The Clarion International Multidisciplinary Journal

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1 E The Carion Voume 2 Number 1 (2013) PP The Carion Internationa Mutidiscipinary Journa ISSN : Occupationa heath hazards of tea garden workers of Hajua and Marangi tea estates of Assam, India Parijat Borgohain Department of Geography, Cotton Coege, Guwahati, India. Abstract Occupationa Heath Hazards refer to the potentia risks to heath and safety of workers in their workpaces. Tea garden workers are susceptibe to a number of hazards in their workpaces due to physica, bioogica, mechanica, chemica and psychosocia factors. The present paper tries to examine the occupationa heath hazards faced by the tea garden workers of Hajua Tea Estate of Sibsagar District and Marangi Tea Estate of Goaghat District in Assam. Factors such as income, educationa eves of the workers, avaiabiity of medica faciities in the tea gardens, hygiene and sanitation, genera awareness and perception about the different occupationa heath hazards have been taken into account whie arriving at the findings of the study. It has been found from the study that the tea garden workers are educationay agging behind, heath faciities are not adequate and safety measures are acking. This has resuted in a number of work-reated accidents and the workers are found to suffer from a number of heath probems. The study has been conducted mainy with the hep of primary data coected with the hep of a questionnaire. Atogether 72 workers, both mae and femae of Hajua Tea Estate and 140 workers of Marangi Tea Estate have been surveyed by Random Samping Method. In addition, secondary information has been coected from sources such as books, journas and the Internet. Keywords : Accidents, Hygiene and sanitation, Medica faciities, Occupationa heath hazards. 1. Introduction Occupationa heath aims at prevention of disease and maintenance of the highest degree of physica, menta and socia we-being of workers in a occupations. The Joint ILO/WHO Committee on Occupationa Heath, gave the foowing definition. Occupationa Heath shoud aim at the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physica, menta and socia we-being of workers in a occupations, the prevention among workers of departures from heath caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their empoyment from risks resuting from factors adverse to heath; the pacing and maintenance of the worker in an occupationa environment adapted to his physioogica and psychoogica equipment, and, the adaptation of work to man and of each man to his job (ILO/ WHO, 1995). One of the basic aims of occupationa heath is to provide a safe occupationa environment in order to safeguard the heath of the workers and to step up industria production. Occupation and heath are cosey reated. The occupationa environment of the worker cannot be separated from his domestic environment. Both are compementary to each other. Stress at work may disturb his domestic ife just as stress at home may affect his work (Park, 2005). Tea is consumed in about 100 countries and India is the argest producer and consumer of tea in the word (Baroowah, 2006). Assam is the Corresponding author : parijat_borgohain@rediffmai.com

2 130 Borgohain / The Carion (2013) argest tea producing state in India and contributes about 60 per cent of the tota production of India (Sen, 2008). Tea is an important agro-industry of Assam, which contributes immensey to the state s economy (Griffiths, 1967). The present study tries to find out the occupationa heath hazards of tea garden workers of Hajua Tea Estate in Sibsagar District and Marangi Tea Estate in Goaghat District of Assam. (Figure - 1). Figure - 1 : Map of Assam (India) showing the ocation of Hajua and Marangi Tea Estates 2. Objectives The objectives of the study are as foows : to find out the vunerabiity of the tea garden workers to various heath probems, to find out the various occupationa heath hazards faced by the workers of the surveyed tea estates, to find out the effects of the heath probems of the workers upon their occupationa and socia ives, and to suggest measures for mitigating the occupationa heath hazards of the tea garden workers. 3. Methodoogy The study has been mainy conducted with the hep of a questionnaire prepared for the purpose. Queries reevant to the theme under study has been incuded in the questionnaire ike income pattern, housing conditions, source of drinking water, heath and safety measures avaiabe to the workers of Hajua and Marangi tea estates, heath probems of the workers, etc. The services of a medica practitioner was utiized to assess the medica heath of the tea garden workers, Atogether 72 workers from Hajua Tea Estate and 140 workers from Marangi Tea Estate were seected by Random Samping Method. Data has aso been coected by conducting group discussion with fied officias and supervisors and by interacting with the management of the two estates. Secondary information on the subject has been coected from sources such as books, journas and the Internet. The additiona information has been thoroughy examined ony to buid up a strong perspective towards examining the topic. Looking from various anges enabes a range of views to be considered in criticay anayzing the topic under study. Voume 2 Number 1 (2013)

