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Abstract
Occupations where women are the dominant gender have traditionally been viewed as safe and clean; however, as women continue to take a greater proportion of jobs, injuries and illnesses are on the rise in occupations dominated by females. Karen Nussbaum of the Department of Labor's Women's Bureau says women's health problems are often underreported and underrecognized, and safety professionals must dispel the myth that women's work is hazard-free. No women's occupational health issue sparks more interest than reproductive hazards. Although women in a variety of occupations are potentially at risk of reproductive harm, few regulations are designed to protect female health care workers against reproductive hazards. In addition, women are often put in jobs where they are challenged, but have little control over their workload and working conditions, which leads to stress and illness. Violence is also a growing problem facing workers, especially female workers. According to NIOSH, 40% of women who died on the job from 1980-1989 were murdered.