Occupational Health Hazards among Sugarcane Factory Employees

Mr. Rahul Bisht¹*, Ms Rekha kumari²

¹Nursing Tutor (Medical Surgical Nursing), SGT University, Gurugram, Haryana, India

²Assistant Professor (Obstertric and Gynecology Nursing), Sharda University, Greater Noida, U.P

*Corresponding Author E-mail: rekhadobal@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:

Introduction: Workers in developing countries like India face as many work related health problems. Occupational health problems in the sugar cane industry, which exist in more than 40 countries in the world. Sugar cane workers have a high level of occupational accidents and they are exposed to high toxicity of pesticides. They may also have an increased risk of lung cancer, possibly bagassosis. This may be related to the practice of burning foliage at the time of cane cutting. Methodology: Quantitative approach was used and research design was descriptive survey research design. Sample were factory employees of sugarcane factory, sample size was 100 and sample technique was convenient sampling, setting for the study was sugarcane factory of Doiwala, Dehradun, and tool used were checklist related to occupational health hazards. Results: Majority (36%) of the subjects were between 47 to 56 years, majority (39%) subjects had educational status up to primary, majority (57%) of the subjects having monthly income more than 15000, majority (55%) of the subjects were from nuclear family, majority (55%) of the subjects were non vegetarian, majority (77%) of subjects were living in rural areas, majority (33%) of subjects were consuming tobacco, majority (81%) of subjects were having working experience more than 10 years, majority (95%) of the subjects were having working hours more than 8. Through this checklist I found that (25%) of employees are taking medications (BP medication etc), 15% of employees suffering from cough with chest pain, (26%) of employees feel run out of energy sooner than normal person and (81%) of employees says that PPE is not available for them.

KEYWORDS: Prevalence, Occupational Health Hazards, Employees, Factory.

INTRODUCTION:

Sugar industry covers around 7.5% of total rural population and provides employment to 5 lakh rural people. About 4.5 crore farmers are engaged in sugarcane cultivation in India. India is the fourth major sugar producing country in the world, the first three being Russia, Brazil and Cuba.

Sugar industry occupies an important place among organized industries in India sugar industry, one of the major agro based industrial in India, has been instrumental in resource mobilization, employment generation, income generation and creating social infrastructure in rural areas.

Workers in developing countries like India face as many work related health problems. Occupational health problems in the sugar cane industry, which exist in more than 40 countries in the world. Sugar cane workers have a high level of occupational accidents and they are exposed to high toxicity of pesticides. They may also have an increased risk of lung cancer, possibly bagassosis. This may be related to the practice of burning foliage at the time of cane cutting. Bagassosis is also problem specific to the industry as it may follow exposure to bagasse (a byproduct of sugar cane). The workers may also be affected by chronic respiratory infections which may result in reduced productivity.

Need of the study:

Repeated and long term exposure to bagasse dust in sugar cane industries can lead to an array of severe respiratory problems like bagassosis and chronic respiratory that may have lasting effects, even after exposure ceases. Certain sugar cane industries, because of the nature of their location, work and environment are more at risk for occupation disease like bagassosis than any other diseases

In India, the studies revealed that in 2010, 40-59% of workers in different occupational work environments suffered from one or more respiratory ailments. As much as 36-40% of the workers reported work-related symptoms which are close to similar data from western countries.

Workers involved in the preparation of the farm and in the burning of the farm after harvesting the crop had the highest risks. The risk was also found to increase with increasing years of employment on the sugar cane farm and with increasing number of days worked over the lifetime in preparing and burning the fields and for all the individual activities combined. Exposure to such fibers with aspect ratios >3:1, has been reported during the burning of the crop before harvesting, during harvesting, and during the processing of the cane in the sugar mills. Preparation of the burnt farm (ploughing, tilling, sowing), workers are likely to be exposed also to airborne crystalline silica formed as a result of conversion of the BAS during the burning of the field.

Statement of Problem:

A descriptive study on prevalence of occupational health hazards among employees of selected sugarcane factory in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Objectives:

To assess the prevalence of occupational health hazards among employees of selected sugarcane factory.

Assumptions:

· The sugarcane factory employees will provide true response.

· The sugarcane factory employees will have some short of occupational health hazards.

METHODOLOGY:

The research design used in this study was descriptive survey research design. The study was conducted at sugarcane factory of Doiwala, Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The sample was 100 sugarcane factory workers were selected by convenient sampling technique. The tool used for the study was checklist related to prevalence of occupational health hazards consisting of section 1 (demographic baseline data such as age, educational status, monthly income, type of family, years of experience, dietary habits, area of residence, substance abuse and working hours) and section 2 (consisting of questions related occupational health hazards i.e. health history, CNS problems, respiratory problems, environmental exposure and miscellaneous) For content validity tool was given to five experts in field of nursing of Himalayan College of Nursing. Data was collected by interview method.

RESULTS AND FINDINGS:

Socio demographic Profile of study participants:

36% of employees were in the age group of 47 -56 years. Majority (39%) of the employees were having primary education. Majority (57%) of the employees were having monthly income more than Rs. 15000/. Majority (55%) of employees were from nuclear family. Majority (55%) of the employees were non-vegetarian. Regarding the area of living most of the employees (77%) belonged to rural area. Majority (33%) of employees were having habit of consuming tobacco. Majority (81%) of employees were having working experience more than 10 years. Majority (95%) of the employees working duration were 8 hours.

