diff --git a/rq/worker.py b/rq/worker.py
index 20cd833..7283d56 100644
--- a/rq/worker.py
+++ b/rq/worker.py
@@ -580,6 +580,16 @@ class Worker(object):
         """Pops the latest exception handler off of the exc handler stack."""
         return self._exc_handlers.pop()
 
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        """Equality does not take the database/connection into account"""
+        if not isinstance(other, self.__class__):
+            raise TypeError('Cannot compare workers to other types (of workers)')
+        return self.name == other.name
+
+    def __hash__(self):
+        """The hash does not take the database/connection into account"""
+        return hash(self.name)
+
 
 class SimpleWorker(Worker):
     def _install_signal_handlers(self, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/tests/test_worker.py b/tests/test_worker.py
index c6d85ff..6fa127f 100644
--- a/tests/test_worker.py
+++ b/tests/test_worker.py
@@ -318,3 +318,12 @@ class TestWorker(RQTestCase):
                           'Expected at least some work done.')
         self.assertEquals(job.result, 'Hi there, Adam!')
         self.assertEquals(job.description, '你好 世界!')
+
+    def test_worker_hash_(self):
+        """Workers are hashed by their .name attribute"""
+        q = Queue('foo')
+        w1 = Worker([q], name="worker1")
+        w2 = Worker([q], name="worker2")
+        w3 = Worker([q], name="worker1")
+        worker_set = set([w1, w2, w3])
+        self.assertEquals(len(worker_set), 2)