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NIOSH Safety and Health Topic:

Women's Safety and Health Issues at Work

Women's Safety and Health Issues at Work

women in the workforce

 

As the only federal agency mandated to conduct research to prevent injuries and illnesses in the workplace, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has an expanding research program to address the occupational safety and health needs of working women. This page contains information on working women, the hazards they may face, and NIOSH research in areas of particular concern to women.

bullett Women currently comprise 46% of the 137 million workers in the United States, with their share of the labor force projected to reach 48% by 2008.
bullett In 1999, 75% (46 million) of employed women worked full-time, while 25% (16 million) worked part-time.
bullett In 1999, 3.7 million women held multiple jobs.
bullett Sixty percent of women age 16 and over were either employed or looking for work in 1999.
bullett Of employed women, 40% held technical, sales, and administrative support positions; 32% worked in managerial and professional specialties; and 17% worked in service occupations in 1999.

NIOSHTIC-2 Search

NIOSHTIC 2 search results on Women's Safety and Health Issues at Work
NIOSHTIC-2 is a searchable bibliographic database of occupational safety and health publications, documents, grant reports, and journal articles supported in whole or in part by NIOSH.

NIOSH Publications

Alternative Keyboards
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-148 (July 1998)
This document provides basic information about common alternative keyboard designs and their effects on work posture.

Control of Exposure to Perchloroethylene in Commercial Drycleaning (Hazard Control 16)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-154 (March 1998)
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Perchloroethylene (PERC) is the most commonly used drycleaning solvent. PERC can enter the body through respiratory and dermal exposure.

Elements of Ergonomics Programs: A Primer Based On Workplace Evaluations of Musculoskeletal Disorders
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-117 (September 1997)
This primer describes the basic elements of a workplace ergonomics program. It provides practical illustrations of ways to identify and evaluate ergonomic hazards and to begin problem-solving efforts.

Guidelines for Protecting the Safety and Health of Health Care Workers
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 88-119 (September 1988)
This document presents guidelines for reducing the incidence of injury and disease among health care workers.

Latex Allergy: A Prevention Guide
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 98-113 (February 1999) (2nd printing)
Latex gloves have proved effective in preventing transmission of many infectious diseases to health care workers. But for some workers, exposures to latex may result in allergic reactions.

Musculoskeletal Disorders and Workplace Factors
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-141 (July 1997)
This document is the most comprehensive compilation to date of the epidemiologic research on the relation between selected musculoskeletal disorders and exposure to physical factors at work.

NIOSH Alert: Preventing Allergic Reactions to Natural Rubber Latex in the Workplace
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-135 (June 1997)
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Workers exposed to latex gloves and other products containing natural rubber latex may develop allergic reactions such as skin rashes; hives; nasal, eye, or sinus symptoms; asthma; and (rarely) shock.

NIOSH Alert: Preventing Homicide in the Workplace
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 93-109 (May 1995)
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From 1980 to 1989, homicide was the third leading cause of death from injury in the workplace.

NIOSH Alert: Preventing Needlestick Injuries in Health Care Settings
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2000-108 (November 1999)
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This Alert provides current scientific information about the risk of needlestick injury and the transmission of bloodborne pathogens to health care workers.

Plain Language about Shiftwork
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-145 (July 1997)
this document in PDF PDF only 585 KB (87 pages)
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The stress of shiftwork also can aggravate health conditions, such as heart disease or digestive disorders.

Providing Safety and Health Protection for a Diverse Construction Workforce: Issues and Ideas
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 99-140 (1999)
As the workforce becomes more diverse, construction industry employers, labor unions, training programs, manufacturers and employees may need to revise traditional practices in order to provide safe, healthy and fair conditions for all.

Stress at Work
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 99-101 (March 1999)
This document highlights knowledge about the causes of stress at work and outlines steps that can be taken to prevent job stress.

The Effects of Workplace Hazards on Female Reproductive Health
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 99-104 (February 1999)
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Some workplace hazards can affect a woman's reproductive health, her ability to become pregnant, or the health of her unborn children.

Violence in the Workplace: Risk Factors and Prevention Strategies (Current Intelligence Bulletin 57)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 96-100 (July 1996)
This CIB reviews what is known about fatal and nonfatal violence in the workplace, defines research gaps, and recommends general approaches to workplace violence prevention.

What Every Worker Should Know—How to Protect Yourself From Needlestick Injuries
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2000-135 (September 2000)
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Health care workers who use or may be exposed to needles are at increased risk of needlestick injury. All workers who are at risk should take steps to protect themselves from this significant health hazard.

Research Areas

CANCER

An estimated 180,000 new cases of breast cancer and 12,000 new cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed in 2000. Workplace exposures to hazardous substances may play a role in the development of these types of cancer. NIOSH is studying several hazardous substances to determine whether there is a link to cancers that affect women, such as cervical and breast cancer.

NIOSH is conducting studies of women exposed to the following hazardous substances:

Perchloroethylene: Studies of working women exposed to perchloroethylene (PERC), the main solvent used in the drycleaning industry, will help evaluate its connection with cervical cancer. An estimated half of drycleaning workers in the United States are women.