3 Borgohain / The Carion (2013) 131 The data coected through the questionnaire has been anayzed and appropriate statistica methods and techniques incuding bar diagrams, coumn diagrams, pie charts have been used wherever possibe for interpreting the findings of the study. 4. Anaysis and Discussion The occupationa heath hazards of tea garden workers of Hajua and Marangi tea estates can be gauged by the socia and economic faciities avaiabe to them such as wages, housing faciities, etc., by the heath faciities avaiabe in the tea gardens, safety measures adopted in their working environments, etc. 4.1 Socio-economic settings of the workers of Hajua and Marangi Tea Estates Educationa quaification Most of the workers of Hajua and Marangi Tea Estates are not highy educated with many of them being iiterate. It is seen that the mae workers of Hajua Tea Estate are comparativey more educated compared to those of Marangi Tea Estate. (Figure - 2 up to Figure - 4). Figure - 2 Figure - 3 Voume 2 Number 1 (2013)

4 132 Borgohain / The Carion (2013) Figure Nature of work More than two-thirds of the surveyed respondents are permanent workers at Hajua Tea Estate whie more than haf of the workers of Marangi Tea Estate are temporary workers. The surveyed workers are engaged in various types of work, as eaf puckers, pesticide sprayers, workers of the tea factory ocated inside Marangi Tea Estate, bungaow workers working as cook, servant, chowkidar, abourers, etc. A the surveyed femae workers of Marangi Tea Estate and per cent of Hajua Tea Estate are eaf puckers, whie per cent are engaged in other activities. A the surveyed pesticide sprayers are mae (Figure - 5, Figure - 6) Figure - 5 Voume 2 Number 1 (2013)

5 Borgohain / The Carion (2013) 133 Figure Income : The surveyed temporary and permanent workers earn Rs. 400/- per week (Rs /- per day) in Marangi Tea Estate whie temporary workers earn Rs /- per day and permanent workers from Rs.1300/- onwards per month depending on the nature of work in Hajua Tea Estate. Temporary workers work for 6-7 months in a year. Earnings of the surveyed permanent workers of both the tea estates have been cacuated after provident fund deductions Housing : The permanent empoyees of Hajua Tea Estate and Marangi Tea Estate are provided with quarters which are Assam Type houses. The temporary workers of both the estates ive in their own Kutcha houses. 5. Heath and Sanitation faciities avaiabe at Hajua and Marangi Tea Estates Tea workers, ike any other industria workers are prone to accidents at work. Therefore, readiy avaiabe medica and emergency services hep in giving prompt medicine and treatment to the workers. 5.1 Heath Faciities : Marangi Tea Estate has a hospita inside the tea garden manned by a doctor, a nurse and two compounders. An Out Patient Department (OPD) is aso avaiabe in the hospita. Hajua Tea Estate does not have a garden hospita. A sick workers are referred to the nearby parent hospita ocated in Khumtai Hajua Tea Estate 6 km away which has a 30- bedded hospita manned by a Senior Medica officer, 3 pharmacists, 4 nurses and 5 dressers. Permanent workers of the two estates get free medicines whie the temporary abourers get free treatment and medicine if they fa sick whie they are working in the tea estate. There are six member groups known as Mother s Cub in Hajua Tea Estate consisting of permanent femae workers who are trained by UNICEF in the tea estate itsef on heath and hygiene and ceaniness. They campaign door-to-door two days per week educating the workers about the demerits of iquor consumption, benefits of iving in cean surroundings and about the drawbacks of absenteeism from work. 5.2 Sanitation faciities : Most of the surveyed workers of Hajua Tea Estate have sanitary atrines whie a the workers of Marangi Estate have pit atrines. Drainage system in Voume 2 Number 1 (2013)

