Prevention-intervention strategies to reduce exposure to e-waste.

As one of the largest waste streams, electronic waste (e-waste) production continues to grow in response to global demand for consumer electronics. This waste is often shipped to developing countries where it is disassembled and recycled. In many cases, e-waste recycling activities are conducted in informal settings with very few controls or protections in place for workers. These activities involve exposure to hazardous substances such as cadmium, lead, and brominated flame retardants and are frequently performed by women and children. Although recycling practices and exposures vary by scale and geographic region, we present case studies of e-waste recycling scenarios and intervention approaches to reduce or prevent exposures to the hazardous substances in e-waste that may be broadly applicable to diverse situations. Drawing on parallels identified in these cases, we discuss the future prevention and intervention strategies that recognize the difficult economic realities of informal e-waste recycling.

The global spread of asbestos.

BACKGROUND: Asbestos continues to be used in large quantities around the world and to be an important commodity in global trade. OBJECTIVE: To assess and quantify current global patterns of asbestos production, export and use; to examine global patterns of asbestos-related disease; and to examine barriers to an asbestos ban. METHOD: Review of the biomedical literature describing patterns of asbestos exposure and disease; review of documents from national governments, UN agencies, and NGOs on asbestos production and use. FINDINGS: Despite widespread knowledge of the hazards of asbestos and bans on any use of asbestos in more than 50 countries, an estimated 2 million tons of asbestos continue to be used around the world each year. Although this amount is significantly less than peak annual consumption of nearly 5 million tons two decades ago, significant amounts of asbestos are still used in India, China, Russia, and some developing countries. This use of asbestos is responsible for disease today and will cause still more asbestos-related disease in the years ahead. Real and artificially manufactured controversies regarding asbestos such as arguments about the relative hazards of different asbestos fiber types and fiber sizes have impeded bans on asbestos. CONCLUSIONS: All forms of asbestos pose grave dangers to human health. All are proven human carcinogens. There is no continued justification for the use of asbestos. Its production and use should be banned worldwide.

Work security impacts in developing countries: India.

Given the rapid pace of globalization, newly industrialized countries cannot adequately protect workers from emerging hazards. Only 5-10% of workers in developing countries have access to occupational health services. Work-related health problems are exacerbated by a scarcity of resources, socioeconomic dislocation, and poor general health status. The author considers the case of India and looks at its background in occupational safety and health (OSH) regulation, national health policy, and recent experience. He notes the decline in trade unions and rise of hazardous industries, and presents a case study of the situation in the state of Delhi. He concludes that the progress of OSH has stalled since economic reform. The high rate of injury and illness is a bad omen for productivity. Lowering the guard on safety and health will ultimately harm the businesses that currently seek to profit from it. The well-being of workers may deteriorate further if poor enforcement and widespread ignorance of OSH persist. Labor standards must be reevaluated and responsible legislation must be developed. Training and nutrition subsidies should be offered to increase productivity and improve worker health.

Musculoskeletal disorders in industrial workers of Delhi.

To study the musculoskeletal disorders in industrial workers in Delhi, 631 workers from 60 factories representing small and medium-sized enterprises located in Delhi were interviewed. Many (59.4%) of the workers had musculoskeletal disorders. Tailors, those working near furnaces, cooks, workers in buffing, checking and assembly work, and those working with chemicals had the most joint complaints. Cervical pain was more frequent in tailoring and packing work, whereas lumbar pain was more common in buffing, operators working on presses, those using hand and power tools, and those lifting heavy manual loads. Contract workers had less musculoskeletal morbidity than regular and temporary workers. Skilled workers also had less morbidity. Workers experiencing more job satisfaction reported fewer musculoskeletal disorders. The high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in workers needs urgent attention from the health and labor sectors. An ergonomic approach to prevention should be considered. The current manual load handling limits prescribed in the Indian Factory Rules potentially expose workers to back stress. It is also inappropriate to have separate load-lifting limits for men and women. Research is urgently required to determine the safe load handling limits for the Indian working population based on ergonomic principles. Until internationally acceptable safe limits are established, back pain should be a notifiable disease in India.

Awareness about biomedical waste management and infection control among dentists of a teaching hospital in New Delhi, India.

All 64 dentists working in a teaching hospital of New Delhi participated in a survey. A pre-tested self-administered questionnaire was used to assess knowledge and practices of biomedical waste management and infection control among these dentists. The results show that not all dentists were aware of the risks they were exposed to and only half of them observed infection control practices. In addition to this, majority of them were not aware of proper hospital waste management. The dentists need to be educated on Biomedical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998 through extensive training programme.

Occupational health and unemployment in India.

Unemployment is a serious problem in India. Rural workers have no stable and durable employment. Educated and women experience more unemployment which is a greater problem in urban than in rural areas. An unemployed takes a long time to find work and secures it at an inadequate remuneration since job seekers far outnumber the available opportunities. Unavailability of social security makes life more difficult for the unemployed. Latest figures place the number of unemployed at 37.2 million. However, the figure is disputed as no national survey to determine the extent of unemployment has been undertaken in India. The health of unemployed has not been an issue. A pilot study was undertaken to assess the effect of tuberculosis on employment in Delhi. Tuberculosis appeared to be a significant cause of unemployment and loss of income specially among unskilled workers. The health and labour ministries may formulate a strategy to promote research and focus on health protection of unemployed.