The increase in the number of women, in factory employment has led to investigating the relationship between women’s health and work-related hazards.
Traditionally, research on occupational hazards has been centered on areas of employment having a predominantly male labour force. However, there are a number of industries known to use a high percentage of women workers. These include- textiles, brewery, cosmetics, and beverage e.t.c. The majority of women exposed to hazards in these industries are employed on the production line where they are exposed to physical, chemical and biological risks. In addition, current medical views, linking stress to physical and mental illness, suggest that occupational stress potentially affects health. Large numbers of women work in stressful wok settings. Nevertheless, most basic to the control of any hazard is the concept that it can be controlled. Ways of controlling or preventing any form of industrial or occupational hazard amongst others include: elimination or diminution of risk by substitution of non-hazardous or less hazardous processes, substances or equipment for the hazardous ones; segregation of a process to reduce the number of people exposed; personal protection including correctly fitting protective clothing and equipment, barrier creams, immunization and personal hygiene; maintaining an efficient and effective safety department based on and dedicated to the principles of “Total loss control”.