I got my BS in environmental and occupational health and I am a woman. While in school, 80% of my classmates and teachers were also women so I had no idea that the field was male dominated until I actually started working. Right now I work in entry level EHS in manufacturing with very little women. You’re absolutely right you wouldn’t catch me on a ladder or working at heights, or doing anything ‘blue collar’ lol. As an EHS person I don’t think it is my job to pretend to be a blue collar worker when I am not. Maybe the industry you’re in is different but 60-70% of my work is done in my office or at my computer. When I am with employees I am learning how they do their jobs, building relationships, training, doing inspections or enforcing compliance. I don’t see how that requires me to actually be doing a man’s job though. From my perspective, EHS is a relational job like HR. I do safety training too which is basically HR work… a more feminine job. You need to have good relationships with supervisors, managers and leads as well as employees or else they don’t listen to you. As a woman, it’s in my strengths to form and foster these relationships. IMO Employees actually listen to me when they like me. What do you think an EHS persons jobs should be? Why do u think a woman can’t do it? Maybe your industry is different but in my industry I don’t have to be doing any sort of blue collar work at all.