HEALTH CARE WORKERS

Ninety-two percent of the 4.3 million nurses and nursing aides in the U.S. are female. In addition to being at risk for incidents of musculoskeletal disorders, workplace violence, and exposure to hazardous substances, health care workers face other hazards including latex allergy and needlestick injuries. NIOSH has established a new initiative to study the health and safety of health care workers.

Needlestick Injuries: Between 600,000-800,000 needlestick injuries occur annually in health care settings, mostly involving nurses. These injuries pose both physical and emotional threats to health care workers, as serious infections from bloodborne pathogens (such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]) may result.

Latex Allergy: Health care workers may have an increased risk for developing latex allergy due to their use of latex gloves. Among health care workers who experience frequent latex exposure, 8-12% develop sensitivity to latex. Latex sensitivity may lead to symptoms of latex allergy, such as skin rashes; hives; nasal, eye, or sinus symptoms; asthma; and (rarely) shock.

JOB STRESS

Stress at work is a growing problem for all workers, including women. In one survey 60% of employed women cited stress as their number one problem at work. Furthermore, levels of stress-related illness are nearly twice as high for women as for men.

Many job conditions contribute to stress among women. Such job conditions include heavy workload demands; little control over work; role ambiguity and conflict; job insecurity; poor relationships with coworkers and supervisors; and work that is narrow, repetitive, and monotonous. Other factors, such as sexual harassment and work and family balance issues, may also be stressors for women in the workplace.

Job stress has been linked with cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, depression, and burnout. NIOSH is conducting studies to identify workplace factors that are particularly stressful to women, and potential prevention measures.

MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS

Sprains and strains, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and other musculoskeletal disorders account for more than half (52%) of the injuries and illnesses suffered by female workers, as compared to 45% for male workers.

Further research is needed to determine the factors that place women at greater risk for musculoskeletal disorders. Research will examine if physical differences between men and women, or differences in the jobs they hold, contribute to this increased risk for women.

NIOSH is conducting research on musculoskeletal disorders among women in the telecommunication, health care, service, and data entry industries.

In a study relating to musculoskeletal disorders, NIOSH worked with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to examine interventions for reducing discomfort among IRS data transcribers-an occupation comprised primarily of female workers. They found that periodic rest breaks throughout the work shift reduced musculoskeletal discomfort, while allowing workers to maintain job performance.

REPRODUCTIVE HAZARDS

Three-quarters of women of reproductive age are in the workforce. Over half of the children born in the United States are born to working mothers. NIOSH conducts both basic research and population-based studies to learn whether women may be at risk for reproductive health hazards related to their work environment.

The following are examples of NIOSH research on reproductive hazards:

bullett NIOSH found no association between video display terminals (VDTs) and miscarriages, low birth-weights in newborns, or pre-term deliveries.
bullett NIOSH is working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to determine if exposure to cosmic ionizing radiation or circadian rhythm disruption increases the risk for adverse reproductive outcomes among female flight attendants.
bullett NIOSH and the University of Cincinnati are assessing the effects of jet fuel exposure on the reproductive health of female Air Force personnel.

VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

Homicide Homicide is the leading cause of injury death for women in the workplace. Homicide accounts for 40% of all workplace death among female workers. Workplace homicides are primarily robbery-related, and often occur in grocery/convenience stores, eating and drinking establishments, and gasoline service stations.

Over 25% of female victims of workplace homicide are assaulted by people they know (coworkers, customers, spouses, or friends). Domestic violence incidents that spill into the workplace account for 16% of female victims of job-related homicides.

Nonfatal Assault Female workers are also at risk for nonfatal violence. Women were the victims in nearly two-thirds of the injuries resulting from workplace assaults. Most of these assaults (70%) were directed at women employed in service occupations, such as health care, while an additional 20% of these incidents occurred in retail locations, such as restaurants and grocery stores.

WOMEN IN NON-TRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT

Women in non-traditional employment may face health and safety risks due to the equipment and clothing provided to them at their workplace. Personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing (PPC) are often designed for average-sized men. The protective function of PPE/PPC (such as respirators, work gloves, and work boots) may be reduced when they do not fit female workers properly.

Women who work in nontraditional employment settings may also face specific types of stressors. For instance, they may be exposed to sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination.

Related NIOSH Topic Pages

Construction Topic Page
Drycleaning Topic Page
Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders Topic Page
Flight Crew Research Program at NIOSH
Health Care Workers Topic Page
National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) Topic Page
Needlesticks (Bloodborne Infectious Diseases) Topic Page
Occupational Cancer Topic Page
Occupational Respiratory Disease Surveillance (ORDS)
Occupational Violence Topic Page
Reproductive Health Topic Page
Skin Exposures and Effects Topic Page
Stress at Work Topic Page
Traumatic Occupational Injury Topic Page

Other Resources

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Labor force statistics from the Current Population Survey.

CDC Cancer Prevention and Control [2000]. The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. [http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/about.htm], 8/21/00.

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics [http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t01.htm]. Employment status of the civilian population by sex and age, June 1998. Date accessed: 8/5/99.

U.S. Department of Labor [http://www.dol.gov/dol/wb/public/wb-pubs/20fact00.htm], 20 Facts on Women Workers, March 2000. Date accessed: 8/14/00.


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This Topic page is based on a NIOSH Fact Sheet, "Women's Health and Safety Issues at Work", Publication No. 2001-123.