Women workers: the social construction of a special population

Abstract

This paper presents data on the employment characteristics of women workers in the United States, together with a discussion of the biases that exist in current employment recording systems. These biases lead to an undercounting of women workers and an underestimation of risks related to both domestic and paid employment. The paper delves into the inappropriateness of considering women workers as a "special" category of workers. Also covered are the occupational health and safety hazards that women face on the job, with associated morbidity and mortality, and the relationships between women's work and women's health. This analysis presents ideas about research and policy needs in the area of women's occupational health.