Work Disability and Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Teleworkers: A Scoping Review.

PURPOSE: This project aimed to examine the existing evidence on work disability or musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among teleworkers. METHOD: A scoping review was conducted in eight bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, ABI/Inform Global, EBM Reviews, Web of Science, Dissertations & Theses Global) from inception to June 2022. RESULTS: Out of 9192 records identified, a total of 79 selected articles representing 77 studies were retained. Most studies were published after 2019, aligning with the COVID-19 pandemic's telework surge. Among the included papers, 51 addressed MSDs among teleworkers, 17 were on work disability, and 11 addressed both concepts. The studies were predominantly cross-sectional. Some trends are emerging, although study results are contradictory. Several papers reported increased musculoskeletal discomfort among teleworkers. Factors associated with MSDs among teleworkers include poor workstation setup, extended workdays, sedentary lifestyle, excessive devices use, and psychological factors. Regarding work disability, studies found that telework is associated with reduced absenteeism but increased presenteeism, with employees more likely to work while unwell from home than when on-site. Mixed results were found regarding teleworkers' work ability and functioning. CONCLUSION: This paper provides an overview of the literature on work disability and MSDs among teleworkers. It identifies literature gaps, underlining the need for ergonomic improvements, long-term impact studies, a better conceptualization of presenteeism in the context of telework, and tailored interventions to enhance the telework experience.

How to carry out participatory research that takes account of sex and gender issues: a scoping review of guidelines targeting health inequities.

OBJECTIVE: Conducting participatory research (PR) aimed at improving health implies considering inequitable power relations, including those related to sex/gender (S/G). This necessitates specific skills and methods and may be challenging especially since guidelines are scarce. Our objective was to perform a scoping review to provide a typology of existing guidelines for researchers on how to take account of S/G in the context of PR in public health, with a focus on occupational and environmental health. METHODS: All steps of the research were conducted with the collaboration of an advisory committee, following PR principles. Nineteen documents were retained from 513 references identified in nine scientific databases and grey literature between 2000 and 2020. Data on recommendations were extracted and coded qualitatively. Cluster analysis based on similarities in recommendations proposed in the documents identified four types: (1) empowerment-centered; (2) concrete action-centered; (3) macrosystem-centered; and (4) stakeholder-centered. SYNTHESIS: Many sources gave pointers on how to include S/G during data collection and analysis or during the dissemination of findings, but there was a dearth of suggestions for building partnerships with stakeholders and producing sustainable S/G sociopolitical transformations. Occupational health PR showed less similarities with other public health subfields including environmental health PR. Power relationships with workplace stakeholders generated specific obstacles related to S/G integration that require further attention. Intersectionality and reflexive practices emerged as overarching themes. CONCLUSION: This review provides helpful guidelines to researchers at different stages of planning PR, ranging from familiarizing themselves with S/G approaches to anticipating difficulties in their ongoing S/G-transformative PR.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Les recherches participatives (RP) visant l'amélioration de la santé doivent tenir compte de rapports de pouvoir inéquitables, incluant ceux liés au sexe/genre (S/G). Cela peut s'avérer difficile vu les compétences requises et la rareté de recommandations. Notre objectif consistait à réaliser une revue de portée menant à une typologie des recommandations existantes pour les chercheurs.euses sur l'intégration du S/G en contexte de RP en santé publique, particulièrement en santé environnementale ou au travail. MéTHODOLOGIE: Un comité d'encadrement a participé à chaque étape de l'étude. Nous avons retenu 19 documents parmi 513 références identifiées dans neuf bases de données scientifiques et la littérature grise (2000­2020). L'extraction et le codage qualitatif des recommandations a mené à une analyse de clusters basée sur les similitudes identifiant quatre types centrés sur : 1) pouvoir d'agir; 2) actions concrètes; 3) macro-système; et 4) parties prenantes. SYNTHèSE: Plusieurs sources indiquaient comment intégrer le S/G pendant la collecte/analyse des données ou la diffusion des résultats. Peu de recommandations touchaient l'aspect S/G au niveau des partenariats avec des parties prenantes ou des transformations sociopolitiques durables. Les recommandations en santé au travail étaient moins similaires aux autres sous-domaines de santé publique. Les relations de pouvoir en milieu de travail engendrent des obstacles spécifiques liés à l'intégration du S/G et nécessitent une attention particulière. L'intersectionnalité et les pratiques réflexives sont apparues comme des thèmes primordiaux. CONCLUSION: Les recommandations repérées aideront des chercheurs.euses à différents stades de leur parcours d'intégration du S/G dans une RP en cours, allant de la familiarisation à l'anticipation de difficultés.

