Women in Danger: Female Workers in Male-Dominated Industries
Read the complete report from demayolaw.com HERE
DeMayo Law Offices has released an analysis identifying the industries that pose the greatest risks to women’s safety in the workplace. The findings reveal alarming patterns of harassment, discrimination, and inadequate safety measures in male-dominated fields such as manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, and construction, among others.
Below we have outlined key findings from our report ‘Women in High-Risk Industries: Addressing Safety and Gender-Based Challenges’
Manufacturing (29.3% women)
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Harassment:
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Only 21% of manufacturing workers are women, yet they file 32% of harassment claims (EEOC, 2021).
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Reporting Gap: Only 30% of harassment incidents in male-dominated fields are reported due to fear of retaliation (Harvard Business Review, 2022).
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Agriculture (28.7% women)
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Fatalities:
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While the overall fatality rate is 18.6 per 100k workers, women face unique risks: 40% of female farmworkers report sexual harassment, and pesticide exposure disproportionately impacts Latina farmworkers (National Agricultural Workers Survey, 2020).
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Childcare Risks: Women balancing fieldwork and childcare are 2x more likely to suffer injuries involving machinery (CDC/NIOSH).
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Transportation/Trucking (21.4% women)
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Isolation & Harassment:
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A 2023 Women In Trucking Association survey found 53% of female drivers experienced verbal harassment, and 12% faced physical assault (WIT).
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Safety Solutions: Companies with gender-neutral restrooms and GPS panic buttons report 35% fewer harassment incidents (American Trucking Association, 2022).
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Construction (5.1% women)
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PPE & Injuries:
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80% of women report ill-fitting PPE (e.g., gloves, harnesses), increasing fall and laceration risks (CPWR, 2021).
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Fatalities: Women account for 2% of construction deaths but face higher rates of fatal falls (17% vs. 11% for men) (OSHA, 2023).
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Teaching
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Threats & Violence:
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U.S. Context: 29% of K-12 teachers (disproportionately women) report threats or physical violence from students (National Center for Education Statistics, 2022).
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Mental Health: 67% of female educators report burnout linked to unsafe environments (RAND Corporation, 2023).
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Healthcare
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Workplace Violence:
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Post-COVID Spike: Nonfatal violence injuries rose 63% in healthcare from 2019–2022; nurses are 5x more likely to be assaulted than other workers (BLS, 2023).
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Underreporting: 50% of assaults go unreported due to normalization of violence as “part of the job” (Journal of Emergency Nursing, 2021).
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Social Work
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Assaults:
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Recent Data: 1 in 4 social workers experienced physical violence in 2022, with LGBTQ+ workers facing compounded risks (NASW, 2023).
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Policy Gaps: Only 15% of agencies provide trauma training for field workers (CSWE, 2022).
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Cross-Sector Insights
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Intersectionality: Women of color and LGBTQ+ women face 2–3x higher rates of harassment and violence across all industries (EEOC, 2023).
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Economic Impact: Workplace violence costs employers $20B annually in turnover and legal fees (National Safety Council, 2023).
“Many industries still fail to provide safety measures tailored to women, whether it’s properly fitting PPE or enforcing anti-harassment policies,” said a spokesperson for DeMayo Law Offices. “Our analysis found that women often face both physical and emotional risks in these fields, making the need for workplace reforms more urgent than ever.”
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