6 134 Borgohain / The Carion (2013) the abour ines is poor and suage water pass out of the houses through narrow drains cut in the ground in both the tea estates. Overfow of water into the nearby areas creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes and germs (Bhadra, 1997). 5.3 Hygiene : Hygiene infuences the heath of a popuation. The surveyed respondents wash their face and brush their teeth daiy. They use tooth brushes or twigs of trees to brush their teeth. They cannot afford to use soap reguary for washing purpose. More than 90 per cent of the surveyed respondents of Hajua Tea Estate and more than 75 per cent of the workers of Marangi Tea Estate drink boied water to ward off water-borne diseases. 5.4 Using mosquito nets : The cimate of Assam is highy receptive to maaria transmission (Dev et a., 2006). Using mosquito nets heps in preventing maaria. More than 90 per cent of the surveyed workers of Hajua and 75 per cent of the surveyed workers of Marangi Tea Estates use mosquito nets whie seeping. 5.5 Visiting doctor when sick : When the workers of the surveyed tea estates fa sick, they usuay visit the garden doctor or doctors and pharmacists avaiabe in nearby pharmacies and hospitas. But the study has reveaed that about 23 per cent of tea garden workers of Marangi Tea Estate visit bez or traditiona doctors who prescribe traditiona medicine. 6. Occupationa Heath Hazards faced by the workers of Hajua and Marangi Tea Estates Tea garden workers are susceptibe to numerous occupationa heath probems as aready stated above. Some major occupationa heath hazards faced by the surveyed workers are stated beow : 6.1 Physica Hazards : A number of respondents of Hajua and Marangi Tea Estates report feeing some form of inconvenience in their working environments on account of heat, cod, rain, ight, noise, vibration, etc. (Tabe-1, Tabe- 2). Tabe - 1 : Physica hazards faced at work by the workers of Hajua Tea Estate. Category Mae P. C. Femae P. C. Heat Cod Rain Tabe - 2 : Physica hazards faced at work by the workers of Marangi Tea Estate. Category Mae P. C. Femae P. C. Heat Cod Rain Noise Vibration Voume 2 Number 1 (2013)

7 Borgohain / The Carion (2013) Mechanica hazards : Some mechanica hazards faced by the workers of the surveyed tea estates are stated beow (Tabe - 3, Tabe - 4). Tabe - 3 : Mechanica Hazards faced at work by the workers of Hajua Tea Estate. Category Mae P. C. Femae P. C. Cuts Injuries Sprains Tabe - 4 : Mechanica Hazards faced by the workers of Marangi Tea Estate. Category Mae P. C. Femae P. C. Cuts Injuries Sprains Bioogica Hazards : Tea garden workers are susceptibe to a number of bioogica hazards ike insect bite, funga infections and maaria, among others per cent of the surveyed workers of Hajua Tea Estate and 20 per cent of the surveyed workers of Marangi Tea Estate have suffered from insect bites whie working in the tea gardens. Besides, 6.67 per cent of the surveyed mae workers and per cent of femae workers of Hajua Tea Estate have been found to have suffered from maaria, whie about 1 per cent of mae and femae workers of Marangi Tea Estate have been found to have suffered from maaria. 6.4 Chemica Hazards : None of the surveyed workers of the two tea estates have been found to have been affected by chemica hazards such as dermatitis, eczema, ucers, among others. 6.5 Psychosocia Hazards : Psychosocia heath of the tea garden workers is aso infuenced by their overa occupationa heath conditions. Psychosocia workpace characteristics reated to stress and work frustration may be due to heath outcomes, the baance between a worker s efforts and the rewards (e.g., pay, recognition, status, prospects of promotion, etc.) received for his or her work, and the extent to which supervisors (Pun et a, 2003) and co-workers are supportive. Other psychosocia characteristics incude work stabiity, service conditions, job satisfaction, wefare conditions in the tea estates, etc. (Park, 2005). Job satisfaction of the surveyed tea garden workers of Hajua and Marangi Tea Estates are stated beow (Tabe - 5). Voume 2 Number 1 (2013)

8 136 Borgohain / The Carion (2013) Tabe - 5 : Job Satisfaction among the surveyed tea garden workers. Hajua Tea Estate Marangi Tea Estate Category Mae P. C. Femae P. C. Mae P. C. Femae P. C. Very much satisfied Just satisfied Not so much satisfied Not at a satisfied It is seen that more than 50 per cent of the surveyed tea garden workers of Hajua Tea Estate and more than 24 per cent of the workers in Marangi Tea Estate are very much satisfied with their jobs. The higher satisfaction eves among the workers of Hajua Tea Estate may be on account of most of them being permanent workers enjoying better medica, housing and other benefits (Tabe - 5). 7. Heath probems faced by the surveyed tea garden workers The surveyed tea garden workers of Hajua and Marangi tea estates report facing some heath probems which are stated beow (Tabe - 6, Tabe - 7). Tabe - 6 : Heath Probems faced by the respondents of Hajua Tea Estate. Category Mae P. C. Femae P. C. Body pain Anaemia High B.P Respiratory diseases Cough Headache Maaria Abdomina Disorder Chest Pain Voume 2 Number 1 (2013)

