The construction sector is one of the most important sources of employment for labour in India. The workers in the construction sector are exposed to high concentrations of particulate matter at their place of work. This increases their susceptibility to various respiratory diseases, particularly Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Distress (COPD) and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). This study is based on a sample of 30 migrant construction workers who have been in the construction labour force in the Delhi- National Capital Region for a minimum of three years. The study reports comparative pulmonary fitness and haematological parameters of the workers in the construction sector versus other sectors. The pulmonary function test parameters like FVC (forced vital capacity), FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in one sec), FEV1/FVC, and PEF (Peak Expiratory Flow) were performed in both test and control groups using a spirometer. Our results show that the pulmonary fitness indicators like FVC, FEV1and PEF are significantly impaired in construction workers as compared to those of the control group. Based on Independent t-test using SPSS Statistics, we observed significant differences (p< 0.05) in FEV1 and FVC between both groups. The study thus confirms that labourers exposed to poor air quality at the construction site are susceptible to respiratory diseases, particularly ARDS. All of this reflects the poor enforcement of the adequate safety measures well enlisted in social legislations like the BOCWA (Building and Other Construction Workers Act).
Key words: ARDS, BOCWA, FEV1/FVC, migrant construction labour.
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