MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY AMONG MUNICIPAL MOTOR LOADERS AND STREET SWEEPERS IN MUMBAI

Introduction: Municipal Corporation has 30,000 employees associated with 8,500 metric tons of solid waste collection every day throughout mumbai. Workers physically handle the decaying carcasses of animals, rusted metal... [ view full abstract ]

Introduction: Municipal Corporation has 30,000 employees associated with 8,500 metric tons of solid waste collection every day throughout mumbai. Workers physically handle the decaying carcasses of animals, rusted metal pieces, glass bits and shards, household waste, human and animal excreta, gully material mixed with sewage leaking from drains, infectious hospital waste with bare hands. The working condition makes them vulnerable to develop a communicable and non-communicable disease.
The study examines the morbidities and caused of death among motor loaders and street sweepers during the service. Methods: Cross-sectional survey focused on 3 groups of workers applied case-control sampling design carried out in Mumbai. Motor loaders and street sweepers have exposed population to solid waste collection and workers with similar socioeconomic characteristics selected as a comparing group. A sample of 540 employees by applying stratified systematic random sampling design was interviewed at a workplace. To identify the diagnosis causes of death 100 employees died during service were selected separately and their family member interviewed at home.
Results: The prevalence of skin disease is as high as 73%, around 80% of workers reported injuries in past 6 months and three-fourth workers admitted having respiratory disease. Nine out of ten workers had at least one of the nine anatomical area problem defined by modified Nordic questionnaire. In diagnosis death cause, 29 workers were diagnosis with tuberculosis followed by 28 heart disease and stroke, 7 liver, 6 diagnosed cancer and 5 with HIV AIDS, 5 died in road accident and 8 because kidney disease and hepatitis B. Death of 12 workers at home were not diagnosed. Conclusion: Workers associated with the solid waste collection have high mortality compared to general population, 2,039 employees died in 14 civic wards during 1996 to 2006 and since 2007 to November 2014 total 1,927 workers reported dead during service.