International Women’s Day 2025 was observed on Saturday 8th March, with people around the world amplifying the conversation about women’s equality and working to #AccelerateAction.
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) used the global awareness day to reflect on and highlight the challenges that women still face in the field of workplace health and safety.
In a blog post, one of their members, Olivia Barrett TechIOSH, a health and safety consultant and Future leaders community steering group member, explored the key issues surrounding women’s equality in health and safety.
Health and safety equipment not designed with women in mind
One of these key issues is the fact that the personal protective equipment (PPE) used in many workplaces simply doesn’t fit women.
Typically designed with the average male worker in mind, PPE such as helmets, gloves, boots and body armour are often inappropriately sized for women, resulting in both their comfort and safety being compromised.
Barrett highlights the fact that ill-fitting PPE items “can lead to injuries such as strains, sprains and even accidents due to the distraction of discomfort.”
So what’s the answer?
Manufacturers of PPE and the organisations that need to use it must prioritise the development of PPE that accommodates women. This should consider factors such as body shape, weight distribution and size. The health and safety of all workers will be better protected if PPE is available in a diverse range of sizes and designs.
Women face greater risk of workplace manual handling injuries
Next in her blog, Barrett homes in on workplace manual handling tasks.
She explains that women “generally have different physical capabilities due to factors like body composition and strength. This means that tasks designed for male workers can sometimes be too demanding for women, putting them at greater risk of musculoskeletal injuries.”
Safety measures implemented to control the risks from workplace manual handling activities are also often designed with only men in mind.
This means women are placed at greater risk of back, neck and joint injuries, particularly in industries like healthcare, manufacturing and even office work, where women are often tasked with lifting heavy equipment, patients or materials, often “without adequate support or assistance.”
The solution here, Barrett says, is to “assess the physical demands of tasks and adjust accordingly.”
Employers should consider introducing more mechanical assistance, providing ergonomic training and ensuring workspaces are designed with the needs of a diverse workforce in mind.
Gender bias threatens women’s health and safety at work
Another health and safety barrier faced by women in the workplace is the gender bias that is often embedded in training programmes and policies.
Barrett points out that health and safety policies have traditionally “been shaped by the experiences of male-dominated workplaces.”
She says this means that most health and safety training content and protocols “may overlook or underestimate health concerns that are unique to women.”
In practice, this could look like workplace health and safety policies that fail to address reproductive health risks, such as exposure to harmful chemicals or physical strain during pregnancy. Policies may also lack clear guidance for dealing with issues such as menstruation-related discomfort or menopause. Women often experience a lack of support for their specific health concerns.
Workplaces need inclusive health and safety training that is tailored to include the specific needs of female workers.
In addition, health and safety programmes should be designed with gender diversity in mind and companies must cultivate a workplace culture that encourages, and values, open dialogue about health and safety, and where workers can voice specific health concerns and feel that they are supported in all aspects of the job, including health, safety and welfare.
Protecting the mental health and wellbeing of women at work
Highlighting the fact that mental health and wellbeing “are critical components of overall workplace safety,” Barrett also explains that, in many sectors, women face higher rates of harassment.
Harassment, whether sexual harassment or gender-based discrimination and bullying, can lead to an unsafe working environment and result in psychological and physical stress for female workers. Many may experience anxiety, depression or burnout. This, in turn, can impact their ability to focus on the physical safety risks present in their workplace environment.
Women working in male-dominated industries can often feel isolated, unsupported or overlooked. This can also negatively impact their mental health.
For Barrett the solution is clear: employers must implement clear anti-harassment policies and procedures which protect all workers. It is also crucial that they promote “a culture of respect, diversity and inclusion,” to ensure “that women feel safe in the workplace.”
Employers can implement proactive measures to promote positive mental health among all workers. This can include the provision of resources, counselling and employee support programmes.
Women are under-represented in health and safety leadership
Finally, Barrett says a lack of female representation in leadership roles presents a significant barrier to improving workplace health and safety for women.
It is widely acknowledged that women are underrepresented in high-level roles across most industries. This includes roles such as Safety Officers or Health and Safety Managers, and this means that workplace health and safety policies and safety control measures are “often shaped by a limited perspective.”
