health outcome | More exposure/greater incidence | Comments |
---|---|---|
Accidents | Men | Men have a higher rate, even after adjustments are made for fewer hours worked by women |
Upper limb disorder | Women | High incidences are found in some highly repetitive work carried out by such as "light" assembly-line work and data-entry work, where they have little control over the way they work. |
Heavy lifting | Men | But, for example, women in cleaning and catering and care work suffer injuries from heavy lifting and carrying |
Stress | Women | Both report high rates, but stressors particular to ‘women’s work include sexual harassment, discrimination, low status jobs with little control, emotionally demanding work and double burden of paid work and unpaid work in the home |
Violence from the public | Women | Women workers have more contact with members of the public |
Noise/hearing loss | Men | Women in textile and food production can be highly exposed, for example |
Occupational cancer | Men | Women have higher rates in certain manufacturing industries, for example |
Asthma and allergies | Women | For example, from cleaning agents, sterilizing agents and dust in protective latex gloves used in healthcare and dusts in textile and clothing manufacture |
Skin diseases | Women | For example, due to working with wet hands in jobs such as catering, or from skin contact with cleaning agents or hairdressing chemicals |
Infectious diseases | Women | For example, in healthcare or work with children |
Inappropriate work and protective equipment | Women | Many work clothes and equipment have been designed for the "average man", causing problems for many women and "non-average" men |
Reproductive health | Both | Neglected areas include fertility, menstrual disorder, menopause and male reproductive health |
Inappropriate work hours | Both | Men are more likely to work very long paid hours, women do more unpaid work in the home. Both want a better work-life balance |
Adapted from Gender issues in safety and health at work - A review. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. 2003. |
Work area | Risk factors and health problems include: | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Biological | Physical | Chemical | Psychosocial | |
Healthcare | Infectious diseases, e.g. blood borne, respiratory, etc | Manual handling and strenuous postures; ionizing radiation | Cleaning, sterilizing and disinfecting agents; drugs; anaesthetic gases | ‘Emotionally demanding work; shift and night work; violence from clients and the public |
Nursery workers | Infectious diseases, e.g. particularly respiratory | Manual handling, strenuous postures | "Emotional work" | |
Cleaning | Infectious diseases, dermatitis | Manual handling, strenuous postures; slips and falls; wet hands | Cleaning agents | Unsocial hours; violence, e.g. if working in isolation or late |
Food production | Infectious diseases, e.g. animal borne and from mould, spores, organic dusts | Repetitive movements, e.g. in parking jobs or slaughterhouse, knife wounds; cold temperatures; noise | Pesticides residues; sterilizing agents; sensitizing spices and additives | Stress associated with repetitive assembly line work |
Catering and restaurant work | Dermatitis | Manual handling; repetitive chopping; cuts from knives and burns; slips and falls; heat; cleaning agents | Passive smoking; cleaning agents | Stress from hectic work, dealing with the public, violence and harassment |
Textiles and clothing | Organic dusts | Noise; repetitive movements and awkward postures; needle injuries | Dyes and other chemicals, including formaldehyde in permanent presses and stain removal solvents; dust | Stress associated with repetitive assembly line work |
Laundries | Infected linen, e.g. in hospitals | Manual handling and strenuous postures; heat | Dry cleaning solvents | Stress associated with repetitive fast pace work |
Ceramics sector | Repetitive movements; manual handling | Glazes, lead, silica dust | Stress associated with repetitive assembly line work | |
"Light" manufacturing | Repetitive movements, e.g. in assembly work; awkward postures; manual handling | Chemicals in microelectronics | Stress associated with repetitive assembly line work | |
Call centres | Voice problems associated with talking; awkward postures; excessive sitting | Poor indoor air quality | Stress associated with dealing with clients, pace of work and repetitive work | |
Education | Infectious diseases, e.g. respiratory, measles | Prolonged standing; voice problems | Poor indoor air quality | "Emotionally demanding work", violence |
Hairdressing | Strenuous postures, repetitive movements, prolonged standing; wet hands; cuts | Chemical sprays, dyes, etc | Stress associated with dealing with clients; fast paced work | |
Clerical work | Repetitive movements, awkward postures, back pain from sitting | Poor indoor air quality; photocopier fumes | Stress, e.g. associated with lack of control over work, frequent interruptions, monotonous work | |
Agriculture | Infectious diseases, e.g. animal borne and from mould, spores, organic dusts | Manual handling, strenuous postures; unsuitable work equipment and protective clothing; hot, cold, wet conditions | Pesticides | Stress associated with temporary or seasonal work; job insecurity; low wages |
Adapted from: Adapting to change in work and society: A new community strategy on health and safety at work, 2002-2006. Communication from the European Commission, COM (2002) 118 final |