Managing the unknown or the art of preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in workplaces in a context of evolving science, precarious employment, and communication barriers. A qualitative situational analysis in Quebec and Ontario.

Introduction: The issue of communications in the public space, and in particular, in the workplace, became critical in the early stages of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and was exacerbated by the stress of the drastic transformation of the organization of work, the speed with which new information was being made available, and the constant fear of being infected or developing a more severe or even fatal form of the disease. Although effective communication is the key to fighting a pandemic, some business sectors were more vulnerable and affected than others, and the individuals in particular socio-demographic and economic categories were proportionately more affected by the number of infections and hospitalizations, and by the number of deaths. Therefore, the aim of this article is to present data related to issues faced by essential workers interacting with the public and their employers to mitigate the contagion of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) at work. Methods: Following the constructivist paradigm, an interpretative qualitative design was used to conduct one-on-one interviews with precarious/low-wage, public-contact workers (N = 40), managers (N = 16), and key informants (N = 16) on topics related to their work environments in the context of COVID-19 prevention. Results: This article has highlighted some aspects of communication in the workplace essential to preventing COVID-19 outbreaks (e.g., access to information in a context of fast-changing instructions, language proficiency, transparency and confidentiality in the workplace, access to clear guidelines). The impact of poor pre-pandemic working relations on crisis management in the workplace also emerged. Discussion: This study reminds us of the need to develop targeted, tailored messages that, while not providing all the answers, maintain dialog and transparency in workplaces.

Overview of the "Gender & Work" track at the IEA 2021 congress.

BACKGROUND: The International Ergonomics Association (IEA) is an international federation of associations created in 1959, whose mission is to extend the scope of ergonomics research and intervention to all spheres of society in order to improve human well-being. OBJECTIVE: This article presents an overview of the main research papers that were presented at the 21st Triennial IEA 2021 Conference. METHOD: A total of 23 talks, from nine countries, were presented over four sessions. These papers were summarized based on reading the abstracts and taking notes at the time of the oral presentation. RESULTS: The themes of these sessions were: 1) Knowledge Transfer, Gender and Ergonomics 2) Approaching Ergonomic Interventions with a Sex/Gender Lens: Designing Training for Ergonomists 3) Ergonomic Studies of Atypical Work and Vulnerable Population Through a Sex/Gender Lens: Toward Better Understanding of Context and Risks, for Better Prevention and 4) Gender and Occupational Risks (Part 1: Exposure and Risk Perception; Part 2: Strategies to Manage Risk). CONCLUSION: Ergonomists are beginning to understand that they have the qualifications and legitimacy to play a role in reducing workplace health inequities and helping to make workplaces inclusive and rich of all the workers' diversity. The four sessions of the Gender and Ergonomics TC have moved ergonomics practice a step closer to that goal.

Gender and work in ergonomics: recent trends.

Since the establishment of the Gender and Work Technical Committee (TC) of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) in 2006, many researchers have addressed the role of sex and gender in ergonomics, producing a great deal of new information. This special issue aims to present new ways of viewing women's work and gender differences in work-related injury risks in an era of rapidly changing labour market configurations. It offers innovative methods for integrating sex and gender into ergonomic analysis and for designing work environments. It shares reflections on the intersection of vulnerabilities according to certain identity markers. Finally, it contributes to establishing milestones standards of practice so that the consideration of sex and gender can be more systematically modelled in ergonomics research and interventions, for example, in training ergonomists or in knowledge transfer initiatives.Practitioner summary: This editorial article provides an overview of the background and the content of the Special Issue 'Gender and Work in Ergonomics: Recent trends'.

Development of a reflective learning method to support health and safety of adolescents with learning difficulties enrolled in a pre-work practicum.

