Impact of Workplace Factors on the Physical Health of Cashew Workers

Abstract

Employment and working conditions have significant effects on the health of cashew workers. Majority of the cashew workers work with no social protection for seeking better health care coupled with lack of regulatory enforcement of occupational health and safety standards add to the problems. Work related health issues result have severe impact on the overall standard of living of the workers and it causes an economic loss because of reduced productivity in most industries. About 70 % of cashew workers do not have any insurance to compensate them in case of occupational diseases and injuries. People engaged in cashew processing units spend about one third of their time of a day at the workplace. Good working conditions can provide social protection and status, personal development opportunities and protection from physical and psychosocial hazards. They can also improve social relations and self esteem of employees and lead to positive health effects. But the innate nature of the jobs related to cashew processing requires the workers to take repeated activities while being seated in unhealthy postures and in unhealthy working environment. The health of workers is an essential prerequisite for household income, productivity and economic development. Therefore maintaining the health of the workers is an important function of the employers. Conditions of employment, occupation and the position in the workplace hierarchy also affect health. This study aims to find the diseases associated with various types of jobs in cashew industries.