Abstract
It would be pertinent to describe the present-day workplace as gender diverse, due to the increasing number of women who are entering, re-entering or remaining in organisations for longer periods of employment, than in previous generations. However, this diversity could at times be ignored in how the different genders are treated in respect of their occupational safety and health (OSH) practices and procedures. Despite the increase in women in the workplace, the ‘norm’ in terms of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and respiratory protective equipment (RPE), for example, focuses still on meeting the average specifications for men, and in particular, white men. This singular purpose extends also to the impact of carcinogens, chemicals, and biological agents on women. Generally, there is an inert acceptance that women are not exposed to the same extent as men to such substances, as there is a perception that they do not work in ‘dangerous’ jobs. As such, more of the research in these areas concentrate on how these substances impact on men. The findings of these studies are extrapolated then to addressing women’s exposure levels, which may not necessarily be the best intervention. The ‘gender neutral’ approach to OSH remains in place. This chapter outlines various good practice examples of gender-sensitive interventions in the workplace. These interventions are drawn from a variety of OSH areas and cover international contexts. The discussion of these include those key lessons to emerge when these interventions have been implemented and will conclude by outlining any observable best practice principles.
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Gervais, R.L. (2021). Gender-Sensitive Interventions in the Workplace: Examples from Practice. In: Hassard, J., Torres, L.D. (eds) Aligning Perspectives in Gender Mainstreaming. Aligning Perspectives on Health, Safety and Well-Being. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53269-7_7
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