scholarly journals Precarious Essential Work, Immigrant Dairy Farmworkers, and Occupational Health Experiences in Vermont

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 3675
Author(s):  
Bindu Panikkar ◽  
Mary-Kate Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Social Representation ◽  
Health Hazards ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Dairy Workers ◽  
Health Experiences

Migrant dairy workers in Vermont face a wide range of occupational and health hazards at work. This research examines the environmental risks, occupational health hazards, and health outcomes experienced by migrant dairy farm workers in Vermont. This research draws on a triangulation of sources including analysis of data—surveys and interviews with migrant dairy farmworkers gathered by the organization Migrant Justice since 2015 as well as relevant key informant interviews with community organizations across the state to characterize the occupational health experiences of migrant dairy workers in Vermont. Our results show that Vermont migrant dairy farmworkers received poor health and safety training and lacked sufficient protective gear. Over three quarters of the respondents reported experiencing harm from chemical and biological risks. Close to half the survey respondents reported headaches, itchy eyes and cough; a quarter reported breathing difficulties; three fourths reported being hurt by animal-related risks. These exposures and existing health concerns are avoidable. Migrant workers require better social representation and advocates to negotiate better work-related protection and training, access to health services, and social welfare to ensure their health and safety.

Occupational and Environmental Health

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Occupational Health ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Practical Case ◽  
Environmental Sciences ◽  
Wide Range

This thoroughly updated seventh edition is a comprehensive, clearly written, and practical textbook that includes information on both occupational health and environmental health, providing the necessary foundation for recognizing and preventing work-related and environmentally induced diseases and injuries. National and international experts share their knowledge and practical experience in addressing a wide range of issues and evolving challenges in their fields. A multidisciplinary approach makes this an ideal textbook for students and practitioners in public health, occupational and environmental medicine, occupational health nursing, epidemiology, toxicology, occupational and environmental hygiene, safety, ergonomics, environmental sciences, and other fields. Comprehensive coverage provides a clear understanding of occupational and environmental health and its relationships to public health, environmental sciences, and government policy. Practical case studies demonstrate how to apply the basic principles of occupational and environmental health to real-world challenges. Numerous tables, graphs, and photographs reinforce key concepts. Annotated Further Reading sections at the end of chapters provide avenues for obtaining further infomation. This new edition of the book is thoroughly updated and also contains new chapters on climate change, children’s environmental health, liver disorders, kidney disorders, and a global perspective on occupational health and safety.

scholarly journals O7C.2 Developing a measuring strategy for monitoring and evaluation of a national occupational health intervention programme in great britain (GB)

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. A64.3-A65
Author(s):  
Yiqun Chen ◽  
Andrew Curran
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
National Level ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Measurement Framework ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Over Time

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the GB regulator for health and safety at work. The HSE Health and Work (H&W) program designs and carries out a wide range of interventions; including inspection, enforcement and other regulatory activities as well as prevention; targeting priority health conditions in high-risk sectors. It is anticipated that long-term, sustainable and coordinated actions developed as part of the program will over time improve awareness, behaviors, control of exposures, and, as a result, prevent work-related ill health in GB workforce.An HSE Measuring Strategy, together with measurement framework and principles, has been developed. The measurement framework draws together data systems, covering Attitudes (A), Behaviors (B), Control of exposures (C), and Disease and work-related ill health reduction (D), based on a simple model to provide evidence required for evaluating the short, medium and long term impacts of the large scale and complex H&W program on the GB health and safety system. The Strategy gives a new focus on measuring behavioral changes and risk reductions; and emphasizes longitudinal measurement designs to assess progress over time.For developing the Strategy, workshops were organized to bring stakeholders across HSE to review existing systems for conducting population surveys, collecting exposure intelligence and occupational health surveillance, which have contributed to forming a long-term vision of fit-for-purpose measurement systems.We will present the development of the Strategy and the plans to implement it with the H&W program, which requires close collaborations between epidemiologists and social researchers, policy makers, and other multidisciplinary regulatory specialists. The lessons learnt will help HSE towards building the right evidence base for monitoring and evaluation of a range of national level intervention programs for work-related ill health prevention.©British Crown copyright (2019)

scholarly journals Awareness and incidents of occupational health hazards among female workers of small scale food processing units of Punjab state