9 Borgohain / The Carion (2013) 137 Tabe - 7 : Heath Probems faced by the respondents of Marangi Tea Estate. Category Mae P. C. Femae P. C. Body pain Anaemia High B.P Respiratory diseases Cough Headache Causes of vunerabiity of the tea workers to various occupationa heath hazards Genera awareness and perception about occupation hazards are ow among the tea garden workers because of iiteracy and aso because they ive in isoated surroundings with few contacts with the urban miieu (Bhadra, 1997). The main causes of vunerabiity of the surveyed workers of Hajua and Marangi Tea Estates to occupationa hazards are stated beow : The workers cannot afford a nutritiona diet because of ow wages and fa prey to diseases easiy (van der Wa, 2008). Temporary workers get fewer socia benefits ike medica care, housing, educationa faciities for their chidren, etc. Pesticides are often sprayed without proper protection. Protective gear is aso not provided to the workers whie operating machines in the tea garden factory of Marangi Tea Estate, thus resuting in cuts and bruises. Intoxication among the tea garden workers is a common phenomenon. More than 80 per cent of mae workers of both the tea estates and per cent and 40 per cent femae workers of Hajua and Marangi Tea Estates respectivey drink rice beer. Around 70 per cent of the mae workers of both the tea estates smoke and/or chew tobacco whie per cent surveyed femae tea garden workers of Hajua and per cent femae workers of Marangi tea estates chew tobacco which is injurious to heath. 9. Effects of occupationa heath hazards upon the occupationa and socia ives of the tea garden workers I-heath of the tea workers on account of occupationa heath hazards ike physica hazards, chemica hazards, bioogica hazards, mechanica hazards and psychoogica hazards may resut in a host of physica and psychosocia probems. Effects of physica hazards ike vibration may resut in fatigue, irritabiity, headache, spina disorders, etc. Hearing continuous high decibe sounds in the tea factory may ead to irritabiity, headache, hearing impairment, etc. Insect bites, cuts, injuries and other accidents aong with other occupationa diseases cause pain, weakness and discomfort to the workers. Among the surveyed tea garden workers, 15 (33.33 per cent) mae and 16 (59.26 per cent) femae workers respectivey of Hajua Tea Estate have remained absent from work during the past one year on account of injuries and inesses, resuting in oss of income; whie 50 (62.50 per cent) mae and Voume 2 Number 1 (2013)

10 138 Borgohain / The Carion (2013) 54 (90 per cent) femae workers respectivey of Marangi Tea Estate have remained absent from work during the past one year on account of the same. Among the surveyed tea garden workers of Hajua Tea Estate, per cent and per cent of the mae and femae workers respectivey suffer from work frustration. Among the surveyed tea garden workers of Marangi Tea Estate, per cent and per cent of the mae and femae workers respectivey suffer from work frustration. Stress experienced at the workpace may resut in fatigue, anxiety, irritabiity or depression. It may spiover to their homes and may be one of the causes of domestic vioence, heavy drinking, etc. It is seen that domestic vioence is prevaent among 40 per cent and 22 per cent workers of Hajua and Marangi tea estates respectivey. 10. Suggestions for improving the occupationa heath of the tea garden workers of Hajua and Marangi Tea Estates Some suggestions for improving the occupationa heath conditions of the tea garden workers of Hajua and Marangi Tea Estates are as stated beow : Educationa faciities for the tea garden workers shoud be improved. There is a primary schoo in each of the surveyed tea estates. The tea garden workers shoud be made aware of the importance of forma education upon one s future. Income of both permanent and temporary workers shoud be increased so that they can ead comfortabe and hygienic ifestyes and invest more in heath and education. The tea garden workers shoud be made aware of the importance of the heath benefits of drinking safe drinking water, of using mosquito nets whie seeping, of keeping their surroundings cean and free from dirt and stagnant water. The was and machinery of the tea factory at Marangi Tea Estate shoud be kept cean, machines shoud be fenced off and the foors, stairs and means of access shoud be of sound construction (Indian Tea Association, 1991). Protective cothing ike goves, masks, hemets, etc. shoud aso be provided to workers working inside the tea garden factory at Marangi Tea Estate. Spraying and fumigating the residentia areas with insecticide from time to time wi reduce the number of mosquitoes and fies. Tea garden workers can be provided with umbreas and japi, the traditiona Assamese cap to protect them from the heat and rain. Proper training regarding handing of toos and machines shoud be given to workers before operating the factory machines. Utmost precaution shoud be taken whie spraying chemicas so that the workers are not exposed to hazardous chemicas. Protection equipment such as gogges or face shieds, chemica-resistant goves, aprons, boots and respirators shoud be provided. Injuries to the ower back resuting from ifting heavy goods are common among tea workers (35 per cent surveyed workers of both the tea estates suffer from it). Mechanica devices such as vacuum ifts can aid in reducing heavy ifting tasks. Assigning more than one worker to a heavy ifting task can hep reduce the chances of back injury. Rotation of duties can be done to minimize the i-effects of workers working in the factory at Marangi Tea Estate and the pesticide sprayers working in both the surveyed tea estates. The tea garden workers heath shoud be promoted by providing information and making them aware of heath issues and encouraging them to make physioogica, menta and socia choices that improve their heath (IGNOU, 2009). The two main aws for compensating occupationa diseases and accidents, ie, the Workman s Compensation Act and the Voume 2 Number 1 (2013)

