Women and Workplace Hazards

One in four women says her workplace poses a health risk, and 8% have left jobs because they were worried about such risks, according to a recent survey. The Women’s Health in the Workplace Survey, which involved 1,000 working women, was developed by the Teresa and H. John Heinz III Foundation in Pittsburgh and conducted by the Washington-based research firm Lake Sosin Snell Perry & Associates. Among other conclusions, 31% of working women said their workplace posed a health threat at some point during their careers; 18% said they have been injured at work; and 11% reported workplace-related illnesses or chronic health problems. Of the women who see health risks at work, 28% expressed worries about hazardous materials and 24% reported concern about a sudden injury. Twenty-one percent said they were exposed to chemicals at work; 51% said they received no information about workplace hazards from their employer. “There hasn’t been enough research conducted on the risks that women face in the workplace,” said Teresa Heinz, chairman of the foundation.