The challenges of youth employment include providing appropriate job training and safe working conditions for women and men. Adolescents enrolled in the Work-oriented Training Path (WOTP) complete a practicum as part of their vocational preparation, notwithstanding learning difficulties or disabilities. This research-action study among this subpopulation used a method called the self-reflection interview (SRI). Developed in the field of ergonomics, it combines interviews and worksite observations to establish discussion prompts. This method is based on the principles of situated learning. The objective is to analyse the process of conducting SRIs with WOTP's students in order to suggest adaptations for this specific population considering their challenges. SRIs were used to address gender stereotypes and occupational health and safety (OHS) risks, two learning targets. The study found that these dimensions are accurately addressed with this method. The findings confirm that the prompts and the method must be adapted to the population.Practitioner summary: The challenges of youth employment require appropriate job training and safe working conditions for women and men. The study used a reflective method called the self-reflection interview as a learning resource, based on situated learning. The study found that OHS and gender differentiation are accurately addressed with this method.Abbreviations: SRI: selfreflection interview; WOTP: Work-oriented Training Path; OHS: occupational health and safety.

Integration of sex and gender in interventions by students in ergonomics.

This article aims to analyse the integration of sex and gender (s/g) by ergonomics students during their internship at the master's degree level, following training sessions on s/g issues in the workplace. This exploratory research used a descriptive mixed-methods design, encompassing evaluation of students' intention to use the content from the training (n = 13 students), and a multiple case study (n = 5 ergonomics interventions). The results show that while students found the training relevant, they only minimally integrated s/g in their interventions and when they did, it was primarily from an anthropometric and physiological perspective. In addition to discussing the training format limitations, the article discusses barriers to this integration: combining learning about s/g issues with learning about activity analysis is challenging; employers' and workers' organisations may be reluctant to approach s/g issues; and it is difficult for an ergonomist to integrate these issues when the employer's request does not specify it.Practitioner summary: This article aims to analyse the integration of s/g by ergonomics students during their internships. Findings show that they only minimally considered s/g. The discussion examines s/g training, organisational obstacles to inclusion of s/g during interventions, and how ergonomists can consider s/g in their practice.

Influence of gender on people with disabilities' work relationships: prospects for ergonomics interventions.

Norms and values embedded in what is referred to as 'institutionalised gender,' defined by the distribution of power between genders in the political, educational, religious, medical, cultural or social institutions of a society, exist even today. The above mentioned influential institutions shape societal norms that define, reproduce and justify differing expectations and opportunities for women, men, girls and boys. Using qualitative methods, 41 semi-structured interviews among employed people with deafness/hard of hearing (DHH), blindness/low vision, motor disabilities, or chronic pain from three administrative regions of Québec (Montréal, Outaouais, and Montérégie) were analysed. The results show that while gender is omnipresent in participants' remarks, it is not necessarily associated with exclusion from employment, but most certainly with perpetuating some forms of inequity in work situations. Solutions to raise awareness among ergonomists working with people with disabilities are suggested.Practitioner summary: Based on 41 semi-structured interviews among employed people with disabilities, a relationship between the gender of the participants and factors facilitating or inhibiting their integration into employment were established. Solutions to raise awareness among ergonomists working with a doubly marginalised population-women with disabilities-are suggested.Abbreviations: DEPPI: disability, employment, and public policies initiative; DHH: deaf or hard of hearing; LSQ: québec sign language; M: men; P: participant; s/g: sex and gender; W: women.

Integrative prevention and coordinated action toward primary, secondary and tertiary prevention in workplaces: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Integrated approaches are valued in several occupational health strategic programmatic orientations. A better understanding of the use of integrative prevention in coordinating measures is needed to develop its use in workplaces. OBJECTIVE: Identify workplace integrative prevention approaches and definitions of prevention (primary, secondary and tertiary) in the literature. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O'Malley (2005). The literature search was carried out in three databases without date restrictions. In order to be retained, the articles needed to address at least two levels of prevention using an integrative approach in a workplace setting. A qualitative analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The review yielded 16 published articles between 1995 and 2017. The articles addressed mental health, musculoskeletal disorder prevention and comprehensive approaches. Integrative prevention approaches are diverse and are not always named as such. Prevention definitions are not homogenous. CONCLUSIONS: This review identified some of the integrative prevention characteristics aimed at coordinated action for prevention in the workplace and to clarify measures taken at different levels of prevention. Further studies are needed to elaborate on the implementation of integrative prevention in the workplace.

