Pregnant women say they are regularly exposed to risks at workplace

A majority of pregnant employees in Spain say they are often exposed to hazards in the workplace, according to a study. U.S. employers should note the findings and ensure that pregnant employees are not being put at risk of injury.

Researchers from the Higher Center for Public Health Research in Valencia, Spain, found that 56 percent of pregnant women said they often worked standing up or were required to lift heavy objects. In addition, 63 percent of the study's respondents said they were exposed to workplace stress while 62 percent said they were frequently exposed to some physical risk (noise, high temperatures or humidity, vibrations, radiation and electromagnetic fields) in their workplace.

Researchers found that younger, less educated pregnant women -- particularly those who were self-employed or worked on temporary contracts -- were most likely to report being frequently exposed to workplace risks.

OSHA launches Web page, issues directive to address violence (09/30/11)
Mixed results on latest occupational fatality rates (10/29/12)
Engineering, administrative controls to reduce poultry plant infections (02/25/13)
Study shows increase in number of homicides by intimate partners (06/18/12)
JOEM: Latinos bear disproportionate burden of severe work injuries (11/01/12)

Read more at the WORKERSCOMP Forum^TM homepage.

January 28, 2010

Newsletter Sign-up