Distribution of employee according to health history: only 9% of employees were absent from work due to their ill health, (5%) employees denied a job for health reason, (7%) of employees health suffered as a result of work, (25%) of employees are taking medications( BP medication etc), (12%) of employees health problems affect their performance in work, (8%) of employees suffering from disability, (6%) of employees suffering from work related accidents, (6%) of employees have restriction in their work activities.

Distribution of employees according to respiratory system problems:

Only 1% of employee was suffering from bronchitis, 6% of employees were suffering from cough with sputum, 4% of employees were suffering from asthma, 15% of employees suffering from cough with chest pain, 12% of employees were suffering from difficulty in breathing. 12% of employees says that they have being out of breathe when making physical efforts and 8%of employees had being up phlegm from chest.

Distribution of Employees According to Central Nervous system Problems:

Only (2%) of employees have history of previous mental illness, (13%) of employees is suffering from headache or migraine, (4%) of employees suffering from epilepsy or fainting attacks, (14%) of employees suffering from giddiness or vertigo, (26%) of employees feel run out of energy sooner than normal person and (9%) of employees have problem in concentration.

Distribution of employees according to working environment/environmental exposure:

In current study (80%) of employees says that lighting in specific task areas is adequate, (81%) of employees says that PPE is not available for them, (26%) of employees says that oils and fuel drums are stored away from electrical power tool and (29%) of employees says that all workers have been not trained in the correct use of all equipment.

Table no.1: Socio demographic profile of study participants N=100

S. No.

Demographic profile

Frequency

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

Age in years

· 17-26 year

· 27-36 years

· 37-46 years

· 47-56 years

· 57-66 years

35%

36%

14%

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

Educational status

· Primary

· Secondary

· Higher secondary

· Graduate and above

39%

35%

21%

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

Monthly income

· Less than 5000

· 5001- 10000

· 10001-15000

· More than 15000

14%

26%

57%

4.1

4.2

Types of family

· Joint family

· Nuclear family

45%

55%

5.1

5.2

Dietary habits

· Vegetarian

· Non-vegetarian

45%

55%

6.1

6.2

Area of residence

· Urban

· Rural

23%

77%

7.1

7.2

7.3

7.4

Substance abuse

· Alcohol

· Smoking

· Tobacco

· Others

28%

25%

33%

14%

8.1

8.2

8.3

8.4

Working experience

· Less than 2 years

· 3- 5 years

· 6-10 years

· More than 10 years

81%

9.1

9.2

Working hours

· 8 hours

· 12 hours

95%

DISCUSSION:

The section deals with findings of the present study with reference to the studies conducted in the past. The present study has been discussed in accordance with the objectives.

The objective of the present study is to assess the prevalence of occupational health hazards among employees of sugarcane factory. Findings suggested that 25%) of employees are taking medications (BP medication etc), 15% of employees suffering from cough with chest pain, (26%) of employees feel run out of energy sooner than normal person and (81%) of employees says that PPE is not available for them.

NURSING IMPLICATIONS:

Nursing Service:

· There is need that occupational health nurse can take active part in educating industrial workers regarding occupational related health hazards.

· Occupational health nurse can help the industrial workers by providing education regarding occupational hazards and their preventive methods.

Nursing Research:

There is the need to conduct further research studies in the field related to prevalence of occupational health hazards, structured teaching programme can be given to factory employees related to occupational hazards and comparative study can be done between two factories related to occupational health hazards.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

· Similar study can be implicated on larger sample.

· A comparative study can be done to assess the knowledge of men and women regarding prevalence of occupational health hazards.

· Presented study can be replicated in other factories

CONCLUSION:

Occupational hazards have deleterious effect on the individual health and safety, as well as organizational effectiveness. The statistics for the overall incidence/ prevalence of occupational disease and injuries for the country is not adequately compiled in an easily accessible format. In developing countries like India, occupational hazards have a great impact on health status of industrial workers. Therefore the industrial workers need to be educated about occupational health hazards.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

I give my sincere thanks to Mrs. Sanchita Pugazhendi (Principal and HOD, Community Department), Himalayan College of Nursing for her guidance and supervision provided to me in conducting the present research study. I give my heart full thanks to Mrs. Kamli Prakash (Vice Principal) for her constant support and encouragement. And I acknowledge my research guide Mrs. Laxmi Kumar (Assistant Professor), Himalayan College of Nursing.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST:

There is no conflict of interest.

REFERENCES:

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2. Joint Department of Epidemiology and Biostatics and Occupation Health Mc Gill University, 1021, Pine Avenue, PQ Canada.H3A TA2: [cited on 2014 Feb 14] Available From URL: http//www.pubmed.co.in last accessed on 8 November 2011

3. Sahu S, Chauhan L S: A study related to occupational workers (sugar cane industries):2003: [cited on 2014 Feb 14] Available from: www.who.com

4. Devendra K. Amree, Claire Infant- Rivard Andre; Prakash.m Durgawale, Pierre Ernst; Occupational Environment 1999: page no 548-552[cited on 2014 Feb 15] Available from: http://www.ilo.org

Received on 08.07.2019 Modified on 25.07.2019

Int. J. of Advances in Nur. Management. 2019; 7(4):311-315.

DOI: 10.5958/2454-2652.2019.00073.8