Occupational Risk Analysis while Performing Polyhouse Activities in Ludhiana

Polyhouse farming is an advanced method of farming, where farmers give full care to the plants. Polyhouse farming is used to protect crops from the adverse climatic conditions such as: wind, cold, precipitation, extreme temperature, insects and disease. Polyhouse technology protects high value vegetable crops and can be established as a small-scale industry in major vegetable growing areas of our country by progressive farmers especially in semi-urban areas. While doing polyhouse farming, there are several tasks which are considered dangerous for unskilled agricultural workers’ health. The tasks are: pesticide crop sprayers, use of biological products, use of hazardous agricultural tools and machinery. The unskilled agricultural workers are vulnerable to various occupational risks due to ignorance and lack of education. Most of the farm workers are hired for planting operations, they might be exposed to pesticides thereby, several skin diseases, poisoning, abdominal pain, nausea, headache, eye problems such as: rashes, inflammation. Most of the time, workers were also involved in several strenuous activities like land preparation, manuring, planting, irrigation, picking, pruning, tying, packing and storage. Working in unsuitable environment, combined with stress to the body from heavy physical activity can be potential to health hazards of workers. Therefore, this study was conducted to study different activities performed and various occupational risks faced by polyhouse workers and suggest the corrective measures to overcome these risks and provide healthy and safe environment for these workers. It was observed that maximum of polyhouse activities were performed in awkward postures like squatting bending or stooping postures resulting strain on lower back, upper arm, neck, feet. It was also observed that respondents usually carried load of 25-30 kg/day of harvested crops, fertilizers, saplings, agriculture tools and equipment. Major occupational risks which were faced by polyhouse workers include: headache, skin allergy, breathing difficulty, slip disk, low back pain, postural discomfort, trip falls and cuts from tool or equipment. After assessment of causes of occupational risk factors faced by polyhouse workers, various measures were suggested to reduce these risks.