Invisibles at work and in health: occupational exposure of women to asbestos in the region of Pedro Leopoldo-MG, Brazil

Abstract Objective The study investigated the occupational exposure of women to asbestos and how gender relations interfere with work and illness. Methods Based on the framework of Worker Health and Bardin’s content analysis, twelve open interviews were conducted between October 2021 and June 2022 with female workers exposed to asbestos in a factory environment in the Pedro Leopoldo region, MG. These workers belong to the Brazilian Association of Asbestos Exposed Workers-MG (Abrea-MG). The MAXQDA software (Analytics Pro 2022 6.0) was used to assist in categorization through algorithmic analysis based on term frequency and the creation of word clouds. Results Two main axes were identified (Health and Work), encompassing subcategories that highlighted women’s occupational activities with asbestos, family work, inequality, precarization, exploitation, undervaluation of women’s labor, multiple exposure, illnesses related to asbestos-related diseases, recurrent miscarriages, and the limited diagnostic investigation. Conclusion The invisibility of female labor exposed to asbestos in a factory environment became clear, compounded by the task of washing family clothing (including those exposed to asbestos), taken as a female duty. It is necessary to specifically recognize and address the female workers exposed to and affected by asbestos.