11 Borgohain / The Carion (2013) 139 Empoyees State Insurance (ESI) shoud be enforced in both the tea estates. The Pantation Labour Act, 1951, shoud be enforced so that the physica, socia and emotiona/psychoogica securities of the workers are not compromised by the owners of the tea gardens in the name of earning more revenue. Heath faciities shoud be further improved in both the tea estates. More heath empoyees ike doctors, nurses and pharmacists shoud be appointed at Marangi Tea Estate, which is a big tea estate. Heath awareness camps and faciities for periodic heath check up of the empoyees of both the tea estates shoud be provided. Rehabiitation of sick and disabed tea garden workers shoud aso be taken care of by the authorities of the tea estates. The workers ike to be recognized for their work and are susceptibe to the effects of ove, recognition, rejection, job satisfaction, rewards and discipine (Park, 2005). As such, the master-servant reationship existing in the tea estates shoud be graduay done away with. 11. Concusion The study has reveaed that the tea garden workers of both Hajua and Marangi Tea Estates of Assam have a ong way to go in terms of mitigating the occupationa heath hazards. Prevention and contro of occupationa heath hazards among the workers can be done by reguar environmenta monitoring incuding exposure to chemica, bioogica, mechanica and physica agents in their work environments. Providing economic benefits wi hep in boosting the morae of the workers thereby improving their physica and menta heath. The present heath status of the tea garden workers can be improved through better hygienic practices, environmenta sanitation, creating heath awareness and nutritiona intervention and overa improvement of socio-economic conditions of the popuation (Medhi, et a., 2006). Under the Pantation Labour Act, 1951, empoyers are required to provide ration, fue, housing, maternity benefits and free medica treatment to the workers, appoint wefare officers, make primary education compusory for a and have crèches where there are more than 50 women empoyees. Athough some of the above benefits are avaiabe to the workers of the two surveyed tea estates, some of them are not appicabe in the case of temporary workers who constitute a considerabe proportion in the surveyed tea estates, as aready stated. The tea garden authorities of both Hajua and Marangi tea estates have to be more sensitive to the socioeconomic needs of the workers so that there is an overa improvement in occupationa heath, thereby mitigating the heath hazards to the greatest possibe extent. References Baroowah, G. P., 2006 : The Legend, Life and Liveihood of India, Guwahati, india, LBS Pubications, Bhadra, R. K., 1997 : Socia Dimensions of Heath of Tea Pantation Workers in India, Dibrugarh, India, N.L. Pubishers, Dev, V., Dash, A. P., Khound, K., 2006 : High-risk areas of maaria and prioritizing interventions in Assam, Current Science, Vo. 90 (1), Griffiths, P., 1967 : The History of the Indian Tea Industry, London, U. K., Wiam Cowes and Sons, IGNOU, 2009 : Human Resource Management MPA-014, New Dehi, India : Berry Art Press, ILO/WHO, 1995 : Occupationa safety and Heath, retrieved from dated Voume 2 Number 1 (2013)

12 140 Borgohain / The Carion (2013) Indian Tea Association, 1991 : Labour Legisation, Vo.1, Cacutta, India, ITA, Medhi, G. K., Hazarika, N. C., Shah, B., Mahanta, J., 2006 : Study of heath probems and nutritiona status of tea garden popuation of Assam, Indian Journa of Medica Science, Vo 60(12) : Park, K., 2005 : Park s Textbook of Preventive and Socia Medicine, Jabapur, India, Banarsjdas Bhanot Pubishers, Pun, K. F., Yam, R.C.M., Lewis, W. G., 2003 : Safety management system registration in the shipping industry, Internationa Journa of Quaity & Reiabiity Management, Vo. 20 (6) : Sen, B. B. (ed.), 2008 : Origin and Deveoment of Tea, Guwahati, India, EBH Pubishers, iii-v. Wa, van der S., 2008 : Sustainabiity Issues in the Tea Sector, A Comparative Anaysis of Six Leading Producing Countries, Amsterdam, Netherand, Centre for Research on Mutinationa Corporation, n n n Voume 2 Number 1 (2013)