Securing the Health and Safety of Women Workers and Workers with Disabilities

By Mary Cornish and Michelle Dagnino

The protection of employees against sickness, disease and injury is one of the fundamental objectives of trade unions and professional organizations around the world. In securing that protection, it is essential that occupational health and safety measures address the specific needs and interests of employees who experience systemic discrimination by reasons of their sex, race, disability, ethnic origin or other similar factors. Occupational health and safety laws, policy and collective bargaining provisions must take into account that such employees face multiple and intersecting layers of disadvantage which contribute to their occupational health and safety risks. These include social, physical, psychological and emotional factors and include lack of time, the frequent precariousness of their work and their systemically lower wages. As a result, such vulnerable groups have complex needs and risk factors which must be addressed through:

a. a systemic analysis;

b. a mapping approach based on collecting accurate data and research concerning the work women, employees with disabilities or other similarly disadvantaged workers do in the workplace and the occupational risks associated with that work;

c. developing an integrated enforcement strategy includes pro-active measures and prevention as well as litigation where necessary.

For example, research shows that

a. jobs held by women are more likely than those held by men to lead to occupational disease (as opposed to occupational accidents);

b. claims by female workers for musculoskeletal disorders are substantially less likely to be accepted than those of male workers;

c. women have specific health issues including violence and sexual and psychological harassment, stress related to balancing work and family, musculoskeletal disorders arising from repetitive tasks, adapting to work equipment based on the male worker and discrimination in relation to their access to compensation. See research of Katherine Lippel, Karen Messing and others at UQAM, Montreal, http://www.invisiblequifaitmal.uqam.ca/.

A. Women Focused Health and Safety Requirements

An excellent example of the difference resulting from a focused attention to women and gender equality are the Calvert Women’s Principles. In June, 2004, Calvert, in partnership with the United Nations Global Fund for Women (UNIFEM), launched these Principles which were the first global code of corporate conduct focused exclusively on empowering, advancing, and investing in women worldwide. These Principles which also cover areas such employment and income, and education, training and professional development have the following specific “Health Safety and Violence” clause which could be included in a collective agreement (separate provisions could also be adapted for employees with disabilities).

“Corporations will promote and strive to attain gender equality by adopting and implementing policies to secure the health and safety and well being of women workers. In this regard, companies agree to take all reasonable steps to:

a. Ensure that women's health and safety, including reproductive health, are protected in the workplace.
b. Prohibit and prevent all forms of violence in the workplace, including physical, sexual or verbal harassment, and have well-publicized procedures for reporting and responding to the same.
c. Ensure the safety of female employees and vendors in the workplace, in travel to and from the workplace and on company-related business.
d. Strive to eliminate unsafe working conditions and provide protection from exposure to hazardous or toxic chemicals in the workplace, particularly when those substances have known or suspected adverse effects on the health of women and children. In addition to these steps, provide full disclosure of possible hazards, and obtain prior informed consent from women who may be exposed to such substances in the workplace.
e. Prohibit discrimination against women with health problems, including individuals with AIDS/HIV positive status.
f. Allow time off from work for women employees seeking medical care or treatment, including family planning, counseling and reproductive health care.
g. Provide and make readily accessible information on domestic violence with information about available local resources.
h. Provide and make readily accessible information on reproductive health care with information about available local resources.

For the full text of these principles see: http://www.calvert.com/womensPrinciples.html

Mary Cornish was asked by the ILO to make a presentation to its April 17, 2007 International Workshop in Toronto on “Better Health and Safety for Suppliers”. Her presentation “Securing Health and Safety for Vulnerable Workers: A Focus on Women Workers and Workers with Disabilities in the Supply Chain”, prepared with the assistance of Michelle Dagnino, is available by clicking here. This presentation cites major reference works on occupational health and safety for women and workers with disabilities.