Health Status and Occupational Health Hazards Among Home-based Garment Workers in Semarang, Indonesia
Abstract
Occupational health and safety are important issues as technology develops and work principles shift. Home-based workers in the garment industrial sector are similar to other home-based workers who work without health protection, work safety, or social insurance. The assessment and management of working environmental
hazards are further challenges in worker management, especially for home-based workers. This study is aimed at assessing the health and safety status of home-based workers in the garment industrial sector in Semarang City and to suggest safety measures for workers. Assessments were conducted using the direct survey method.
The survey results from 58 home-based workers in the garment industrial sector selected through purposive sampling show that they are exposed to physical factors such as heat stress and noise (58.62%), dust and chemicals (41.38%), and ergonomic hazards (100%). The health problems experienced included dizziness and headaches (51.72%), vision problems (34.48%), ringing ears (6.9%), cough and breathlessness (8.62%), tingling (63.78%), and muscle and bone pain (67.24%). The types of injuries that occurred were joint pain (75.9%), stiffness (53.4%), and muscle pain (15.5%). This study shows that home-based workers in the garment industrial sector exposed to dust and chemical hazards are 9.4 times more likely to suffer health problems than workers with no exposure to dust and chemical hazards.
Keywords: Garment, garment industrial sector, home-based workers
References
[1] Ozguler, V. C. (October 2012). Home-based Woman Workers: The Case of Turkey/Eskisehir. International Journal Business Social Science, vol. 3, no. 19, pp. 262– 271.
[2] Hunga, A. I. R. (2009). Transformation POS: Home-workers in Putting-out Systembased Micro-small Medium Industry (The Case Study of Batik and Batik Convention Industry in the Sragen Surakarta-Sukoharjo Cluster), in International Graduate Students conference on Indonesia, 1–2.
[3] Pieper, A. P. P. (2017). Working Conditions in the Indonesian Leather and Footwear Sector. N. Grobe (ed.). Bonn: Sudwind e.V.
[4] Chen, M. A. and Sinha, S. (September 2016). Home-based Workers and Cities. International Institute for Environment and Development, vol. 28, pp. 343–358.
[5] Setyaningsih, Y., Husodo, A. H., and Astuti I. (2015). Detection of urinary 8- hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels as a biomarker of oxidative DNA damage among home industry workers exposed to chromium. Procedia Environment Science, vol. 23, pp. 290–296.
[6] Wagstaff, A. S. and Sigstad Lie J. A. (2011). Shift and night work and long working hours—A systematic review of safety implication. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, vol. 37, no. 3, pp. 173–185.
[7] Setyaningsih, Y., Astuti, I., and Husodo, A. (2015). Determinants levels of urinary 8 hydroxydeoxyguanosine among chromium electroplating workers. International Journal of Public Health Science, vol. 5, p. 422.
[8] Miranda, H. (2011). Violence at the workplace increases the risk of musculoskeletal pain among nursing home workers. Occupational Environ Medical, vol. 69, no. 1, pp. 52–57.
[9] Tucker, P. and Folkard, S. (2012). Working time, health and safety: A research synthesis paper, conditions of work and employment series (31st edition). Geneva: International Labour Organization.
[10] Konya, R. S., Akpiri, R. U., and Orji, N. P. (2013). The use of personal protective equipment (ppe) among workers of five refuse disposal companies within Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria. Asian Journal Applied Science, vol. 1, no. 5.
[11] Adiatmika, I. P. G., Manuaba, A., and Adiputra N. S. D. (2007). Total ergonomic approach to the improvement of work condition decreases musculoskeletal complaints and fatigue and increases productivity and income of the iron work painting artisans at Kediri -Tabanan. Indonesian Journal Biomed Science, vol. 1, no. 3.
[12] Ali, B. O. (2008). Fundamental principles of occupational health and safety. International Labour Office. Geneva ILO.
[13] Aritonang, N. J., Sitti Raha Agos Salim. MS. (2016). Analisa faktor-faktor yang Mempengaruhi Perilaku Karyawan Kilang Papan dalam Penggunaan Alat Pelindung Diri di PT Hidup Baru Kota Binjai Tahun 2014. Jurnal Ilmiah PANNMED, vol. 11, no. 1.
[14] Quinn, M. M. (2003). Occupational health, public health, worker health. American Journal Public Health, vol. 4, no. 93, p. 526.
[15] Tarwaka. (2004). Ergonomi Untuk Keselamatan Kesehatan Kerja Dan Produktivtas. Surakarta: UNIBA.