A new Commission report Gender issues in safety and health - A review examines gender differences in workplace injury and illness, gaps in knowledge and the implications for improving risk prevention.
The report by the EU Agency for Safety and Health at Work shows how the design of work, its organisation and equipment are often based on the model of the ’average’ man, although the principle of matching work to workers is enshrined in EU legislation.
In general it can be said that women suffer more from work related stress, infectious diseases, upper limb disorders, skin diseases as well asthma and allergies, while men suffer more from accidents, back pain and hearing loss.
Recommendations from the report include the promotion and facilitation of a gender-sensitive approach in research, policy and prevention practices to help ensure effective prevention and avoid gender bias in occupational safety and health (OSH).
Coinciding with the release of the report, the Agency has also launched a web feature on gender and occupational safety and health, providing links to a wide variety of resources from sources worldwide.
