SPECIAL RISKS FACED BY FEMALE EMPLOYEES IN OHS PRACTICES AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES

Abstract

This study aims to identify the specific risks faced by female employees within the scope of occupational health and safety (OHS) practices, to analyze the gender-based causes of these risks, and to develop policy-oriented recommendations. The research was designed using a qualitative method based on document analysis and literature review. Findings reveal that women are exposed to four main categories of risks: physical, chemical-biological, psychosocial, and those specific to reproductive periods. Physical risks are particularly prevalent in sectors such as textile, healthcare, service, and agriculture, while chemical and biological risks arise from exposure to substances like detergents, pesticides, and infectious agents. Psychosocial risks include mobbing, gender discrimination, work–family conflict, and sexual harassment. Inadequate risk assessments during pregnancy and lactation periods pose serious threats to maternal and child health. Although Turkey’s legal framework—particularly Law No. 6331 on Occupational Health and Safety and Law No. 4857 on Labor—includes certain protective provisions for women, gender sensitivity in legislation remains weak. Current regulations largely focus on motherhood rather than comprehensive gender equality. In contrast, international conventions such as ILO Conventions No. 183 and 190 provide a broader guarantee of safe and equitable working conditions for women, though implementation remains limited. The study concludes that the development of gender-sensitive and women-friendly OHS policies is essential. Recommendations include conducting gender-based risk analyses, designing ergonomic workplace arrangements suited to women, ensuring flexible working conditions during pregnancy and lactation, strengthening psychosocial support mechanisms, and implementing anti-harassment policies. Ultimately, the OHS system should transition from a “protection-oriented” to a “participation and empowerment-oriented” approach. Ensuring women’s visibility and safety within OHS processes is a critical requirement for both individual well-being and sustainable social development.