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-47
Author(s):  
Ritu Gupta ◽  
Deepika Bisht
Keyword(s):  
Women Workers ◽  
Occupational Health ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Food Processing ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Health Hazards ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Female Workers

Female workers have to work both in the industry as well as at the home to meet their family’s daily need. The work pattern in food processing units is very repetitive and exposes workers to several health risks. Lack of protective clothing and equipment also exposes workers’ health to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) hazards and diseases, thereby reducing their efficiency and productivity. The present study was, therefore, undertaken to explore the awareness and incidents of occupational health hazards among female workers of small scale food processing units. The study was carried out on 30 women workers engaged in small scale food processing units. The sample was randomly selected from five randomly selected food processing units of Punjab state. Personal interview method, using an interview schedule, and observation technique were adopted to collect the relevant data. Results revealed that most of the respondents were aware about many of the occupational health hazards related to their work and all the respondents were suffering from muscle pain and discomfort because of working in awkward posture for long working hours. Majority (85 %) of the respondents were aware about the regular use of Personal Protective Equipment/Clothing (PPE/PPC) at workplace, but only 33.3 per cent were using apron, 36.7 per cent were using gloves, 26.7 per cent were using face mask and 40 per cent were using head cover at the workplace. Also because of the pain in the lower back of the respondents, many of their routine activities got affected. The present study highlighted the occupational health hazards faced by the workers of small scale food processing units and the causes of health hazards. It will be beneficial for the workers and the employers of food processing units to take preventive measures to avoid or reduce any health risks at the workplace.

scholarly journals Effects of Occupational Environment on Employee Performance in Sugar Industries in Western Kenya

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 263
Author(s):  
Sylvia Bisela Simiyu ◽  
Muganda Munir Manini ◽  
Victor Lusala Aliata
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Employee Performance ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Accidents ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Occupational Environment ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Relationship

The Occupational Safety and Health Act No. 15 of 2007 and reread in 2010, offers for the safety health and benefit of personnel and all individuals lawfully current at places of employment in Kenya. Despite this workers have continued to face occupational health and safety challenges which expose them to a wide range of accidents which eventually pull down their performance. According to ILO statistics on safety and health at work of 28th April 2016, 6300 individuals succumb daily due to occupational accidents or employment associated ailments and deaths exceeding 2.3 million yearly. The study was purposed to investigate the effect of occupational health and safety (OHS) on employee performance in Sugar Industries in Western Kenya. The explicit objective was to determine the effects of occupational environment on employee performance in sugar industries in Western Kenya. The target population comprised 8801 staff in all the sugar firms in Western Kenya. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 383. Primary data was gathered by use of questions which were validated through a pilot study of 10 staff prior to the main research. Cronbach alpha coefficient with a threshold of 0.70 was used to test the reliability of the research instrument. The study findings revealed that: occupational environment contributed to employee performance β=0.585. The R2 change after incorporating Top Management Support was 0.290, P=0.000 implying that TMS statistically moderates the relationship between occupational health and safety and employee performance. Study concluded that: Occupational environment has a significant effect on employee performance while TMS has a significant moderator and influences the relationship between OHS and employee performance.

Trends in Occupational Health and Safety Policy in Italy

1981 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastiano Bagnara ◽  
Marco Biocca ◽  
Danielle Gattegno Mazzonis
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Health Hazards ◽  
Government Policies ◽  
Political Debate ◽  
Safety Policy ◽  
Italian Experience ◽  
Health Institutions ◽  
The 1960S

Experience with and reflections on the interaction among the workplace, the society, and various institutions in the area of occupational health have played an important role in the general political debate in Italy since the 1960s. This paper describes the emergence of the workers' model of investigation into health hazards, an element unique to the Italian experience, and analyzes its impact on the organization of work, government policies, health institutions, and scientific research.

