Health Hazards and Health Problem of the Workers in Junk-shops in Moung District, Roi-Et Province

Abstract

The investigation was a cross-sectional descriptive research to study health hazards and
health problems of laborers who work in junk-shops in Moung district, Roi-Et province. By using a
questionaire98 workers were interrogated and an environmental survey were conducted in 18 junkshops
by a junk-shops assessment sheet designed by the Pollution Control Department, Ministry of
Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand. STATA window program was used for data analysis.
Statistical indicators consisted of percentage, average mean and standard deviation.
In case of the environmental assessment, it was found that 2 workplaces or 11.11%
passed the basic level of the standard while the conditions of 16workplaces or 88.89%
were below standard. 71.43% of the workplaces passed an environmental standard, the
location, building and sanitary conditions of 50.00%were acceptable while 42.11% of the
tested workplaces were sufficient in their operation and only 31.25% had an acceptable
standard according to occupational health and safety. Main deficiencies were related to
environmental issues. Workers within none of the shops could wash themselves in case of
handling toxic or skin irritating substances. Emergency precautions were non existent and
this was the case for the ability to trigger a fire alarm and only 15 workplaces had an fire
extinguisher. In some places only low-pressure extinguisher were found and very often
even installed in inconvenient areas and the devices were not ready to be used. Drinking
water fountain in 55.56% of the shops were installed incorrectly and personal protective
equipment was insufficient.
Form the workers 60.2 % of them were men with the average age of40.92 years. The
working process included weighing, recording, separating, transforming and packing junk. Workers
had to had to handle material in very different bodily positions. The majority of workers (85.71%)
worked for about 8 hrs./day. Particular health hazards found was dust (75.51%), noise (52.04%),,
overexposing to light (29.59%), chemical hazards ()and biological hazards (15.31%)
As far as individual health hazards were concerned 75.51% of the workers had
visual problems, 31.63% had hearing problems, and 37.76 % had skin symptoms.
Respiratory tract problems were common (70.41%) as well as muscular pan (93.88%). Over
the period of one year accidents happened in 29.59% of the shops and 65.52 % occurred
less than 1 time/month. In addition, there were6.9% of moderate injuries which forced the
workers to take a sick leave but not more than three days.