Health and Work in Women and Men in the Welding and Electrical Trades: How Do They Differ?

There is little information on how work tasks, demands, and exposures differ between women and men in nominally the same job. This is critical in setting workplace standards that will protect the health of both men and those women moving into less traditional work roles. Information used in setting standards is currently based almost entirely on male workers. This paper describes differences in work and health, and the relation between them, in women and men who have undergone the same trade training for the welding or electrical trades.

Four cohorts were established. Two were women across Canada in the welding and electrical trades who had been in an apprenticeship since 2005. Cohorts of men in the same trades during the same period were established in the province of Alberta, Canada. Participants completed a baseline questionnaire at recruitment and were followed up every 6 months to collect detailed information on work carried out and on their health and habits. At the end of the study (up to 5 years for women and up to 3 years for men), the cohort members completed a final questionnaire including questions on mental health, harassment, and gender.

The four cohorts comprised 1001 welders (447 female; 554 male) and 885 in the electrical trades (438 female; 447 male). Follow-up information was available for 89%. Women were more likely than men to have had some post-secondary education before starting their trade and were less likely to be living as married or to have a child. More welders smoked, and more men were heavy drinkers. At recruitment, more welders than those in the electrical trades reported rhinitis (sneezing and runny nose), depression, and anxiety. Female welders reported more depression (38%) than male welders (30%), compared to 24% in the electrical trades. At first follow-up, new-onset shoulder pain was more frequent in men and new-onset asthma or wheezing in welders. Within each trade, women reported less variety in tasks. Women welders were less likely to be employed in construction than men, and women were less likely to become industrial electricians. Overall, 54% of women and 46% of men reported never using respiratory protection when welding. In the end-of-study questionnaires received to date, 49% reported bullying or harassment during the apprenticeship, with higher proportions in welding than electrical trades and in women compared with men. Such harassment was reflected in higher anxiety and depression scores.

This is the first report on these four cohorts and demonstrates the capacity for detailed analysis of the differences in exposure and new-onset occupationally related ill-health. While women and men in the same trades appear to be doing broadly similar work, and to have similar patterns on health at the first follow-up, there are some significant differences in the types of employment and variety of tasks. The very detailed information collected will allow more precise estimates of exposures to be correlated with health outcomes at the end of the follow-up period.