If those in charge of developing and implementing health and safety policies and protocols are all male, they may overlook issues specific to women’s health and safety.
To overcome this challenge, companies need to “actively encourage and support women in safety and leadership roles.”
Companies should foster an inclusive workplace culture that values diverse contributions, including those of women. They can also promote gender diversity in leadership positions and provide mentoring opportunities to ensure women are well-represented in health and safety leadership and decision-making roles.
This will help businesses to develop “effective safety policies that account for the unique needs of all workers.”
Barrett concludes:
“The challenges women face in health and safety across industries are multi-faceted and deeply ingrained in both the physical and cultural structures of the workplace. However, by recognising these issues and actively working toward more inclusive and adaptive safety protocols, industries can create environments where everyone, regardless of gender, can work safely and effectively.
“[…] Ultimately, a focus on women’s health and safety is not just about protecting one demographic – it’s about ensuring all workers have the opportunity to thrive in their work environments. When safety measures are designed with diversity in mind, everyone benefits.”
Health and safety risks to female workers “traditionally underestimated”
Barrett’s sentiments are echoed by the EU-OSHA, which says there are key differences that affect the occupational safety and health (OSH) risks that men and women face.
They say that, for women, the following factors need to be considered:
- They often work in specific sectors and carry out specific types of work
- They often balance dual responsibilities at work and home
- They are underrepresented at supervisor and management level, meaning their needs may be less understood or attended to
- They may carry out jobs that are often incorrectly assumed to be safe or easy
The EU-OSHA says that these differences as well as workload and stress-related risks to women in the workplace are often not recognised or underestimated in OSH practice.
Indeed, an International Labour Organisation (ILO) report on equality at work (2009) states that “occupational safety and health (OSH) hazards affecting women workers have been traditionally under-estimated because OSH standards and exposure limited to hazardous substances are based on male populations and laboratory tests.”
It also outlined how woman can face more instability in their work and are more present in informal workspaces:
“Women are more likely than men to have low paid jobs and are less likely than men to be supervisors and managers. A significant proportion of women can also be found in the informal economy where they face unsafe and unhealthy working conditions, low or irregular incomes, job insecurity and lack of access to information, markets, finance, training and technology.”
Calling for a “gender-sensitive approach to OSH”, the EU-OSHA says that employers can take the following steps to ensure protection and benefit everyone:
- Aim to make work safer and easier for everyone
- Include gender issues and differences in workplace risk assessments
- Look at the real work done and avoid assumptions about who is at risk and why
- Offer flexibility in working hours
- Involve women in OSH decision-making
Inspire inclusion in the workplace
First Response Training (FRT) is one of the UK’s largest and leading national training providers.
They deliver a wide and diverse range of training for businesses and organisations across all industry sectors and throughout the UK. Their course range includes training in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, mental health, food safety, health and social care and more.
Their training is mapped to current UK standards and legislation and follows relevant industry guidelines, such as those issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Skills for care, the Care Quality Commission and the Resuscitation Council UK.
It includes training awards in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, as well as many more subjects.
Based on a common sense, proportionate approach to workplace safety, training helps learners to understand the true benefits of creating a healthy, safe and inclusive environment at work but also underlines how it must go beyond training to ensure a full organisational approach and culture.
A trainer from FRT explains:
“It’s important bear in mind the work that still needs to be done to ensure an equal world of work. International Women’s Day has served as a reminder for all employers that if the workplace is not fully inclusive – which includes being safe, supportive and enabling for all workers – then you are potentially missing out on diverse talent, ideas, perspectives and experience.
“Protecting the health, safety and welfare of employees goes far beyond minimising risks to their physical safety and really requires a holistic approach to ensure they are properly supported and have a positive and equal experience in the workplace.
“Within our own organisation we ensure fair and transparent pay and reward structures, as well as learning, development and feedback programmes. We have flexible working arrangements in place, with opportunities for all employees.”
For more information on any of the training courses that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or e-mail info@firstresponsetraining.com.