A rapid scoping review of COVID-19 and vulnerable workers: Intersecting occupational and public health issues.

BACKGROUND: This article reports the results of a rapid scoping review of the literature on COVID-19 transmission risk to workers in essential sectors such as retail, health care, manufacturing, and agriculture, and more particularly the experiences of workers in precarious employment and social situations. METHODS: Following scoping review methods, we included 30 studies that varied in terms of methodology and theoretical approaches. The search included peer-reviewed articles and grey literature published between March and September 2020. RESULTS: Based on the studies reviewed, we found that COVID-19 infection and death rates increased not only with age and comorbidities, but also with discrimination and structural inequities based on racism and sexism. Racial and ethnic minority workers, including migrant workers, are concentrated in high-risk occupations and this concentration is correlated to lower socioeconomic conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic appears in the occupational health and safety spotlight as an exacerbator of already existing socioeconomic inequalities and social inequalities in health, especially in light of the intersection of issues related to racism, ethnic minority status, and sexism. CONCLUSIONS: This review provides early evidence about the limitations of institutions' responses to the pandemic, and their capacity to provide a safe and decent working environment for all workers, regardless of their employment status or the social protections they may enjoy under normal circumstances. It is also important to think about these issues in the postpandemic context, when conditions of precariousness and vulnerability persist and possibly worsen.

Mechanisms of solid-state nanopore enlargement under electrical stress.

We present a thorough exploration of nanopore growth under electrical stress in electrolyte solution, and demonstrate that despite their superficial similarities, nanopore formation by controlled breakdown (CBD) and nanopore growth under moderate voltage stress are fundamentally different processes. In particular, we demonstrate that unlike the CBD process, nanopore growth is primarily driven by the level of ionic current passing through the nanopore, rather than the strength of the electric field generating the current, and that enlargement has a much weaker pH dependence than does CBD pore formation. In combination with other works in the field, our results suggest that despite clear current-dependence, Joule heating is unlikely to be the main driver of pore growth during electrical stress, pointing instead toward electrochemical dissolution of membrane material along the pore walls. While the chemistry underlying the growth process remains unclear, the dependence of growth rate on current allows decoupling of the pore enlargement mechanism from the possibility of forming additional nanopores during the growth process, providing a practical method by which to rapidly enlarge a nanopore without risking opening a second nanopore.

Considering sex and gender in ergonomics: Exploring the hows and whys.

At the 2018 IEA conference, the Gender and Work Technical Committee organized three symposia with over 20 presentations. Overall, these contributions positioned ergonomics as a theoretical and pragmatic approach developing innovative methods to integrate sex/gender analysis into the construction and evaluation of interventions. This special issue of Applied Ergonomics includes diverse approaches to the consideration of sex and gender in ergonomics, including methods in accident analysis, musculoskeletal disorders, work-family interactions, work schedule analysis, prevention programs and evaluation of interventions. The contents are summarized in this introduction.

Impacts of considering sex and gender during intervention studies in occupational health: Researchers' perspectives.

The aim of this article is to examine the impacts of incorporating sex and gender (s/g) analysis in integrated knowledge translation (iKT) initiatives in the field of ergonomics and occupational health. The article presents findings based on a retrospective analysis of twelve intervention-research (IR) studies, including a thematic content analysis of in-depth interviews conducted with 15 researchers involved in these IRs. The findings offer an overview of various categories of impacts, such as changes in partners' views, in workplace settings and conditions, in practices and policies, and in economic outcomes. In these types of IR, health effects measurement is not the main objective, and direct health outcomes are difficult to assess. Explicitly talking about sex/gender led more often to system-level changes but less often to workplace-level changes, compared to interventions where sex/gender was not identified as a specific object of the intervention.

