The work environment exposes many workers to health hazards that contribute to injuries, respiratory diseases, cancer, musculoskeletal disorders, reproductive disorders, cardiovascular diseases, mental and neurological illnesses, eye damage and hearing loss, as well as to communicable diseases. The current global labor force stands at about 2600 million and is growing continuously. Approximately 75% of these working people are in developing countries. The officially registered working population constitutes 60–70% of the world's adult male and 30–60% of the world's adult female population. Each year, another 40 million people join the labor force, most of them in developing countries. Workplace environmental hazards are therefore a threat to a large proportion of the world population.