It's still a man's world in environmental health and safety. Surveys by ISHN in recent years indicate women make up perhaps 15 to 20 percent of the professional ranks. The difference is reflected most starkly in pay: Women EHS pros had a median income of $48,500 in 1997, compared to $53,400 for men, according to ISHN's 1997 Salary Survey. Nine out of ten professionals earning more than $70,000 annually were men.
So how are women making their way in the male-dominated EHS field? We interviewed ten female professionals to find out. Setting up interviews alone said something about the issues many women wrestle with. One consultant couldn't take a call on a Friday afternoon because her two young children had to be fed and put to bed for their afternoon nap. She was too busy to take several calls the following week. At one point, she had to beg off because her kids had painted themselves and the carpet. Finally, she answered questions on a cell' phone while doing dishes.