Health, Safety & Environmental

Hazards in Agriculture Industry

ANKUR SHARMA

Master of Industrial Hygiene & Safety

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Introduction

Agriculture is the most important occupation in our country employing about 60% of population

Agriculture and allied sectors contributed around 20 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP of India)

Agriculture is a very diverse industry that includes multiple occupational and environmental exposures and widely varying work practices

Agriculture has been defined as all forms of activity connected with

Growing

Harvesting

Primary processing of all types of crops

Breeding, Raising and Caring of animals

Source: (WHO)

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Introduction

Agriculture sector has important role in the growth of India.

technological advancement in the agriculture sector in India

has been seen in India in the last 2 decades which also

results in the heath & safety issues of agriculture worker.

There is also need of the grain management across the

country where the heath & safety issues are associated with

it.

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Introduction

Existing problems of this population

– Environmental stress and strain – Extreme climatic

conditions

– Very poor Housing and sanitation

– Problem of malnutrition

– Exposure to physical and biological agents

– Poor socio economic conditions predisposes to infectious

diseases

– Recent introduction of modern agricultural techniques like

• Mechanization of agriculture operations

• Use of various chemicals such as pesticides, fertilizers

and animal feeds (Hormones and Antibiotics) has led to

emergence of newer occupational health problems

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Hazard & Risk

A “hazard” is anything with the potential to do harm,

whereas

a “risk” is the likelihood of potential harm from that hazard

being realized.

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Hazard & Risk, for example

The hazard associated with power-driven agricultural

machinery might be getting trapped or entangled by

moving parts.

The risk may be high if guards are not fitted and

workers are in close proximity to the machine.

If however, the machine is properly guarded, regularly

maintained and repaired by competent staff, then the

risk will be lower.

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Mechanical Hazards

Poorly designed and/or guarded agricultural machinery is a

major cause of fatalities and accidents. Injuries from cutting

tools are another major risk.

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Physical Hazards

Noisy machinery, and noisy working environments such as

intensive livestock houses

Excessive vibration from tractors, chainsaws and so on

Deaths and injuries from falls

Asphyxiation in grain silos, wells and so on

Solar radiation resulting in skin cancers

Extreme temperatures when working outside and inside glass

houses

Deaths and injuries from working with livestock

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Biological Hazards

Agricultural workers are at risk from a wide range of

work related diseases and disorders.

These range from diseases caught from birds and

animals to asthma and other lung diseases from

biologically contaminated dusts.

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Psycho-social hazards

These include problems that can cause ill health such as

low pay, sexual and other harassment, job insecurity, poor

promotion mechanisms, delay in payment of salaries.

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Work Organisation Hazards

These include hazards that are caused by

poor work organization such as

badly organized shift work and working hours,

excessive overtime,

lone working,

lack of control over work.

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Ergonomic hazards

These include hazards associated with the failure to

make the job fit the worker and can cause permanent

injuries and disablement. For example:

Badly designed machinery

Prolonged static working positions

Repetitive work

Unsuitable tools used by workers

Poor seating

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Chemical hazards

Chemicals such as

Pesticides, Fertilizer and solvents can result in health hazards ranging

from poisoning to long term effects on female and male reproduction,

cancers and so on.

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Environmental hazards

Agricultural work can also create environmental hazards beyond

the immediate workplace. For example,

workers and their families,

local communities, and

the environment can become contaminated by pesticides in spray

drift,

polluted water and soil,

as well as through consuming local crops,

meat and fish containing pesticide residues.

This additional exposure greatly increases the risks of ill health

especially when this is linked to poor diet and malnutrition.

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Prevention is better than cure

The best way of protection is to take action before

occurrence of a fatality, injury, or an illness.

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Steps for prevention and control

When confronted with a hazard it is important to

approach prevention and control techniques in the

following strict order.