Occupational Health and Safety of Migrant Workers: An International Concern

2016 ◽  
pp. 121-144
Author(s):  
Mark Boocock ◽  
Zeenobiyah Hannif ◽  
Suzanne Jamieson ◽  
J. Ryan Lamare ◽  
Felicity Lamm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety

scholarly journals Occupational Health and Safety for Migrant Domestic Workers in Canada: Dimensions of (Im)mobility

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole S. Hill ◽  
Sara Dorow ◽  
Bob Barnetson ◽  
Javier F. Martinez ◽  
Jared Matsunaga-Turnbull
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Population Mobility ◽  
Federal Policies ◽  
Fort Mcmurray ◽  
Physical Hazards ◽  
Permanent Residency ◽  
Private Homes

This study examines the occupational health and safety experiences of migrant workers employed as live-in caregivers in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Interviews with and surveys of caregivers identify four categories of common occupational hazards, including fatigue, psychosocial stress, physical hazards, and exposure to harassment and abuse. These hazards are systemically perpetuated, made invisible, and rendered irremediable by intertwined (im)mobilities. At the macrolevel, they include highly circumscribed and precarious conditions of transnational care migration such as indenturing to private and underregulated recruiters, federal policies that tie status to employers and employment, and changeable, rule-bound pathways to permanent residency. At the mesolevel, we find a volatile mix of mobilities and immobilities associated with employment in the oil economy of Fort McMurray, such as high population mobility and turnover, long work and commuting hours, and remoteness. And, at the microlevel, we find the everyday immobilities and highly circumscribed conditions and complexities of working and living with employers in private homes.

scholarly journals Protection for Migrant Workers under Evolving Occupational Health and Safety Regimes in China

2017 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mankui Li
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
State Regulation ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Regulation Model ◽  
Employment Legislation

Migrant workers in China are a distinctive group due to the existence of the hukou system under which they continue to face restrictions on housing, education, and health care in urban areas. The equal employment legislation does not solve the discrimination problems. Compared with their urban counterparts, migrant workers are more vulnerable, in terms of both precarity of employment and the occupational hazards that they are exposed to, and badly need OHS protection. Any weakness of OHS regime will have a disproportionately adverse effect on migrant workers. China’s OHS regime has been through constant evolution. The old prevention structure, which separated occupational health from occupational safety, was proved to be less effective in protecting migrant workers. In recognition of its deficiencies, China’s top legislature made adjustments to the OHS legal framework by enacting and updating a series of laws. The new prevention structure, unifying the occupational health administration and the occupational safety administration, represents a step forward in terms of OHS protection for migrant workers. According to worker citizenship theory, China’s OHS regime can be categorized as a direct state regulation model. It carries with it both the strengths and weaknesses of direct state regulation models. On the participation rights dimension, the lack of consultative joint OHS committees and the lack of effective collective bargaining shut migrant workers out from the decision-making process on OHS matters. On the social rights dimension, the gendered and aged-based approach becomes a hindrance for female migrant workers and young migrant workers. Furthermore, levels of enforcement vary considerably across different periods and areas, subject to the ever-changing priorities on the government’s agenda. Migrant workers are still facing tremendous obstacles and challenges in obtaining access to adequate protection under the current OHS regime in China. Future reform measures should focus on delivering OHS protection for migrant workers in the informal sector, strengthening participation, and centralizing OHS administration, especially enforcement.

scholarly journals 385 An overlooked priority: the occupational health and safety of migrant workers

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (Suppl 2) ◽  
pp. A141.1-A141
Author(s):  
Courtland Robinson ◽  
Abdulgafoor Bachani ◽  
Casey Branchini Risko
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety
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