New Delhi: While Delhi’s waste pickers, safai karamcharis (municipal sweepers) and security guards, irrespective of their gender, are exposed to a high dust concentration and particulate matter owing to their occupation, the women often suffer from poorer lung function than their male co-workers, a new study has found.
The study, results of the which were made public earlier this month, was led by Chintan — an environmental research and action group — along with Dr Randeep Guleria, formerly of All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), and Dr. Tejas Menon Suri from AIIMS. It studied the relationship between air pollution and incidence of respiratory illness for three essential occupational groups — waste pickers, municipal sweepers, and security guards.
The choice of occupational groups for the survey was based on higher instances of exposure to dust, waste, particulate matter and toxic gases on the job.
The study revealed that women safai karamcharis were six times more likely to have poor lung function compared to men. Women waste pickers were found to be almost four times more likely to have poor lung functioning as compared to their male co-workers.
While the study did not give any reason for this, Sunil Dahiya, analyst at Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), told ThePrint that global research bears out that “women, children and the elderly are more vulnerable” to the effects of air pollution.
The participants were surveyed on-site using a questionnaire, followed by a pulmonary function test — which tests an individual’s lung strength. Conducted over eight months last year, the study titled ‘Unfair Quality,’ surveyed 100 participants in each of the above-mentioned categories. A control group of 100 was also selected for a comparative study.
The participants were selected across 15 sites in Delhi.
The study found that 97 percent of safai karamcharis, 95 percent of waste pickers, and 82 percent of security guards surveyed, reported exposure to air pollution during their work. Additionally, more than 60 percent safai karamcharis, 50 percent of waste pickers, and 30 percent of security guards were unaware about PPE kits that help reduce exposure to air pollution.
Abnormal pulmonary function results were recorded across all three groups, with 86 per cent of safai karamcharis and security guards surveyed showing symptoms, followed by 75 percent of waste pickers. This stands in contrast with the findings in the control group, where only 45 percent of participants had abnormal lung function.
The report suggests systemic shifts in operation to ensure the long-term protection of these outdoor workers. These include the issuing of guidelines on occupational health protection by the Swachh Bharat Mission, improved access to healthcare for outdoor workers, employing drones to identify garbage burning to stop workers from doing it etc.
Addressing the drastic differences between the experiences of male and female workers, the study also suggests ensuring minimal exposure to areas with high concentrations of dust and particulate matter for pregnant and lactating workers, and closer monitoring of their health, with ready treatment and flexible working hours to ensure that they don’t work outdoors when the air quality is severe.
Responding to the findings, Bharati Chaturvedi, founder and director of Chintan told ThePrint that since in pregnant women, the foetus is negatively impacted by air pollution during high-risk duty, women safai karamcharis should be allotted soft postings (with lower levels of air pollution) during pregnancies.
She added that seeking treatment at hospitals was a very gendered concept in India, with no importance given to the same especially for women.
Meanwhile, talking to ThePrint about protection against air pollution, Dahiya pointed out that even those who do not belong to these occupational groups do not use protective gear during periods of poor air quality in Delhi.
Dahiya argues that on a larger level — across multiple population groups — the government and social system tend to “underplay” the impacts of air pollution. “It makes these groups believe that it is okay to work in these conditions,” he said.
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Incidence of severe lung illness
The study also found that 47 percent of safai karamcharis, 80 percent of waste pickers, and 45 percent of security guards surveyed have suffered cough, sore throat, frequent headaches and irritation in the eyes, since they started working their current roles. But only 11 per cent of safai karamcharis, 25 percent of waste pickers and 13 percent of security guards surveyed had consulted a doctor and addressed these health concerns.
While no severe cases of lung illness were observed among those in the control group, 27 percent of safai karamcharis, 17 percent of waste pickers and 10 percent of security guards surveyed, were found to be suffering from severe lung illnesses.
The study calls not just for the provision of personal protective equipment (PPEs), but also adequate training on how to efficiently use them. Training workers to gargle after duty hours, to effectively remove dust particles from nasal and throat cavities, and the provision of hand and face washing facilities near their place of work, have also been recommended.
For limiting exposure, the report suggests shift timings be changed when the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches hazardous levels. All resting places should be engineered at levels above the tail-pipe level of SUV vehicles and annual health check-ups focused on monitoring occupational health, the study recommendations.
“If I, a safai karamchari for example, am coughing away, have itchy eyes and a runny nose, you just keep working — nobody cares. Going to a hospital is a chore, especially when these women have a lot of work at home and are looking after extended families and children. And if you do not have disposable income, it becomes all the more difficult,” said Chaturvedi.
Dahiya also spoke about the gaps in the reach of government-run awareness drives.
“If you look at these campaigns, they are so technology and social-media-centered and cater to a very specific population group. Even campaigns that feature in newspapers or on the radio do the same. Most vulnerable groups are left out of this awareness journey,” he said.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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