1. Ask whether the hazard can be eliminated. For example,

remove the need to use a toxic pesticide by using organic

farming methods

2. If the hazard cannot be prevented or eliminated, consider

substitution with a less risky process or substance in the

case of chemicals

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3. If a hazard cannot be

prevented through

elimination or substitution

consider control options, in

the following order:

Technical/engineering

control

Enclosure

Isolation

ventilation

Safe systems of work

changing work schedules

extending rest periods

training and information

Issuing Personal Protective

Equipment (PPE)

But only as a last resort to

supplement other control

measures listedabove. For

example:

Coveralls

Masks

Respirators

Goggles

boots

Other Methods

general cleanliness of the workplace

personal hygiene and care

medical health surveillance

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Hazard Identification Techniques

Body mapping

Hazard mapping

Involving members when carrying out HS&E checks

Health surveys

Information exchange in meetings and informal discussions

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Body mapping:

Provides an easy and effective way to encourage

workers to speak out and report symptoms of ill health

that they suffer

Promotes collective action and builds trade union

organization

Identifies common patterns of health problems

amongst workers in a particular workplace or doing the

same job

Highlights areas for further investigation and action

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Body mapping

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Hazard Mapping

Aims: help us to:

Identify priority hazards

Discuss the potential risks from these hazards

Develop plans to deal with the risks

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Hazard Mapping

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Examples of hazards

Physical hazards – noise, radiation, vibration, temperature

Chemical hazards – pesticides, dusts, diesel exhaust fumes

Biological hazards- infectious diseases, bacteria, body fluids

Work design hazards – ergonomic hazards, working alone

Stress hazards – workload, harassment, discrimination,

shiftwork

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TASK: In your small group:

Draw a typical work activity/ workplace you are all

familiar with

Place as much detail in the drawing as possible –

people, tools, materials chemicals

When the map is complete, mark hazards using pens

(coloured if they are available) on the drawings

Make sure that there is someone in your small group

that briefly notes down

What is said around the body map

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Planning the next steps:

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Enclosed and confined spaces

Dangers can arise because of:

Lack of oxygen

Poisonous fumes, welding fumes, gas or vapour

Drowning

Liquids and solids (for example, grain) which can suddenly fill the

space or release gases into it

Fire or explosion

Residues in tanks or vessels or impregnating internal surfaces

Dust

Heat

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What is ergonomics?

Ergonomics is the study of work in relation to the

environment in which it is performed (the workplace) and

those who perform it (workers).

It is used to determine how the workplace can be designed

or adapted to the worker in order to prevent a variety of

health problems and to increase efficiency;

in other words, to make the job fit the worker, instead of

forcing the worker to conform to the job.

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Application of Ergonomic

Without the application of ergonomic

principles, tools, machines, equipment and

workstations are often designed without due

consideration being given to the fact that

people are of all different heights, shapes and

sizes, and have different levels of strength.

Women workers have suffered particularly in

this regard.

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What does ergonomics cover?

Ergonomics is a broad science encompassing the wide

variety of working conditions that can affect worker comfort

and health, including factors such as:

Lighting and temperature

Noise and vibration

Tool, machine and workstation design

Footwear and protective equipment

Work organisation and job

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Manual handling-Hazards

Manual handling includes lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling,

carrying, moving or supporting a load by hand or bodily force.

It is not just the weight of the load that can cause injury: the size

and shape, the available grip, the way that the load is carried,

where and how often it has to be carried, and over what distance,

all play a part.

Workers may suffer from musculoskeletal problems such as

aches, strains and sprains as a result of manual handling.

These can also be caused by other tasks which involve repetitive

movements, force, unusual postures, prolonged pressure on

ajoint, badly organized working practices or work environment.

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Effects on health can include

Sprains or strains

Backache

Sciatica

Hernias

Arthritis

swelling of the wrist, forearm, elbow and shoulder

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Reduce the risk of injury by:

Using mechanical assistance, for example, sack trucks

Changing the type of load, for example, 20kg bags

rather than 50kg

Finding improved ways of handling

Providing training for workers where manual handling

cannot be avoided

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Even where technical/engineering controls, safe systems of work and other

techniques have been applied, it is possible that some hazards might remain.

These hazards may lead to injuries to the:

Lungs, for example, from breathing in contaminated air

Head and feet, for example, from falling materials

Eyes, for example, from flying particles or splashes of corrosive

liquids

Ears and hearing from noise

Skin, for example, from contact with corrosive materials

Body, for example, from extremes of heat or cold

Sometimes, PPE is needed in these cases to reduce the risks, but

only to supplement the other risk control measures already put in

place.

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ThanksQuestion..??