Are new workers at elevated risk for work injury? A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To identify, appraise and synthesise studies that have examined the degree to which new workers are at an elevated risk of work-related acute injuries and musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries. METHOD: We searched three relevant electronic databases for studies published between 1995 and early 2018. Fifty-one studies using multivariate analyses met our relevance and quality appraisal criteria. These studies examined two different work outcomes: acute injuries (eg, cuts, burns and falls) and MSK injuries (eg, repetitive strain). RESULTS: In four of six studies looking at acute work injuries, new workers were found to be at an elevated risk of injury (ie, moderate supportive evidence of new worker risk). In another six studies looking at MSK symptoms, injuries or disorders, evidence of an elevated risk among new workers was insufficient or limited. CONCLUSIONS: Our review has potential implications for the prevention of work injuries, providing policy-makers and workplace parties with supportive evidence about the importance of prevention efforts focused on new workers, such as developing workplace policies that emphasise hazard exposure reduction, hazard awareness, hazard protection and worker empowerment.

School-to-work transition for youth with severe physical disabilities: Stakeholder perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Multiple challenges await people with severe physical disability when they are preparing to enter the labour market at the end of the school period. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to better understand the multiple factors that influence the course of disabled youth transitioning into the workforce by gathering perceptions from stakeholders. Methods The study used a qualitative descriptive design with an interpretative description approach to analyze the experiences reported by six school staff, six parents, and three employers. RESULTS: Significant facilitators to the workforce transition were the active involvement of the school's staff in multiplying outreach activities between the various external partners. Significant obstacles include the level of help required to complete day-to-day activities at work and student lack of work experience. Government cutbacks were unanimously identified as the prominent obstacle. CONCLUSIONS: The results presented in this study indicate that a successful school to work transition program is dependent on many factors. These factors include the characteristics of the targeted population, the level of involvement from key stakeholders, the willingness of employers to hire this population, as well as program objectives deviating from paid employment. Further development opportunities have proven to be helpful, such as the development of a solid partnership and collaboration between all stakeholders.

Occupational Health and Safety in a Vocational Training Program: How Gender Impacts Teachers' Strategies and Power Relationships: Santé et sécurité des stagiaires dans un programme de formation professionnelle: Impact du genre sur les stratégies et rapports de pouvoir.

In Quebec (Canada), the Work-Oriented Training Path, a work-study program, prepares students who are having difficulty at school for the job market. Occupational health and safety is an important part of their training. This article aims to analyze the impact of gender on the interpersonal dynamics among teachers, trainees, and key actors from the businesses involved. This article also looks at the influence of gender on teachers' strategies and capacity to act regarding occupational health and safety. Using a work activity analysis lens, a multiple case-study analysis of teachers' work activity was carried out. The findings show that gendered social relationships create a specific supervisory context that influences occupational health and safety training. Solutions aimed at reducing the negative impact of gender-associated prejudice on work injury prevention include training for teachers, attention to work organization at the schools, and the creation of cohesive teachers' work teams. Résumé Au Québec, le Parcours de formation axée sur l'emploi (WOTP), un programme en alternance, offre une préparation au marché du travail aux élèves en difficultés scolaires. La santé et la sécurité du travail (SST) est un enjeu important de la formation. L'article vise à analyser l'impact du genre dans la dynamique relationnelle entre les enseignant.es, leurs élèves et les interlocuteurs clés des entreprises impliquées, et son influence sur les stratégies et la capacité d'agir des enseignant.es en matière de SST. Une analyse de cas multiples basée sur l'analyse ergonomique de l'activité des enseignants a été menée. Les résultats montrent que les relations sociales de genre déterminent un contexte spécifique de supervision qui influence la formation à la SST. La formation des enseignant.es, l'organisation scolaire et la création de collectifs enseignants cohésifs sont des pistes de solution pour réduire l'effet négatif des préjugés liés au genre influençant la prévention des lésions professionnelles.

Evaluation of the effect of food and gastric pH on the single-dose pharmacokinetics of cabozantinib in healthy adult subjects.

Cabozantinib is a small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has been approved for the treatment of patients with progressive, metastatic medullary thyroid cancer. Cabozantinib exhibits a pH-dependent solubility profile in vitro. Two phase 1 clinical pharmacology studies were conducted in healthy subjects to evaluate whether factors that may affect cabozantinib solubility and gastric pH could alter cabozantinib bioavailability: a food effect study (study 1) and a drug-drug interaction (DDI) study with the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) esomeprazole (study 2). Following a high-fat meal (study 1), cabozantinib Cmax and AUC were increased (40.5% and 57%, respectively), and the median tmax was delayed by 2 hours. Cabozantinib should thus not be taken with food (patients should not eat for at least 2 hours before and at least 1 hour after administration). In the DDI study (study 2), the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) around the ratio of least-squares means of cabozantinib with esomeprazole versus cabozantinib alone for AUC0-inf were within the 80%-125% limits; the upper 90%CI for Cmax was 125.1%. Because of the low apparent risk of a DDI, concomitant use of PPIs or weaker gastric pH-altering agents with cabozantinib is not contraindicated.

