Inadequate housing and food, unsafe water, poor sanitation, hazardous working conditions and little or no access to health care – all of these contribute to ill health which is one of the main brakes on poverty-reducing development.
Complications arising from undiagnosed or untreated diseases prevalent in many low-income countries and especially among rural populations (such as malaria, tuberculosis, gastro-intestinal disorders, anaemia and HIV/AIDS), combined with the health consequences of hazardous work, can be deadly and are certainly debilitating.
A vicious circle of poor health, reduced working capacity, low productivity and shortened life expectancy is a typical outcome in the absence of social interventions addressing the underlying problems of irregular and low-quality employment, low pay, and lack of social protection. Disability as a result of hazardous work is a major cause of poverty, affecting entire families.
According to ILO estimates, there are about 335,000 fatal workplace accidents worldwide each year. Mortality rates have remained consistently high over the past decade, particularly in developing countries. Some 170,000 agricultural workers are estimated to have been killed in 1997.
Much agricultural work in developing countries is physically demanding, involving long periods of standing, stooping, bending and carrying out repetitive movements in awkward body positions. Poorly designed tools, difficult terrain and exposure to the elements increase fatigue and the risk of accidents. Even when technological change has mitigated the physical drudgery of agricultural work, it has introduced new risks, notably those associated with the use of sophisticated machinery and the intensive use of chemicals without appropriate safety measures, information and training. In developing countries, the risks are increased by the use of toxic chemicals that are banned or restricted in other countries, unsafe application techniques, poorly maintained equipment, lack of information available to the end-user on the precautions necessary for safe use, inadequate storage practices, and the reuse of old chemical containers for food and water storage.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of agricultural work is that working and living conditions are interwoven. Workers and their families live on the land, where there is much environmental spillover from the occupational risks mentioned above. Wider community exposure to pesticides may occur in the form of contamination of foodstuffs, the misuse of containers for food or water storage, the diversion of chemically treated seeds for human consumption, and the contamination of groundwater with chemical wastes. Rural communities often lack the education and information they need to respond appropriately to risks. Many workers may never see a doctor, as none is available within a reasonable distance.
Conditions in urban informal economies are no better. The majority of urban informal sector workers live in poor conditions and lack basic health and welfare services and social protection. A combination of undesirable living and working conditions results in vulnerability to diseases and poor health. The conditions under which most informal workers operate are precarious, unhealthy and unsafe. Many of the micro-enterprises in which they work have ramshackle structures and lack sanitary facilities, potable water or adequate waste disposal.
To learn more about this author, visit International Labour Organization's Website.
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International Labour Organization
(Visit International's Website)
As the world's only tripartite
multilateral agency, the ILO is dedicated
to bringing decent work and livelihoods,
job-related security and better living
standards to the people of both poor and
rich countries. It helps to attain those
goals by promoting rights at work,
encouraging opportunities for decent
employment, enhancing social protection
and strengthening dialogue on work-related
issues.
The ILO is the international meeting place
for the world of work. We are the experts
on work and employment and particularly on
the critical role that these issues play
in bringing about economic development and
progress. At the heart of our mission is
helping countries build the institutions
that are the bulwarks of democracy and to
help them become accountable to the
people.
The ILO formula | | | |
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