The design of workstations and hand tools, known as anthropomorphic ergonomics, often fails to match the work force", said Dr. Michael Roback, librarian for the American Assn. of Orthopedic Medicine and advisor to California’s Industrial Medicine Council.

“When it comes to hand tools, those are really set up for the male-sized hand and strength. Women aren’t as strong as men, so they have to exert more force,” Roback said. The more force a task requires, the greater the risk for injury.

Women in the workplace suffer a disproportionate number of many types of ergonomics related injuries, particularly when insufficient attention has been paid to the design of work, equipment, workstation and environment. The biological and physiological characteristics of a female can present different risks for musculoskeletal disorders from the male.  For example, women accounted for 71% of carpal tunnel injury victims, according to the AFL-CIO.

There are clearly more women in jobs that require repetitive work and enough women in jobs requiring hand tools, for designers to take notice!