Employment and work safety among 12 to 14 year olds: listening to parents.

BACKGROUND: Survey research indicates that a surprising number of 12 to 14 year olds in North America engage in some form of paid work, and work-related injuries for this age group are reported at rates similar to older teens. Parents exhibit significant involvement in many aspects of their teens' work and may influence perceptions of work safety, yet few studies have explored this phenomenon from a qualitative perspective with parents of working 12 to 14 year olds. METHODS: This paper focuses on parental perceptions and understandings of work safety based on focus groups conducted with urban Canadian parents of young teens who work for pay. Parents discussed the types of job held by their 12 to 14 year olds, the perceived costs and benefits to working at this age, and their understanding of risk and supervision on the job. A grounded theory approach was used to thematically analyze the focus group transcripts. RESULTS: Parents in this study held favourable attitudes towards their 12 to 14 year olds' working. Parents linked pro-social moral values and skills such as responsibility, work ethic, time management, and financial literacy with their young teen's employment experience. Risks and drawbacks were generally downplayed or discounted. Perceptions of workplace safety were mitigated by themes of trust, familiarity, sense of being in control and having discretion over their 12 to 14 year olds' work situation. Further, parental supervision and monitoring fell along a continuum, from full parental responsibility for monitoring to complete trust and delegation of supervision to the workplace. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that positive parental attitudes towards working overshadow occupational health and safety concerns. Parents may discount potential hazards based on the presence of certain mitigating factors.

Phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase III beta is essential for replication of human rhinovirus and its inhibition causes a lethal phenotype in vivo.

Human rhinovirus (HRV) is the predominant cause of the common cold, but more importantly, infection may have serious repercussions in asthmatics and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) patients. A cell-based antiviral screen against HRV was performed with a subset of our proprietary compound collection, and an aminothiazole series with pan-HRV species and enteroviral activity was identified. The series was found to act at the level of replication in the HRV infectious cycle. In vitro selection and sequencing of aminothiazole series-resistant HRV variants revealed a single-nucleotide mutation leading to the amino acid change I42V in the essential HRV 3A protein. This same mutation has been previously implicated in resistance to enviroxime, a former clinical-stage antipicornavirus agent. Enviroxime-like compounds have recently been shown to target the lipid kinase phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase III beta (PI4KIIIß). A good correlation between PI4KIIIß activity and HRV antiviral potency was found when analyzing the data over 80 compounds of the aminothiazole series, covering a 750-fold potency range. The mechanism of action through PI4KIIIß inhibition was further demonstrated by small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown of PI4KB, which reduced HRV replication and also increased the potency of the PI4KIIIß inhibitors. Inhibitors from two different structural classes with promising pharmacokinetic profiles and with very good selectivity for PI4KIIIß were used to dissociate compound-related toxicity from target-related toxicity. Mortality was seen in all dosing groups of mice treated with either compound, therefore suggesting that short-term inhibition of PI4KIIIß is deleterious.

Safe and healthy integration into semiskilled jobs: does gender matter?

Women report fewer injuries than men when they are young, but report a higher proportion of professional diseases later in life (35 years +). Understanding early work conditions that lead to postponed health outcomes is necessary if we are to prevent women's injury as well as men's. Introduction to work and safe integration programs are often put forward to prevent injuries among youth. This paper aims to illustrate some differences in the job introduction / integration process for men and women and to discuss some gender-based Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) implications. Data come from two waves of interviews with 31 students enrolled in vocational training for a semiskilled trade. Results demonstrated differences between men and women: trades chosen, OHS complaints, supervising patterns, integration to work, etc. Women often choose customer service jobs, have less formal supervision and are often left to themselves when learning to do their job. Men declared more accidents while women reported more musculoskeletal symptoms. Findings from this research suggest young women's OHS issues should not be trivialized and that specific youth prevention programs for sectors where women are more present, such as customer service, should be developed.