May 28 is Menstrual Hygiene Day. Per the CDC, menstruation (also called a “period”) is a normal biological process experienced by millions of workers around the world each month. A period happens when the uterus sheds blood and tissue from the uterine lining and leaves the body through the vagina. Wikipedia offers a nearly identical definition for menstruation. 

Menstruation seems like an odd topic to discuss as a workplace OHS issue. Discussion on this topic, however, is the main reason the global Menstrual Hygiene Day was first established in 2013. No one should feel ashamed, uneasy or conflicted when the normal biological process of menstruation is discussed. 

Menstrual Hygiene Day 2022 found that nearly 1,000 partners, such as the CDC, touched nearly 700 million lives. A major goal for Menstrual Hygiene Day 2024, besides increasing the large engagement among more people worldwide, is “aiming for a future where periods are a normal fact-of-life by 2030.” 

How does the OHS community reach normal menstrual fact-of-life awareness by 2030? The following five “whys” should set the stage for how the goal may be accomplished.

Why #1. Old men.

I am quite certain that reading the first paragraph caused some unease among OHS pro men. It caused me (some say I am an old man) to pause until I learned a lot more on the topic. Nearly every OHS pro woman, I suspect, read the first paragraph with a “duh, men don’t get this topic” attitude. But OHS men must “get this” topic. Zippia.com reports that 72.8 percent of OHS specialists are men. About 65 percent of OHS specialists are age 48-plus years old. OHS specialist credentials reveals an even wider gender gap between men and women. Zippia reports, for example, that 95.7 percent of CIH’s® are men. The gender gap among OHS pros is an example of the widespread and outdated occupational segregation problem that must be fixed.

Why #2. Superficial understanding. 

On July 12, 2023, the CDC offered a new and free online course: Menstrual Health and Hygiene. Beginning and Ending with Dignity. Period. WD4648. Upon completion of the course, completing an evaluation, and passing a posttest with 80% or higher, OHS students may receive a certificate awarding them 0.3 ANSI/IACET CEU’s. Other CEU-type awards are also offered. Physicians, for example, are awarded 2.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM for satisfactory completion of the course. To learn more about the menstrual health and other CDC and partner courses search online for “CDC Train.”

I was intrigued by the course because of its target audience. The target audience for the course included Physicians, MD and DOs, Registered Nurses, Advanced Practice Nurses, Physician Assistants, Pharmacists, Epidemiologists and … Industrial Hygienists. Industrial Hygienist is a well-established title among many OHS pros. The general practice of industrial hygiene does not require a license or certification. If you practice any aspect of IH, I strongly encourage you to take the CDC Menstrual Health course. I passed the posttest with 100 percent and believe you should score well, too. Be aware, the posttest includes questions on “Menstruation and Menopause at Work” and “Men’s Role in Menstrual Dialogues.” Upon satisfactory completion of the course (in about three hours) you may immediately print out your suitable to frame certificate. Post the certificate in your office area to impress your boss and to stimulate dialogue among those that see the certificate.  

Why #3. New law. 

Various US federal laws such as the PDA, ADA, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and OSHA’s sanitation standard 29 CFR 1910.141 support some worker needs for menstruation e.g. running water, toilets, and waste disposal. However, none of these laws specially mention menstruation.

The recent federal PWFA law, effective June 2023, however, is a game changer on this topic. The term “pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition” found at 29 CFR 1636.3(b) (see FR Vol. 88, No. 154 August 11, 2023, page 54774) specially includes “menstruation” within the term definition. Workers that experience difficult or incapacitating pain, among other problems during their period, may request reasonable accommodation such as light duty or leave until the pain or other problem is manageable. Depending upon one’s full awareness of workplace risk to menstruation, such as various chemical exposures, other accommodations may be requested.

PWFA section 29 CFR 1636.3(k) Interactive Process demonstrates that an accommodation request is not a one-way street. Following an accommodation request an OHS pro may: a) analyze the particular job involved and determine its purpose and essential functions; b) consult with employee to ascertain what kind of accommodation is necessary given known limitations; c) in consultation with the employee, identify potential accommodations and assess the effectiveness each would have in enabling the employee to perform the essential functions of the position; and, d) in consultation with the employee, select and implement the accommodation that is most appropriate for both the employee and the employer.

Why #4. Inclusion.

Every rich economy globally now realizes that women’s participation in the workforce is necessary for that nation’s long-term economic survival. When the US Chamber of Commerce, the largest lobbying group in the US, representing over three million businesses, and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the US’s largest industrial trade association with about 80% of US Fortune 100 manufacturers being NAM members, and the National Retail Federation, representing the largest private-sector industry in the US that contains over 3.8 million retail establishments, supporting more than 52 million employees, along with many other high powered organizations and employers that actively endorsed the PWFA, they didn’t do so because it was a nice thing to do, they endorsed the new law because it was economically necessary. The inclusion of awareness of the concerns or needs of women workers, such as menstrual health, by OHS pros are likewise an economic necessity.

Why #5. Career necessity.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023 provides evidence and ranking for the skills US employers seek among their workforces. Skills that rank high include analytical thinking, curiosity and lifelong learning, empathy, and active listening, among others. A demonstration of menstrual health awareness and understanding how to manage a worker needs and concerns with this topic, will support an OHS pro’s career advancement.